Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, I would love to see pictures of such container gardens. I happen to have an abundance of sedum Ruby Mantle and Angelina. I always put in calibrachoa around my rose bushes. It does trail beautifully. I wonder if portulaca would be good.

Just wanted to add, the coco liner is different than coco peat - it is made of longer 'strands' and I think it drains very well in hanging baskets. I agree that for small ones it may be bit thick, but still would consider it - depending on the root system of plants. But the plants in small baskets may have to be re-potted soon anyway if they start growing well - so even then it may be enough mix for a season or maybe two. Very nice hanging basket - so colorful, aftermidnight...Rina

Winconsitom, thanks so much for your advice! I am in Alberta, Canada so you are correct in saying that crabapples are a big part of the smaller trees that are grown here. Otherwise, people grow a lot of swedish columnar aspens (don't want!), maples (also don't care for as usually they are weed trees), ivory halo lilacs (I love those), hawthorns, serviceberry's, mountain ash's etc. Norway spruces and hemlocks are nice trees but too large for my yard I have found. I did plant an Picea pungens 'Iseli Fastigiata' which should be nice and narrow for my yard. I think at this point I have enough trees for my landscape as you can see in the plan below (the red x"s are trees I have moved or removed from the plan). My neighbour to the south has so many trees in his yard that is the same size as mine that I hate to see his yard in 5 years! This is what my city's drainage guidelines state. "Topsoil and sod should be placed so as to reflect the contour of the Rough Grade. Homeowners are not to change the drainage pattern, make significant changes to the elevations of the lot or block a drainage easement." So far I haven't blocked the drainage swale but I I already have a couple of trees immediately beside the swale, one of which will drop leaves and tiny crabapples. I also plan to put plants/shrubs next to the swale. If I didn't plants near this area it would be a pretty boring part of my yard that would be mostly unusable. Since my yard isn't very big that would be horrible for me as someone who loves to garden. I would prefer plants any day to expanses of lawn and rock. My back yard has split drainage. From the middle of the yard, some of it goes to my side swale that drains to the front street and the rest drains into the swale that I posted a photo of. I am also on a hill so neighbouring properties have some of their drainage water pouring into my swale. The water then goes down the hill to the storm pond. My backyard at this point is heavily compacted silty clay with a small amount of topsoil on top so I will be looking at fixing the drainage in the spring (we didn't get a chance to finish this past summer) because at this point the water just runs down the slope causing erosion and more compaction. I think once I get my grass in, amend the soil some and put my plants and flower beds in there will be way less erosion and run off during a storm. Drainage pattern (red arrows) I will look into the plants you mentioned and I also plan to plant some that can take the moist conditions and anchor the slope. Thanks again for your suggestions! Carrie

how many cleaning bottles/etc do you have . I would do a 15 in shelf installed with brackets into studs. then find plastic totes w finger grips or a lip so easy to handle in sm-med sizes and pull the tote down off the shelf when you must go digging for whatever you need to store. Usually the detergent and softener would be the main thing you are getting and you could just reach and grab them out of the tote while tote stays on shelf. Easier. Cheaper. safer. If you are storing a lot of other household things...get something from Rubbermaid or similar from a big box store.....a cabinet w shelves behind doors or shelving that rests on floor...and find floor space.