Thanks for the suggestions! blakrab: Diciduous is ok. I'm surrounded by evergreens, so it's nice to have some diversity. not sure if we have any other open space to plant more though (property is overrun by coast live oak which sprout like weeds here. Every year I pull out about 20-30 saplings, and seems like I'm making no dent in the growth density here... every few years I have to have one cut down since they start crowding eachother too much). I'll take a close look at the Texas persimmon. Is that anything like the persimmons you find sold in stores? (orange fruit)? There are few of those in the area. if so, may be there'll be enough in the area without having to plant another in our lot... hoobv: it's a pretty densely vegetated hillside property, so fire is always a concern. But never really thought bout tree-fire exposure (we're usually more concerned with shrub/grass fire). I said 15ft, but just looked at the survey map, and it seems like it's actually more like 25 ft from the house. making a terrace is an interesting idea. the tree can be taller, as long as it's the type that is conducive to shaping/height reduction management. but taller tree usually means faster growth (may be) and hard to manage? and thank you for the tree selection guide. I'll ahve to take a look at that. An arborist who just came by recommended chinese pistachio. He said around here, it doesn't get much bigger than about 25ft or so, and has great fall foliage, drought tolerant.. doesnt require too much water in the summer so won't hurt the juniper either (I called it juniper, but arborist said cypress, so... hmm). The tree sounded good until I found out that it has a potential of growing to 60ft.. i'll have to do more research on that tree.

For the shaded area, on the wall, I would plant Alba Semi Plena, and Felicite Parmentier, from vintagegardens.com or Hortico.com (mail order in September) with six hours of full sun you have a wide choice of roses in our latitude, From roguevalleyroses.com and a.r.e. on the wall with trellising support Crepescule on the wall Marachel Niel on the wall, Spray Cecille Brunner, on the wall Mme. Alfred Carriere Reve d'Or or grown with lower canes removed as a self supporting bush. from pickeringnurseries.com in septermber Celine Forestier grown as a bush or climber M.A.C. Alistair Stlella Gray for a climbing rose or stripped of lower canes and grown as a 6' tall shrub. pickeringnurseries.com For deep and rich fragrance. vintagegardens.com Mme. Boll Musk scent. Reverend Seidel R. moschata I'd plant several of these in a row where the breeze with carry the sweet musk scent for several yards away from the bush. Horico.com Arrilaga , huge spiral centered silvery pink cabbage shaped roses, good rebloom, needs full sun for those large blooms and gets some p.m. nearer the coast. Baronne Prevost very fragrant and disease resistant, here. Autumn Damask' roguevalleyroses.com fragrant and very pretty. Grandmothers Hat, a great reliable rose, Morcom park in Oakland has several of these planted in a row, grown 5' tall, as well as a climbing rose. fragrant and disease resistant. annies annuals may have some if rogue valley has sold out. vintagegardens has already sold out of all the Tea roses, but you could buy these from roguevalley roses.com or a.r.e.: Mrs. B.R. Cant , pink, fragrant and long blooming season, it blooms from March through early December in my garden. Westside Road Cream Tea' white and scented, 4' by 4' 1/2' tall, very resistant to p.m. a row of these with Grandmothers Hat in back would be my idea of fragrant beauty. , i Cornelia' from hortico.com they sell it as a Musk rose, it is my favorite rose bred by Pemberton, small blossoms in profusion, scented of musk and rose. Blush Noisette' Mermaid (hortico.com a climbing rose that I've espaliered on my back fence to keep it in line, spicy fragrant lemon yellow rose with beautiful red filiments. Red and fragrant Hybrid Tea rosebushes, disease resistant in my no spray gardens: Souvenir du Claudius DeNoyal Crimson Glory Papa Meilland , not floriferous but the cupped roses are huge goblets filled with perfume, when fed well. In our latitude all the China, Old Garden Tea and Noisette rose are shade tolerant, for roses this means they still need 6 hours of full sun, or 4 hours of full sun and 4 hours of filtered sun the most fragrant Tea I've ever smelled is 'Anna Olivier' it is very disease resistant even on the coast by the highway near Monteray. alba class roses need fewer hours of sun: 4 to 5 will serve in this latitude, all Alba roses bloom for 3 to 4 weeks in one bloom season each year, but they are very pretty plants even when out of bloom. I have grown all the roses listed above except for Reverend Seidel' in my no spray gardens in Oakland, and Richmond, Califonria. Roses to avoid in no-spray gardens in or near San Francisco, Ca or wherever conditoins favor the spread of powdery mildew: Georgetown Tea Ducher' both defoliated in my garden from p.m. and this greatly lessened bloom production. Feed the soil first before you think of fertilzing. I love Orchard Hardwares "Rose Soil" I used to have to mix c. 10 different items and micronutriets with alfalfa meal and bone meal etc. but its all in the rose soil. I use 1/2 bag for each hole for a regular sized rosebush (4 to 5' tall) to a full bag for climbers, and large Tea rosebushes, be sure and mix native soil in with it, or you will get the bathtub effect. 50% to 60% rose soil depending on if you have the heavy California clay that I do. a shovel full of well rotted manure, horse is very good, organic steer manure is also fine 25% to 33% of native soil, the soil from the hole you dug. well rotted compost to bring it up to 100% just f.y.i. I'd do a ph test before you begin, roses like slightly acid soil, do another test after you mix the soil blend and plant the first rosebush. Good luck, Luxrosa

Hi Dax, My apologies. So I am not the best with putting notes on these photos... nor, clearly am I very good at identifying these plants. And obviously would starve as either an artist or designer... I have attempted to mark the photo with notes on the shrubs and where I want the flowering tree on the left and the conifer on the right. (my hubbie is the one who really wants the conifer) So I may be trying to accomplish too much in this pretty small space. I just think the beds need some height since the house is so tall and narrow. There is a hodgepodge of other plants as this used to be a rental house(you correctly noted a lone daylily, there is a winter sweet lost behind one of the juniperus bushes and other random plants that I can relocate, etc.) Basically, everything is up for replacement with the exception of the peonies, and what you think is some type of weeping mulberry (again, I am not a fan of this tree and would prefer to see it go but that may be a tough sell with my husband and it is the only plant in any semblance of decent shape) I was simply going to start with taking out the juniperus bushes (because they are overgrown and imho don't have any very attractive qualities)and then go from there... probably better to have more of a plan. If you click on this photo, hopefully it will open up large enough so that you can read my attempt at notes. From front landscaping Any sage advice is VERY much appreciated...Thanks ever so much! Take care, e Here is a link that might be useful: Here's a link to all the photos

Well I'm going to break most of your rules but give you something you haven't asked for. The most beautiful tree with wonderful edible fruit. It is less than ten feet tall at maturity. Blooms in spring, with gorgeous white flowers on a weeping tree. "Weeping Santa Rosa Plum." It was developed by Luther Burbank and the fruit is better than Santa Rosa because it has a lot of apricot in its background. Great fresh or in jams. The winter silhoutte is beautiful and since you are south facing you may just appreciate that extra sunlight in midwinter. The fall color is yellow. The spring flowers are beautiful pure white. I can email you a photo if you'd like. I grew up in the East Bay.