We had a similar issue. We have Red Tip Photenias that are 12 feet and gorgeous. We didn't loose one when they were planted and have not lost one in the 7 years since. We planted 3 feet apart and I pruned each shrub to grow up rather than out. In 3 years they were 4 feet and fully a fence and in 7 they are 12 and fabulous! We have them clipped twice a year. We have a corner suburban lot with 2 stories facing us and behind us. We now have total privacy with the exception of one window on the house immediately behind us. I love it because I enjoy my privacy and of course being surrounded by lovely greenery. We have no trees so they get full sun and although we watered the first couple of years we only occassionally water them now. Several of our neighbers have complimented how nice they look and have started their own 'green' fence. The backyard featured in the photo is so inviting! Thanks for sharing, I love garden photos like that.

I wholeheartedly agree with everyone's assessment of using plants that are well adapted to the climate and soils in your area. That's being said from the perspective of someone who knows better... When I first arrived down here I was a sucker for anything that looked cool and sounded even remotely zone hardy. I put part of the blame for planting out of place plants on certain nurseries, especially the big boxes that carry plants that are technically zone hardy, but don't grow well in the local soils. Go to any HD or Lowes around here right now and you'll find Camellias a-plenty. In the summer they have all kinds of azaleas, gardenias and hydrangeas too. You get the picture... All that said, I agree w. Shebear that unless a plant's obviously completely dead, giving it at least 3 years is reasonable. In fact, we moved some of our plants that were floundering in their previous locations and they seem to be doing better now. We moved our Fatsias and Wheeler Dwarfs to shady locations and they look much happier. We replaced the Wheeler's Dwarfs with Nana Pomegranates in the full sun location and so far so good. Several of the issues pointed out by Pricklypear were unknown to me at the time of purchase. That said, we'll see what happens. The Little Gem, Camellia, Photinia and Golden Euynomous look healthy as can be, their growth has just been disappointing. All 5 of our Camellias do have flower buds set though! The Queens, well, the darn folks at the HD just tempted me too much. If they ever grow and don't freeze out they'll look great by the pool though. :^) I don't get the whole Firebush (Hamelia Patens?) deal either. I see several people around the neighborhood that have large ones, so it must've just been me... Oh well, I guess trial and error is part of the joy of gardening. As long as the successes outweight the failures!

sgreer13: I live in the Houston area and grow roughly 170 varieties of citrus. Sunburst is a little seedy, but is a very productive one for me (I have a photo of my 3-year-old Sunburst tree with 200+ fruits on it!). I know of only 2 southeast Texas commercial (wholesale only) growers who propagate Sunburst and sell to local retail nurseries: Saxon Becnel & Sons (located of the Beaumont area, sells to many Big Box retailers), and Brazos Citrus Nursery (located in the West Columbia, sells mostly to retail plant nurseries and Master Gardener groups). Both of them T-bud onto Carrizo citrange (not the most hardy rootstock for central Texas and not a "dwarfing" rootstock, but better adapted than some others sold around here). You may have luck looking at your local big box store (our nearby Home Depot has Saxon-grown Sunburst in 5 and 15 gallon sizes). You might also check with E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore at Hill County Natives (www.hillcountrynatives.net) in Austin to see if he has any for sale. Unfortunately the greater Houston area is all under a citrus quarantine right now so you can't come here to buy a tree to take home. Let me know if you need more help. Scott

I've read about the apricots and definitely don't want to get a harvest so few and far between. Thank you for the agrilife website. I've been through parts of it for recommendations but I'm not sure where I'd be able to buy all the trees I want. It's probably a good idea to start small and with trees that are easiest to manage. I would love to plant a pecan in place of some large junipers in the front yard or plant it closer to the house and have it shade my place a bit. I think I'll wait on the hybrids until I've established the easier trees but its hard because I want them all! Lol I think I could plant some blackberry between the trees as long as I keep the trees short enough to not shade the berries too much. I also wanted to do some passion fruit but the best tasting variety won't grow here. Any other perennial vines, bushes, trees that I haven't thought of that grow well here would be awesome too. Ive heard jujubes grow well here but haven't seen any nurseries carrying them. I think I've got lots more work to do on getting ready for my orchard!