Hi Violetta and welcome! There's definitely no "stupid questions" . As they say - the only stupid question is the one not asked!! LOL To try to answer some from my experience: 1.) Mulch is usually used as a soil cover to do a number of things including to help the soil retain moisture, and in cases of organic mulch, to eventually break down and add to the soil. Some mulches like gravel can often add minerals to the soil. For containers, I have found that it helps tf the clematis. Some will even plant a ground-cover type plant around a clematis base to do the same. Basically, the clematis likes moist roots (but not soggy as that may rot it out) when it is in the sun. 2.) o keep the soil surface from drying out so fast. And yes, it will help "shade" the roots of the clematis. Some will even plant a ground-cover type plant around a clematis base to do the same. Basically, the clematis likes moist roots (but not soggy as that may rot it out) when it is in the sun and they definitely prefer sun to get alot of bloom. 2.) Regarding containers appearance - I expect it is more "in the eye of the beholder". I don't consider my plain plastic containers as "ugly" (unless they are really stained or scratched up or split). The containers are just that - containers that hopefully have a beautiful plant in them. There are many who really like beautiful terracotta or ceramic containers but for me - these are often heavy and can crack after awhile due to expansion and contraction during winter weather. So as you surmise, a plastic pot with the plant can be placed inside the decorative pot to get the best of both worlds. 3.) With respect to petunias and bloom - sometimes they will pf the clematis. Some will even plant a ground-cover type plant around a clematis base to do the same. Basically, the clematis likes moist roots (but not soggy as that may rot it out) when it is in the sun. 2.) ause while going through a vegetative cycle before blooming again. You could consider pinching off the growing tips to encourage side-branches that will eventually give you double the blooms. Giving them a high-phosphorous fertilizer boost may also help. 4.) There is nothing stopping you from growing a cherry tree - just make sure that you put it in as large a container as you can drag out there 20" or greater and look for one that is on dwarf stock (then you can summer prune to keep it smaller). There are some vines like moonflower (Ipomoea alba) that would love your S-SW exposure and would cover your window in no time (plus would give you large white blooms in the evenings). The moonflower vine's cousins - morning glories - are also another that you could try. Some climbing roses (in a large container) could be positioned against the window and would also handle that exposure and can diffuse the sun coming through the window. Honeysuckles are a nice viney/shrub that could fit the bill too. Additionally, once your little clematis has grown up, that could be trained to grow on a trellis in front of the window as could vines like passifloras, which are fast growers. Your container plantings are really pretty, so don't bemoan them!!! It has taken many of us years to get where we can't even barely walk out on our balconies anymore (LOL) so don't be afraid to take your time and get hooked on container gardening!

I agree with the idea of making a swath of grass/path following your existing shapes, and gardening the rest of the space. I also agree with a brick or stone edging. Both those things worked very well for me. I don't have a sidewalk on the outer edge; my constraint is a deep ditch, which forms the outer limit of the garden space. I like the relatively straight line it makes as the edge. You don't have to do it all at once - start with Yard Advisor's corner bed. Get that set up and planted and keep thinking about the rest. Over the following year - or two or three..., you can gradually extend the corner bed towards the house bed, and along the sidewalk. If you do it gradually, it won't feel like such a big change/lot of work but rather like a natural evolution for the space. That's the way I did mine. Initially, I created a big bed in front and a narrow one along the driveway. A couple of years later, a small one was added behind the driveway border where the driveway curves plus another small bed was added in the N&E corner of the property. After a couple of years it was clear that all of those needed to be made more coherent and connected. So I measured a consistent distance from the edge of the main, large bed to eastablish the ribbon of grassy path that ties it all together. The ditch limited the outer ('moat') bed to a very narrow shape but the brick edge gives it more definition and it all works quite well I think. I think something similar would work well for you as shown in Yard Advisors drawing. Here is a link that might be useful:

tungstenchef some sites say use 40-50 percent shade cloth to protect tomatoes from the afternoon sun. Others say plant then where they will get afternoon shade. I could not find any 40 or 50 percent shade cloth while I was building the shade structure. I just figured 60 percent was more light than afternoon shade and went with it. No, I don't have a blog. As stated in earlier posts. I'm still learning. After my container garden failed a few years back my wife did not support my gardening. So I searched and search and read books and watched Master Gardener videos. There was no way I was going to start a garden unless I was fairly sure it was going to be successful. All I can say is so far so good. I may start a thread for people to follow along with next year but no blogs. To be successful you really do have to plan. In the bed with the south facing wall I will be completely re-planting for a Fall/Winter garden. So everything there has to finish by a certain date. Someone in another thread asked if they were to late to plant Watermelon. The true answer is yes and no. There is plenty of time for watermelon to ripen before it gets to cold. There is not plenty of time for it to ripen and pull the plants and replanted for the Fall/Winter vegetables. Planting dates are important. If the watermelon goes to long the Fall/Winter vegetables will be planted late. If they are planted late yields may be low or they may even fail to produce anything. Jeff over in the Vegetable Forum those kinds of issues usually have to do with one or more of these... Not enough hours of direct sunlight. Planted at the wrong time. Poor soil or improper use of fertilizers. Over or under watering. To much cold or rain. Its not always easy figuring out why either. Even the master Gardeners in the Vegetable Forum have crop failures. Its one of the reasons they like to plant so many things. If one thing fails something else is bound to thrive. Most even plant a few things that are not quite their favorite just because its more reliable. Have you ever though of growing Chinese Kale instead of broccoli? http://www.evergreenseeds.com/chinkalgail.html One of my favorite sites is in the link below. If you become a member the site becomes more functional. One of the added functions for members is that when you are signed in. When you see someone growing in a similar zone as your own you can click on their user name and see everything they have grown along with their descriptions and ratings. Way cool. Here is a link that might be useful: Cornell University Vegetable varieties for Gardeners

Thank you for your replies. Richard - of the two pictures of S. regla, Huntington BG apperas to have the form I'm seeking - upright and open. I'm looking for one that grows 6 or more feet tall, like the one in the picture I shared. Ours grows on the north side of our house in amended clay and gets sun only in summer. And, the S. melissodora is beautiful, but I'm seeking a Salvia that blooms in warm colors (orange, red, yellow) to contrast with other nearby plants with blooms in the blue range. KermitC - I believe I have S. flocculosa which I purchased at a plant sale several years go and it was labeled 'Rio Bamba'. It's currently growing in a spot that gets only afternoon sun. It is 3-4 feet tall with open sprawling growth -- do you think it should grow much taller than that in full sun? Research of S. fulgens tells me it may not grow as tall as I'd like - 6' or more feet tall.