Luis, if you google for tapestry hedge, you should be able to get photos of hedges made up of a number of different plants. The hedges may be sheared and have straight sides, or they may have been left to grow naturally. Laceyvail is right, too much variegation can be very busy looking, while some is an accent. I wouldn't have a border made up of a plain shrub, a variegated shrub, a colored shrub, a plain shrub, a variegated shrub, etc., etc., but would rather plant a plain green (which might flower or have berries), maybe another plain green with a different texture of leaf or color of flower or time of flower, a variegated, a plain, a colored, a plain with some interest, another plain, or a not-too-busy variegated, a colored, etc., etc. No regimentation, no clashing colors or overpowering shapes. Despite my mentioning a tapestry hedge, I would plant the shrubs far enough apart that they can grow and "show" off their shapes, colors and forms. Chueh, how much room can you give to this project in width, and how long is it? And how much sun does it get, at what times of the day, winter and summer? Knowing these things, we can offer suggestions as to what of the shrubs mentioned can work. I STRONGLY advise you to look around your neighborhood at what you like that is growing well there, both in private homes and in public areas, then look around and see what the local nurseries have, so you know you can get then easily. I would also look up on the various websites and in garden books the various shrubs mentioned here, so you know what they look like and if you like the looks. One suggestion - take nursery advice with a bit of caution - come back here and ask if it is good before acting on it as some nurseries, and their advice, are better than others. And take the hang-tag's - attached to a plant in nurseries - statements as to the mature height and width of a plant with a large grain of salt - frequently the height/width mentioned is what to expect after 10 years in the ground, not the ultimate height/width.

I just found a reddish pink leafed Huckleberry in Redwood National Park. Some folks who work around those parks told me that no pesticides are used in that area that they know of - where that plant is. Something like Amitrol came to mind. Although anything I've seen with Amitrol pink died. Anyhow, I'll be keeping an eye on that plant to see if it grows pinkish red yearly. ____________________ M. D. Vaden of Oregon

Wow, your house sounds cool! Knock-Outs stay green here in 8a, but not the salvias; salvias may be evergreen in your 8b zone, & of course the bearded irises are evergreen, & the muhly grass, while not evergreen, does retain its foliage through the winder. Salvia greggii is blooming here already, & the early/mid-season irises are just beginning. the salvias will bloom thru summer. As the year wears on, ruellia (Mexican petunia) will bloom & will continue until cold weather, as will zinnias & probably your coneflowers & daylilies. Someone will undoubtedly know more about the other flowers you mentioned. Here, I like coreopsis in the summer, but I haven't figured it out yet. It seems to go full blast through the heat until one day it...croaks. This summer I'm going to trim it after the first set of blooms start to fade. Crinums are big, splashy, showy flowers & plants; if you go to the San Antonio swap, Tally often has crinums to share. Crinum dies back in the winter, but I think it's worth the space it occupies! If you have room, flowering trees are wonderful. redbuds are the first ones to bloom, in spring, followed by vitex/chaste tree, & then the crepe myrtles go wacko all summer. Late summer/early fall, obedient plant, lycoria radiata, then goldenrod (which looks good with the tall Mexican petunias). I'd say mix the annuals with the perennials; only you & the plants will know which is which anyway, & you can have a much broader pallette that way. You might use annuals that are self-seeding, so that you don't have to start over every year. Zinnias, celosia, ornamental peppers, & morning glories are annuals that return year after year. On your fence, you might use coral honeysuckle. It's a beautiful coral color, & it will eventually cover the fence, & it's evergreen. Best luck, & have fun! edited to add: How could I have forgotten Lady Banks roses??? The bushes are so large that people here use them for shrubs, but if you have the space they're enchanting. Pale buttercream button-sized little roses cover the bushes in the spring, & after they fade, you still have a *thornless* evergreen shrub.

Going strictly by your very moderate temperatures, tomatoes should do very well year-round. However, other factors play into it, and I suspect that rain will probably determine the best parts of the year for growing tomatoes. Tomatoes succumb quickly to disease under extended humid and rainy conditions, and too dry is difficult for them as well (although if not too hot, too dry better than too wet, as long as you can water them enough). There may also be seasonal pest issues unique to your location which most of us on this forum may not be familiar with. Since you are new to gardening, I would suggest you try to see whether a local university near you or government agency has an agricultural program that provides information to home gardener and small farmers. You can also do your own experiments for fun, planting at different times and seeing when your tomatoes do better. Forums like this can then help you find answers to more specific questions that crop up once you get the big picture about gardening locally where you are. And, of course, there are some constants that will not change regardless of location. I hope you have a lot of fun gardening and that you let us know how things are going and what you learn. Is tomato growing common as a hobby there or as a crop that small farms or families might grow? Are there specific types of heirloom tomatoes unique to your region, or is commercial hybrid seed more common?