I guess I lucked out when it came to experimenting with plants. I was living with my parents when I started really getting into gardening and my mom gave me permission to experiment with their garden while I was there. It was a win win stituation for both of us. I got to try all kinds of neat new plants in their already established flower beds and they got free help in the garden as well as free (to them!) new plants. That would be how I got mom hooked on crinums when I brought the first few plants back from a swap. They still get free plants from me when I go to swaps or thin plants in my own garden. But then again I also get free plants from them when they are thinning their garden. Just a week ago they gave me several dozen baby coonties they discovered around an adult coonties that they had to move. After I bought my own house I had already learned a lot from my parents garden, including limiting the size of the flowers beds. One thing it took me a few more years to learn was about pushing the zone limits on certain plants. One plants that stands out was the large white bird of paradise that I just had to have even though I knew I was too far north for it. After several years of watching it die back to the ground again and again I fionally accepted reality and replaced it with something that will hopefully do better. I still occassionaly push the limits on certain plants, my currant favorite being my lions tail, but usually I only protect one or two plants from frost and the rest have to fend for themselves. To survive in my garden they have to be able to make it through both summer and winter with little intervention from me! If the plant doesn't make it then it just wasn't meant to live in my yard is now my garden philosophy! This year has been the exception in that I have covered a bunch of plants during the last couple freezes even though I know that all of the plants that I covered would come back if the frost did get them. It's just so many things had started blooming and I really wanted to protect the blooms. Every year I try several new and unfamilar plants in the garden and this year will be no different. I've already cleared a couple good sized areas in the front bed relocating or just getting rid of some plants that just weren't working out and it's my hope to find something unusual to try this weekend at the plant sale!

MarieEliza, I saw a huge Peace Lily at Home Depot for 25.00. I believe you would have to protect it in cold, but I was considering buying one to hide my compost bin, that's how big it was! chinchette, I purchased the neos from Kraft Gardens about 3 months ago, the other air plants I found in my live oaks. I have a few in plantings of neos that get full sun (except for the screen shade) and the brom diftwood piece gets morning shade. I attached them with floral wire and used "U" nails for eyelets to hold the wire. I was trimming it up this weekend and noticed the wire is already rusted through, so I would use something heavier. I just washed off the soil from the roots and tied them at the base with wire. The driftwood had a few "crooks" from branched being cut off, so I used them to cradle the plants a bit.I then took some spanish moss off a tree and wrapped it around the roots to help hold them on and keep the roots moist. The drip lines spritz the plants a couple times a week. BELIEVE me, this is no project for the faint of heart. It is really a 2 person job, and it took me all day in 95 degrees heat and long pants and shirt. Very itchy, can't really wear gloves! CorpsmanCooper, not selling ever! LOL

Paul, I can't seem to get a pot big enough anywhere. I bought one at home depot yesterday and it is just a little to small. I got the palm in the garage with the root ball wrapped in plastic and i put some water on the roots to keep it moist. The temp in the garage is at 60 with high humidity. Tomorrow i am going to try this nursery over here called sids and see if they got somthing that will work. As far as that goes the palm looks great! I sprayed the leaves with wiltproof to protect it from moisture loss and to help with the transplant shock...once i get it into a pot LOL. I will keep everyone updated.

Elizabeth, I live in San Diego also and have planted several giant timber (bambusas). My biggest/oldest is an Oldhamii that is probably about 5-6 years old and is about 30 feet tall (BEAUTIFUL but BIG!!!). I also have textillis and Vitatta bamboo in addition to others. I think the prettiest is the Vitatta since the yellow culms are an beautiful contrast to the big green leaves, however, this is the one that arches the most from my giants. The most upright (straight) grower I have is the Textillis (weaver's) bamboo. The other variety of giants I own have not been in the ground for even one year so I can't comment on those yet. I really think for your criteria Textillis would be a good option. In my experience, although a lot of people are intimidated but the eventual growth-rate of giant bamboos, just remember you can always control it. When clump diameter reaches it's desired size, you can simply cut down any new shoots that will pop up. Bamboos are a lot of fun and almost addictive. I say go for it. If you need a contact to a really good independent bamboo nursery let me know. I know a guy in Vista that I've gotten almost ALL my bamboos from and he's MUCH cheaper than big nurseries.