I am not sure if an open bottom planters is the best way to go about it, but I do know that the soil will not HARM the concrete or bricks. You need to determine if; 1. you are ok with the soil staining the bricks and concrete, 2. whether or not any roots from plantings in the container might pose a threat to the concete foundation, and 3. what will happen to the area during freezing winters when moisture will collect in crevices and freeze and expand. Before you do anything ckeck to make sure you are not planning to build on top of cracks or crevises. Just what came to mind, maybe someone else can help more. Good luck! ---Keith

> unless you are refilling the water level daily - does it matter to the plants how fast the excess water evaporates? Fast over one day, or Slow over several days, but the same amount of moisture either way. You assume with hydroton at the bottom the water will evaporate over, say, a day, then the hydroton will be dry till the next watering. That does not need to happen. You can have enough water underneath (and enough hydroton to raise the pots so they are not in a puddle), so that the stronger evaporation still last for the whole time between waterings. Then humidity will be both higher and long lasting. > I guess the downside is that [hydroton is] much more expensive In my case, I bought a big bag a growstones without having a clear plan for them other than a little experiment here and there - so whenever I say hydroton, I actually mean growstones in my case, and I already have a bag. But you are right, of course. Re comparing Chula's smallest pots. I exchanged emails with Harry, and here is the summary of all the differences: 2.25 NCUV: uneven bottom (I put insect screen on the bottom of my pots, and looks like this may be a [small] issue); annoying top ridge; no legs/risers; lighter weight; more see-through. 2.25 SLOTS: more level bottom; smooth top /no ridge; little leg risers; heavier; more opaque. Both have some good advantages - I might just get half of each. > There seem to be two main overlaps with Hoya people. Orchids and Succulents. Good observation. And people who like hoyas with succulent leaves also tend to (surprise!) like succulents. I am not among them, by the way. Hoya kerrii or obovata do very little for me. I mean I'd grow them, but they wouldn't raise my pulse like many others do. Which probably explains why my succulents and cacti combined pots could look better than they do, AND I have little desire to do anything about it. Anyway, that's a tangent. Doug, thanks for chiming in - I thought GG and I lost others a long time ago here. :-) > There is a certain type of personality, that dips their toe in and is quickly up to their neck. The byline of my plants photo album on facebook says very tongue-in-cheek "I can quit any time, OK?" :-) I definitely feel the orchid attraction. What's pulling me back a bit is how ugly most of them look out of bloom (unlike many hoyas!) The leaves are nothing to write home about. When I mentioned this at an Orchid Society meeting, one woman replied, "Eugene, you just need A LOT of orchids, and then something will always be in bloom to distract you from the ugly foliage". HAHAHA, looks like they heard it all before and are well prepared with a perfectly logical "let's submerge to the neck" kind of answer. I have 9 orchids, but there's space on the stand which I bet will not remain empty forever. Back to hoyas... > I have to vote against the hydroton as a replacement for egg crate as I have been there and done that. The biggest problem was having the roots grow through the pots and attach themselves to the hydroton. Well, as you said, the stability insert helps with this. Those roots will have to grow through the insect netting (I'll probably have that depending on the size of the drain holes), out the pot, then around the stability insert pocket, find those holes (they are small and few from the looks of it), and into the hydroton last. They wouldn't attach too firmly, I guess, because I'd be taking the insert out of the tray once a month or so for their showers, and maybe more often for other reasons like watering or draining. > the roots grow through the pots and attach themselves to the hydroton, which makes them very hard to re-pot when the need arises. I imagine you try to dislodge the clinging hydroton or if that does not work, cut the roots just above the highest hydroton ball under the pot. This looks to be minimal root pruning to me - but I appreciate practical experiences, of course, 'cause I am all about theory here. :-) This is a good problem to have, anyway, as the plant is growing vigorously. > The constant evaporation causes strong salt build up on the leca decreasing their effectiveness over time. True, but it will never be as bad as plastic crate's wicking/evaporative abilities, right? :-) By the way, I am sure you get this, Doug, but making sure everybody else reading understands - salt build-up is very bad in media because of fertilizer burn, but here we are talking about something happening outside the pot, so none of that applies (apart from the reduced wicking capacity Doug mentioned).

That is a great spot for a good focal point. While I am really fond of the Acoma Crepe Myrtle (It has a growth pattern that gives it almost an oriental look), I would consider an Anacacho Orchid. It is a very hardy, care-free native that blooms twice per year, spring and fall. The tree itself is beautiful, and the blooms smell great. Next to the door, that would be a great benefit. I think it looks best as a small tree and will grow to about 10 feet or so. It is not very commonly used, so it would be a great conversation piece, as well. If you are set on a shrub, try Grecian Pattern Plant, if you can get it. It stands out well on its own as a shrub for a focal point. The foliage is beautiful, and it has a whitish spike bloom that is just stunning. If you use this one, keep an eye on it in the summer heat to make sure it isn't getting scorched. Treating occasionally with Liquid Seaweed can help. Another option would be to use Agave. Again, they are great at standing out in a bed, and they are very low maintenance. With your existing landscape I would recommend one of the smaller varieties, but the Blue Agave would look great, so long as you don't mind it having it removed and replaced with a younger specimen every five or six years. I would recommend staying away from any of the hedge-type shrubs, as they will tend to either blend in with the existing hedge or look like they were planted mistakenly. On the subject of crepe myrtles, I definitely recommend pruning them, so long as you are pruning selectively from the bottom up, and not 'topping' or pruning from the top down. While it is fine to prune off the old seed heads at the end of the season, hacking the tops off can open them up to problems in the future. If you start with a variety that only gets to the height that you want, you should never have to top them. Happy Planting! Jeff Rodgers Blue Collar Gardeners Here is a link that might be useful: Blue Collar Gardeners Podcast

Find out exactly what you can and cannot do in the easement. As pinkmountain suggested, can you put a privacy fence along the chain link fence? Perhaps with open trellis along the top to give more height. Looks like a good area to have a dog and the trees will provide some privacy in the spring and summer. You will have room for a patio within the usable area of the yard. Which window are you meaning when you say "next to the porch"? For the bed in front of the porch you need something that will stay low--you don't want to block the window or have to be pruning all the time. For the other side of the front door, I would create a curving bed that will extend to the corner of the house and maybe around the corner depending on how the easement works. Does the drainage go underground? and they just need access to it? If so you could have stepping stones in mulch that could be easily taken up if work is necessary. Plant a small ornamental tree such as a cherry or serviceberry in the bed at least 10 to 15 feet from the house. This will provide interest and keep people away from that window, You want to give the tree plenty of room so read up on the mature size of whatever you select. Good luck!