You might try doing some variety trials including several varieties. I trialed 4 varieties several years ago when the wife decided she wanted carrots and learned that 1 did the best, slightly better than #2 and one variety did fine except that there were a very high % that were forked. All of the other varieties had very few to no forks at all. All the same soil, beds, spacing, irrigation, tillage, etc.. I've always been a strong believer in trialing any variety for at least 3 years, discovered this year that Premium Crop broccoli does exceptionally here when we get an unusually long, cool Spring, the previous 4 Springs were warmer and shorter, Premium crop fared so so under those conditions. Packman has always done very well regardless of our Spring conditions.

I particularly like the idea of the dramatic color combination, like the dark violet/deep red/orange combo that was suggested. The french lavender + artichoke already have pastel purple flowers and the silvery leaves there, and with the white rose in the back I'm worried the colors will be too "pastelly". I saw some California poppies "Mikado" seeds in the store today, so I'm thinking that dark flame orange color will do well if I place it in front of the light orange rose (there should be enough contrast between the two colors right?). Or does Echinacea have similar shades of dark orange/red? I like Agastaches as well, but would the scent conflict with the scents of the 2 David Austin roses I'll be planting? or do they have separate bloom seasons so it wouldn't matter? So many wonderful ideas, thank you! I'm going to have to compile a list of the plants everyone suggested and their respective pictures because I'm not familiar with a lot of the plants that were suggested (relatively newbie gardener here). Really excited to see what all the suggested plants might look like! :) This post was edited by technoduckling on Mon, Mar 4, 13 at 2:53

Jean is correct, not wise to plant anything under a citrus tree. It will compete with the tree for water and nutrients. You're better off mulching under your tree to preserve water, keeping the mulch away from the trunk, so the trunk stays dry. Nothing under the tree from trunk to dripline or a bit beyond (edge of canopy). That's where the feeder roots reside - at the drip line and a bit beyond. Patty S.

Well, another sister took the basket to New Orleans so the TSA people only had to grope me for my 42 FFF bra (that boning is to blame.) My OTHER sister had no desire to decorate with the things, so they remain in her yard in the basket. Conversations were started about the things though, so it was not an entire waste. Neither was the party; no exploding fried turkeys or other cuilinary disasters marred the day. No one took advantage of the open bar, and the dog did not expell bodily fluids on anyone (unlike previous festivities) Hooray! Anyhow, I now have a few of the balls mouldering in my front bed. Hopefully none will germinate, but if they do I'm swapping those puppies out. I've had enough of this ridiculous bit of flora for a while (the lumber sounds good, but I am not a woodworker.)