Hi KraZbuderfly, I have a balcony something like yours, cocked to slightly face northeast, slatted, but on the end. The end faces west and the other end is blocked. I have an overhead balcony too, limiting the light somewhat. I've lived here for 5 years (6th spring), so have had lots of time to experiment. Still experimenting! LOL Currently I have: Perennials Climbing rose (on west end) Peony (just planted last year, but it's coming up now) Pink carpet hanging rose (both roses were planted last year) Columbine Hosta Astilbe Pansies Ornamental grass Fern (no sign yet this year) Great Blue Lobelia (no sign this year) Vines 3 clematises Morning glories - planted indoors, ready to go out if they don't die first from planting too soon, last year they did fine I grew a Sweet Autumn clematis for three years but got tired of it and wanted something else. Shasta Daisies (treated as an annual so I could plant the peony) Water Garden This did well the first year because I had the right plants in it. It's declined every year since. This year we're going to clean it out and only put things in that will grow in the shade, like water lettuce, water hyacinth, a tiny bit of duckweed or Spanish Lace. We haven't decided what else. Herbs I'm not much for veggies, but do grow a little parsley, chives and some feverfew in a self-watering pot. I've grown a lot of other herbs that have done well. Here's this year's pot: The feverfew came back from last year. The parsley is a little small, so will replace it. Chives are doing fine. Bulbs Snowdrops Puschkinia Tulips Daffodils Lilies (Asiatic and Orientals) Annuals Last Year Torenia Sweet alyssum Coleus (I have Glennis coming) Plectranthus Mimulus Verbena Blue Moon lobelia (does great every year) Here's what it looks like so far this year: We look west to the mountains with Denver in the foreground. I know what you mean about some things not succeeding because of something you did. I let my mimulus dry out last year, same with astilbe. But I'm DETERMINED this year not to let anything dry out!! I have a few self-watering pots, and they're the greatest, but then I don't think they need as much watering and I forget to fill the reservoirs. It's a lot harder in August than it is in June! LOL Hope you'll post some photos too. Here's two of last year: East End This is fun! I hope you've got high speed access. I didn't realize how big these photos would be. Sorry... Judith

yea wait ... first i think of soil compaction.. you simply standing and working in your beds.. i know OH has a lot of heavy clay.. and tromping around your beds early .... MIGHT lead to cement later in the summer ... next.. it would depend on how far you want to divide .. and the potential for heave.. as the ground goes in and out of thaw ... if you are simply halving a giant piece.. you can probably get away with it.. but if you were dividing down to single plants.. you might find them all above the surface in a few weeks ... i too am anxious to get out there.. but there is plenty to do .. cleaning up a lot of stuff.. before i spend too much time actually walking in the beds .. or making cement ... actually.. the first thing i had to do when i moved here with a 3 year old.. was build a sandbox.. so the kid would stop digging up everything i just planted .. lol ... make any sense?? you know.. what it really comes down to ... i dont trust mother nature ... she will mess with you gratuitously .. i still expect her to throw winter at me, with a vengeance .... it may not happen ... probably not ... but i trust her as far as i can throw her. .. ken ps: i though you were a guilt momma.. lol ... and i was wondering what you were guilty about.. lol ...

"Where and how much did you order your basjoo, if you don't mind me asking?" Sorry, I'm just catching up! I ordered mine on Ebay. This is my second time ordering and I think I generally pay around $5-6 a plant. I received them already and they look great, so I have four in the ground at this point (three new and one I had as a houseplant). Blondboy, I'm so happy for you!!!! What a sight!!! I guess I was the only one who actually killed mine. :( But as a Zone 5er (and borderline 5 at that), I'm not all that surprised. I WILL try again this coming winter though, maybe even with Christmas lights for a little warmth! I did a few things wrong this winter like having plastic directly on the plant!

Aren't you a bit too frozen to try digging around if you are in zone 5? Aside from that... I can say that I have overwintered irises I've gotten on clearance in pots and put them in in the spring once the soil could be worked and not lost them. I haven't done this often though, so I don't know if I just lucked out with what I planted, or if it's actually ok to do so. If you have a whole bunch of irises, that should mean you got a bunch of rhizomes. So as littlebit said, move a few, and see what happens.