snicker- you'd be dead before a daphne odora got that big. daphnes are great, but they have a habit of dying right around year 5-8, and they normally top out at about 3-4'. they grow slowly, to say the least, and are pricey, though the big boxes carry them for reasonable amounts compared to nurseries. do pop one in, just for the fragrance & looks, but put it in front of something taller. they need excellent drainage. another thought- hellebores would be nice to have a t the feet of some of your bigger stuff. they have long lasting flowers, can take poor soil and shade and thrive on neglect. they ain't cheap, and grow slowly, but they are worth it. if you can find someone who has them already, ask for seedlings- they self sow abundantly - and start that way. it'll be 3-4 years before you see blooms, but you won't regret it, and you'll forget they're there til then. camellias are easy. not high maintenance at all here. just pick the type you want based on the bloom you want and when (some bloom late fall & some spring) and the size, and be patient and let it grow. they'll do that faster with some sun and good soil, but will grow in shade; it just takes longer. if you can improve your soil, a 1 gallon plant, which would probably be about 12- 18" high, would probably get to 3-4 feet in a couple years. most camellias are going to get much larger than that though and you'll want to be careful in picking ones that match the size you want eventually to avoid trimming chores (most get bigger than what you're wanting). camellias have an nice shape naturally and shouldn't need too much fussing, unless you plant the wrong thing and it gets too big. i'd consider mixing and matching rather than doing all one thing. that way if you do have disease or insect problems, it doesn't wipe out everything. or if one dies down the road, you aren't stuck buying a huge one so you don't have a hole. a little variety in shapes and forms is much more dynamic in design, too. you can get a better range of color and scent and times of color as well. have fun with it!

The back of my house faces north, and I have a sloping bed next to the deck I am hoping to replant. The area is approx. a 10' x 12' triangle. I was originally thinking of a lilac for the corner where the deck meets the house wall, but it only gets sun for about 2-3 hours per day-from just before 2 p.m. til around 4:30 or so. Currently, I have a peegee hydrangea there, but it's been there for 3 years now and hasn't done anything to inpress-no height, no flowers, nada. So I want to move it somewhere else, and replace it, but with what? Now I am thinking a small tree. I am considering dogwood, redbud, Japanese maple, weeping cherry, ??? Maybe an evergreen. I want something that won't get too tall-no more than 12'-15', with a similar spread. Thanks!!

Closer view needed.

Timetraveler.... not sure what to tell you as your foundation plant..... I live on the Intracoastal and have lots of salt and wind damage because I am on the wide part,,,, I grow roses, and had the same kind of problem.After Hurricane Wilma I had Geoff Coolidge of Cool Roses look at my plants and he told me that after hurricanes and tropical storms my roses were suffering from salt damage. He told me to pull the leaves off and wash the salt off the plant. It made them think they were dormant like up north. They came back really good... in fact better than before..... since I get a lot of salt and wind storms I don't always pull the leaves off but I do wash the salt off the leaves all of the time. My suggestion instead of new foundation plant would be to wash the leaves off your firebush and give it a good trim and some fertilizer..... that is if you like your firebush.... I think you would give it a boost on new growth..... It is such a good plant for hummingbirds, I think you might really miss it. Sharon