Sorry for delay in replying I was away over weekend. I grow sarian (and few other tropicals; tree ferns; etc.) in heated greenhouse (around min 16-18C) although no heating at moment. I have had my best sarian in conservatory for couple of weeks just to admire it daily and to watch how quickly new leaves grow. The one I mentioned 32x18 leaf is now releasing the next new leaf but I have had to return the plant to the g/h as I am away for a week from 13th Aug and have to rely on sprinkler system in g/h to keep plants watered and window auto-vent to prevent overheating - probably not a problem with current summer weather! I have not risked any of my 3 sarian plants outside this "summer" but I have several macrorrhizos plants outside for summer as well as my large Philodendron bipinnatifidum (which just fits in g/h for winter) and plumerias. I find macrorrhizos much tougher than sarian (or maybe I have just not risked/tested sarian to its limits yet) and several of my macrorrhizos spend winter in my "cold" g/h (min 5C) although some of leaves disappear. I did lose (rot) a couple of small sarian offsets/plantlets I removed from larger plants but I probably should have let them get bigger first. Once sarian has decent "trunk" and not kept too wet in winter it seems OK for me - I hope I have not put a curse on them now! I see you grow many other Alocasia species. What conditions do you use to keep them?

Mine have reached heights of 5ft in one growing season here in texas, so i'm sure yours will do the same.

I don't have any personal experience with Crocus Rose but here my Quietness is smaller than the Walker's Low Catmint, and the Russian sage is smaller than the catmint, too. If I were planning that bed, there'd be Quietness in front, Russian Sage in the middle and Walker's Low in the very back, LOL. There is nothing "low" about W.L., which I found out in this the second year in my garden for 3 plants that took over an entire 9' circle and had to be moved mid-season before they smothered the roses in that bed to death! Before I cut them back and dug them up in late June the Walker's Low were 4' tall and densely covered a 4 to 5' circle each. Marvelous plants, wrong space. Russian sage has to be cut back quite low here after winter and really doesn't make much of a rebound, it really being a zone 5 plant...but then mine are also competing with many more vigorous perennials like phlox and lady bells in a mixed bed so admittedly they aren't being helped any. The sage also blooms so late - mine is just beginning to open now and mind you there was light frost last night in some nearby areas so the end of the growing season is close at hand! I have had years when it never really got to open entirely. Quietness dies back to the soil after winter here, but rebounds with enthusiasm. Still, it's no more than 2 to 2.5 feet tall (and about as wide.) YMMV, but seeing as how you're in zone 4A (even a wee bit colder than I am) you might just want to experiment and see what happens for you before you buy a whole bunch of each plant. Hope this all helps. (Cute shed, BTW!) Anne

I'm in San Jose... We're more "mediterranean" than "tropical" (like you) - but there're plenty of plants that'll do the trick! I have many of the previously suggested plants in my yard. I'll list some additions - mostly what I consider to be "Bomb-Proof" around here (Hint: If Cal-Trans plants it on median strips along the highway - chances are, you can't kill it! ;-) Hibiscus and Bougainvillea. Great color additions! I have Barbara Karst boug planted next to a bright pink - and quite tall - hibiscus (unfortunately, I don't remember the variety). They compliment each other nicely - and both do very well in hot, dry climates (with soggy cold winters!). We had an extra cold/extra wet winter last year, and I had very few fatalities! Cannas, Bananas, and Calla Lilies - definitely a good bet for that tropical foliage look. Cannas and Bananas will multiply like crazy. Oh, and Alocasia macorrhiza. Limonium (Statice) does well, and the leaves look tropical. And Queen palms do very well with little assistance. I agree on the Mexican Fan Palm - Stay away!!! I like mixing colors w/foliage and enjoy the "purples" against lighter greens. Some of the cannas are good for that. I also use Purple Majesty Ornamental Millet and Purple Fountain Grass. The "plumes" aren't so tropical - but I like the purple colors (and they both seem to thrive with little care). Another (drought-friendly) choice is New Zealand Flax which also comes in a bronzy-burgundy color. But it gets pretty big. Purple foliage against chartreuse is *really* nice. Ipomoea "Margarita" is a good choice for the chartreuse (Annual, though). Purple Fountain Grass at the base of clumps of banana trees looks cool... My yard is appx 85% Full-Sun (with little water in the summer) so I haven't had luck with things that don't like full-sun. Ergo Fatsia Japonica (it just gets fried!). Other ideas: If you happen upon any tropical plant sales (i.e. WalMart 4-inchers) - when they're cheap, I try to load up on tropical houseplants and stick 'em out in the yard (in the slightly wetter/slightly shadier spots) and treat 'em as annuals. I've had varying degrees of success w/that (my spider plants are thriving - and this is their 2nd year outdoors). I certainly wouldn't recommend planting the entire yard w/house-plants, but sprinkling them about seems to add a nice touch. Some of my houseplants go out in the summer, and back in in the winter, but the house is too small/dark to do that with very many plants. I have a portable greenhouse that goes up in winter - but only provides "marginal" protection. Hint for winter: Mulch Mulch Mulch!!! I'm posting a link to my Garden Page. I haven't updated it in awhile (That's a "Wintertime Chore"), but it might give you some ideas of what will grow around here - and what looks can be achieved. Weather's been too nice for me to spend much time on updates! I've got a BUNCH of pics in the camera (amazing to look back and see how much stuff has "grown!") - I just need to update the page... Soon... (But not *too* soon! I'm lovin' the warm weather too much!) HTH -Nancy Here is a link that might be useful: IMQTPI's Garden Photos