I have a narrow shrub border around my patio, it is lovely and very low maintenance with the bark mulch. Some of my favorite plants have been "Robusta" juniper, Spirea, (can't think of the variety offhand, but it has yellow foliage with hot pink flowers and the new growth is red, it is the total show stopper in my yard.) I also planted "Miss Kim" lilac which has kept a nice tidy size, and a small japanese maple called "Fireglow" which I highly recommend. It is more columnar than some of the other japanes maples. There's also coralbark japanese maple which is also somewhat columnar. Mail order the maples if you have to. I did for mine and I was totally skeptical when the pathetic little sapling arrived, but it has thrived and shot up in growth. I've also planted some dwarf evergreens, which is just my personal passion. Your landscape designer should be able to design a nice mixed shrub border, and if not go to any reputable nursery and they should be able to help. I really love the way flowering shrubs add a punch of color and are super low maintenance compared to perennials. But, I have perennial shasta daisies planted in between the shrubs to give a pretty burst of light in the summer and it is great when I sit out at night on the patio, those flowers show off. There are also easy care landscape roses which are nice in a shrub border but they don't always sell these varieties in ye olde big box garden center. I've got a native rose, called "Virginia's rose" which I have to beat back with a shovel it is so hardy. It only blooms once a year though, and there are other, more continual bloom varieties that are also hardy. And they've really done a lot with breeding smaller varieties on weigela, which is another hardy flowering shrub. And there are also dogwood shrub varieties with lovely foliage and bark. Redtwig dogwood is one example. So those are some ideas to get you started.

I have round ones too. This is a small 100 gallon oblong. This is the same oval tank from several years ago. If you set your tank directly on the ground I would suggest you coat the outside bottom of the tank with spray undercoating. You can buy it in cans at parts stores. It will help protect the bottom from rusting. I spray paint the outside of my tanks. I think it helps them look better. Good luck with your project.

I'm certain if you put a photo on craigslist you will get a lot of interest, especially for 'free to a good home'. Better soil is something we call gritty mix, an easier mix to create is 50/50 commercial 'cactus and succulent' soil and perlite. Straight C&S soil is actually terrible, containing a high percentage of water retentive peat. Just don't water it anymore and leave repotting to its new owner. Thanks for posting/saving the plant. You are going to make it and the new owner very happy. I think you should keep it and come here to learn how to grow this wonderful plant. ;-) Brad

welcome to the forums.. we will need to see it.. to answer the question ... can you post a pic ... and some pertinent facts.. like was it just planted ... how big.. it is the best idea to never top a tree ,. so stick with that logic .. ken