I would help if you posted photos of the area and planters. Not so sure about Phoenix roebelenii. They do have some wicked sharp spines, so anyone backing up to one of them in their bathing suit might be in for a very painful experience. I have many of them all through my landscape, but in areas for the most part, where you would not accidentally walk or fall into one. So, better to use them maybe in the back of the planter, away from where people are walking? Society garlic stinks, and again, probably not great in an area where you're going to hang out in a pool, sitting at the edge. Miniature Bird of Paradise actually stays very nice, and when the flowers are spent, just prune them away. New flowers will emerge. Nandina, coleonema, dietes are all good choices. Also, there are some really spectacular new Coprosma hybrids out there that have just spectacular foliage colors. You can mix and match different Coprosma cultivars with their different leaf colors and really have something beautiful. Aucuba japonica cultivars (needs a fair amount of water), Cordylines, Autralian Tree ferns, Bronze Loquat, Fatsia japonica (False Aralia), Plumeria, Agapanthus, Alpinia (Ginger Lily - love these), Clivia is you have shade, Day lilies, Liriope, Phormiums (Flax), to name a few more good options that don't litter, can take the sun, water wise, have pretty or interesting foliage, and don't attract bees (so much). Also, succulents make excellent poolside companions as well. Large agaves (preferrably ones without spines) and aloes, Secencios (like Blue Chalk Fingers), Aeoniums, Kalanchoe cultivars are all good choices. Patty S. This post was edited by hoosierquilt on Tue, Nov 19, 13 at 18:27

Gobluedjm, I was thinking to put water feature in the corner formed by the side wall of garage and the "sad" window. But maybe your idea of putting it by the railing is better. My elderly mother often sits on a chair in the front porch and she would love the water feature by the railing! Would like to pick all your brains further if I may for more design ideas. Q: If I do put the water feature in front of the railing, do I plant something between the water feature and railing to sort of frame the water feature and soften the lines? Or should I remove the railing altogether? Q: would the water feature be same height as railing or higher? Q: What would you guys suggest I plant under the 2 lights flanking the garage door? Q:The problem with the "sad" window is, it is pretty close to the ground so I can't plant ANYTHING higher than maybe a foot if I want the window to be seen in its entirety from the street. Any ideas what would look best under the window and in that entire bed by the window?? Q: I would also like to plant something tall and columnar on each side of the window. I love the linear Italian Cypresses. What do you guys think? Any problems with those being so close to home? Q: what would you guys plant in front of the 3 columns? Nothing? or something vining.... thunbergia, clematis, passiflora? Q: Suggestions as to what annual flowers(begonia, petunia, impatiens etc) to plant along the border of the walkway leading to front door? Q: what specific color scheme would you recommend for the flowers in the front yard? Would it be contrasting(blue/purple) to the orange/peachy of the garage door and roof? or in the same color palette, i.e. oranges, reds and yellows? Please do not feel obligated to answer any of the questions. I have already learned so much from your posts, I feel guilty asking for more advice.

Nadia - I hardly water mine, BUT it really depends what roses you are growing, what climate you live in, what type of soil you have and how you treat them Here we have reliable summer rain, it never gets intensely hot - always some water vapour in the air to protect, the soil is heavy clay loam on flat land so what water there is doesn't drain terribly well, and I use a thick mulch of pea straw to suppress the weeds and keep what moisture there is in the soil. I find i need to water them a bit in late Feb, March and early April. I run a soaker hose from our water tank. The gallicas and damask roses i rarely ever water - maybe twice a year. They bloom in Spring, and survive the summer without much assistance. They are also heavily mulched.

It's years old and doing fine, practically a small bush and has a daughter I cut off it last year that lives in my office. https://extension.umn.edu/houseplants/poinsettia Poinsettia are a bit touchy. Remove all the dead and dying leaves, and shock is natural on some plants post the holidays. Their natural blossoming time is actually not December, they're greenhouse-forced and cycled horribly hard. Leaf loss, horrible looking plants, and high death rates are common. Some can bloom into May. Some just...don't. One, flush out the soil. They feed the poor things too much, so there's a huge salt build-up in the soil. Even NYC water is better than the ion balance in that pot right now (I repotted mine after the holidays, but it's not strictly required). Just run water through it until it pees out a quart or more of water. Let dry until fairly dry, but don't let the plant wilt. Water as needed (as the link describes). They hate being totally dry and soaking wet, but otherwise aren't all that touchy. If you do want to repot or change soil, just choose any good potting mix, they're not that touchy (some people say they are, I've never found them to be). I just use unadulterated Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix (I can get it cheap and delivered, which, right now, are two things I require). Like I said, it's not necessary. Feed gently during the growing season (March-ish to October-ish), but otherwise just water Put the plant in the brightest light possible. Mine is near a southern window, plus has a cobbled 40 watt plant light on it 4 hours a day (it's kind of huddled around the lights with some other plants downstairs that need more than they get). A southwestern windowsill should be fine, though, for basic growth and survival. Again, that spectrum is weird because...cobbled. 8 watts full spectrum, 32 watts warm white. Bar lights, LED. With that on, you can read quite comfortably in the living room fifteen feet away on the couch. :-) Extra lighting really isn't required but since a few others get it, these benefit as well. Come summer, I put them on the deck, except for the hottest part of summer, which they don't care for. I move them into the eastern garden at that point to shield them from the hottest sunlight and weather. I don't push rebloom as I simply like them as houseplants and mine get too much light to rebloom anyway.