My guess is, that what goes around the southern France, Italy or Greece, will also go in that space. Hot summers and cold, but still rather mild winters. Stuff like Bourgonvilla might die down in the winter, but would perk right back up, in the spring! Stuff that goes outside, but has a short blooming period out there, might get a longer period inside (how does the smell of moonflowers from early July to mid November sound to you?). Eucalyptus might die down the first couple of winters, but will in time get very strong and tall. I think a bay-leaf would do well year round. Peaches and grapevines would do great as well, no doubt about that. Figs too. Passiflora actinia and caerulea plus some of the hybrids can withstand down to -8c/ 18f. I÷m envious!

Thanks for those fantastic pictures! There's nothing more delicious than freshly picked citrus (especially those oranges). You're right though, it is sad to see that orchard going to waste and many of the SoCal suburbian neighborhoods were built on old citrus groves with some of the magnificent trees still standing in peoples' backyards. In some neighborhoods, you can stand by one of the citrus trees and then notice that several trees in adjacent yards are all in a line. Don't worry too much about the lemon tree as I've seen them grow pretty rapidly. I also always liked the nice privacy screen and windbreak provided by those Italian cypress. I hope you did get a chance to cover them tonight! Its pretty cold for SoCal!

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Thanks, all. Bea, I read the link and will be more cautious. I was bitten about 6 yrs ago and am very cognizant of ant mounds. However, I was chatting with my neighbor while I was digging a hole and busy talking to him at the same time. I wasn't paying attention but I did not notice a ant mound. Might have been there but I really didn't see it. My flower beds are cleared of weeds and I have one section where I grow Milkweed. If I remember 6 yrs ago, the mound was in the same bed but I was attacked big time. They ran up my legs and I had so many bites. I remember trying to pull my clothes off out front of the house and really didn't care if any neighbors saw me! Jstropic, you made me think about this. I really did not see any ants. I felt my feet stinging and my ankles swelling and I ran for the house. I kicked my flip flops off and my clothes and jumped in the shower. While I was in the shower, I looked and didn't see any ants, but my feet/ankles were so swollen. After getting out I noticed these large blisters forming, like burn blisters. I thought that was odd as I didn't remember that from 6 yrs ago. I did put ice on the areas and some cortisone cream. My feet and ankles were so sore. After I got my wits back, I went outside to get my flip flops and looked at them carefully and found one ant which appeared to be biting the bottom of the flip flop. Weird, but that cinched it for me. It was ants. I looked up Nettles and it is possible that is growing in the area. I have a weed lawn! Its green and that's fine. I'm afraid to go out to the area where I was, to look. From what I read on-line, it says the nettle stings get better in a day. My feet are still full of these pimples and hurt. I have gotten a shoe on but it is not comfortable. From what I read on-line, you should not break those blisters. I read medical websites and they say the blisters protect the venom from entering the blood stream. They make a strong statement about that. They say to let the blisters dry up on their own. The only treatment is ice, cortisone type cream (patted on to not break the blisters), and time. They say not to cover the blisters with a shoe or sock to prevent the blisters from breaking. Soooo, I'm surviving and am thinking of hiring someone to look for those 'suckers.' I'm afraid to go back there. But, my pots of Milkweed are still sitting there without getting planted. I'm ready to go back to New York!