Thanks again everyone! I'm inspired to expand, and to try to become more and more self sufficient. I will most likely cultivate the 900 sq ft area outside the cage in the fall or next spring. Socks, right now I've been sharing basil and Armenian cucumbers with friends as those are incredibly prolific and we are having trouble keeping up. As for the other vegetables, my family and I will have no problem eating everything - there are 6 of us and we're all vegetarian. Canyonsister, I started all my tomatoes, peppers, basil, and eggplant by seed indoors at the beginning of January. I then started all the cucumbers, squash, cantaloupes, watermelons in mid February. I transplanted everything in mid March and directed seeded beans, more squash and cucumbers. In April I direct seeded okra, tepary beans and more cantaloupe. With heavy mulching, close planting, and shade cloth most things are holding up very well to the 100+ degree heat right now. In the winter, I wasn't as well organized but I did have a small selection of greens (kale, broccoli, rapini, arugula, lettuce etc) as well as beets, carrots, spring onions, peas, bok choy etc. You can start seeding the fall/winter vegetables as early as August and September if you provide some protection from the heat incase it stays in the 90's all the way up to November as it did this last season. Basically, you can seed, grow and harvest something in Phoenix year round!

Thank you, me too! I like to put the pots of plants where I think I want them and take pics. Then mull it over for a day or so to make sure that's where I want them before I plant them or else I end up digging them up and moving them. Which I've been doing a lot of lately anyway. lol I drive myself batty I'm already way overboard with how many plants/bulbs need to be planted and then I start digging up already planted plants because A. wrong placement for size B. clashing of color C. not thriving in that spot D. just because... lol And the noid in the 1st pic is actually an amazing color every hour it's a different color. It is iridescent and just striking my mother in-law gave that one to me. I just planted it 1 month before it bloomed and the poor thing had been out of the ground probably 3 months! I thought that was amazing. Not very good substance though. The 1st blooms falls got blown off with a slight breeze and became a flatty. It had 3 blooms and they all 3 looked different. I don't know anything about it but I'm hoping it's at least a rebloomer. We'll see... Rena'

Ken, no problem with spring desication this year, lol. Beverly, I would pick up Pistache again in a second. Gesila and Denis, Blue River looked like it maybe had a little streaking when I got it, now I think it was more likely margins running down into center of leaf. It had a Toy Soldier type line around the dark areas last year. stoc and coll thanks for the comments. Vanessa, only pics I've seen of Regal Twist make it look unruly, so we'll see in a few years. Paul

See, I'd just tell my DH that he could enjoy the sunrise while he's doing the laundry rather than while he's making coffee! ;) I kind of like the look of latest rendition, but I'm not loving the function. Leaving the laundry in the MBR would kill it for me. I know you don't mind it, but I can't imagine that it wouldn't be a sticking point for some potential buyer down the road. It would be for me. The issue raised earlier about kids having to come in the parents' room to do their laundry as they got older would be even stickier with the addition of another bedroom--i.e., room for a second kid with laundry needs. Could your stackable W/D fit in that closet area in the mudroom? Also, how will you use this desk? Will it become your home office space? If not, it seems like it would become a clutter magnet, ruining that nice view. I still prefer the rendition above where you reuse your sink and five-panel door. I think it makes the space far more useful in a house where useful space is at a premium.