Be aware that while the Grewia can be kept fairly narrow if trained as an espalier, if not so trained it will grow as a wide bush. I'd suggest starting off with espalier trained 5 or 15 gallon size from the nursery. This shrub may also drop some foliage in your freezes, but is generally safe to use as an evergreen hedge if you seldom drop below 27ðF or so. Your much warmer winter days may give you better evergreen character in winter, they can tend to thin out a bit in colder winters here in northern California. As to amending your soil, it depends on what you have to start with. First thing is to dig any planting pit at least 2 to 3 times wider than your container size, but no deeper, and flood test to see that water drains fully within a couple of hours. I generally do amend the backfill 50% with aged compost or similar, but current horticultural research says this is unnecessary, and a surface application of compost as mulch is more beneficial, repeated once or twice a year. I'd suggest you get a copy of the Sunset Western Garden Book as a good general reference for your gardening and plant questions, it should answer most any gardening question you might have.

That is a hilarious request! We see it every year, too. The only grass that comes close is St Augustine and not Floratam. If that is all the damage your dog has done, then St Aug should work. It will need deep water once per week as will ANY grass you put in. The difference with St Aug is that it's the only southern grass which will tolerate any shade. And it will tolerate a lot more than you have. Chances are you already have St Aug back there. If that's the case you can nurse that until it spreads to cover the entire area. All it needs is weekly water and mowing at the highest setting. You can mow once per week or once every 2 or 3 weeks. If you want it to fill fast, then I would fertilize with an organic fertilizer once per month. I like alfalfa pellets at 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet as a fertilizer. Get it in 50-pound bags at your local feed store - sold as rabbit chow. Apply by hand for that small area. Water deeply once per week. Deep means a full inch as measured by several cat food or tuna cans set out in the yard. For that area I would use an oscillator sprinkler. It might take many hours to fill the cans, so don't be surprised. Don't look now but your dog photobombed your picture.

I have to apologize for the delayed response. Many thanks to you all you guys. to Richard In principle, I am not limited in height. At the location I have planned for this three it will not interfere with anything. It is supposed to be the part of the tree-shrub border at the property boundary to serve as the privacy screen/pleasant view vista. I would prefer it to be 20-30ft long term, but if it grows to 40ft so be it. But, as other guys seem to imply, it will, most likely, be not my problem anyway. :) The spread is all another issue, tall columnar type of tree would be much preferred there. to ken_adrian Oh, grandchildren! What do they know about gardening, khe-khe. It is very helpful to know that you "Saratoga" only have put hardly 7 feet in 10 years. I should start with more mature tree if I can afford it, considering my age :) Is it still "(gangly, teenager looking)" as rhizo_1 put it? To rhizo_1. "so all city dwellers may get to see unless they visit the established parks are very young trees." And I was absolutely convinced that those urban trees were of specific variety, as I have spotted them in different cities and even different countries! Thanks for debunking my "urban myth" . I think I'll do as you suggested: "Ginkgos have a pretty slow rate of growth. I'd select a nice male cultivar and enjoy it."

Check the Sunset Western Garden Book: they have a section on "what to plant around swimming pools". Japanese Maples need a shady location. They are understory trees (they naturally grow in the shade of larger trees) and do not like full sun. If you want something truly spectacular and have a large budget, a tree Aloe such as A. barberae. Nice and clean. Any tree with showy flowers drops a lot of litter. Some flowers such as Jacaranda also create a slipping problem on concrete. Factor that into your decision.