Vervain would not be considered drought tolerant. It would need irrigation throughout its life, not just at the beginning. Caladiums are tough. I'm south of you (but still in the same zone depending on what map one looks at) and mine survive the winters... even the one we had winter before last. Seems that they would be best limited to modestly sized areas and in the winter, of course, they are nothing. I'd consider 'Big Blue' Liriope (some of the others get too tall) as one plant that could be useful to you. It's very tough. I don't have first-hand experience growing or living with perennial peanut but have become intensely intrigued with it as of late. I was impressed with several stands of it that I used to observe on a regular basis. I'm currently trying to hunt down samples of it. I see there are about 3 varieties that are suitable as a lawn substitute. From what I've read, it seems like nearly a miracle plant. Very pretty, too.

Clio, Did the problem begin when the cold snap happened in your area? Maybe it was just a little too chilly for their tastes. If they are gathered close on your balcony and a fungal problem began, it will spread more quickly when they're close together. I lived for a long time in the Sonoma County area, and Pelargoniums tolerate the chilly nights there and seemingly endless winter rain with little problem. Maybe your plants believed they would always be warm and cozy in LA, and are mad about this winter's nasty weather. You folks really got nailed! Be sure to remove any sign of the fungal problem as soon as you see it, including any foliage that falls onto the soil of the pots & anything with new spots (because they might shed spores). If you can, maybe changing the spray time to early morning would help. Try to move them farther apart for a while, too. Hope this helps.

hello everyone, I am late to join this forum but we are currently in the process of establishing a palm garden is Mandurah, WA. There have not been many contibutors in the forum from over this way, so hopefully this might encourage more western gardeners to join in. Initially I was worried about planting tropical palms this far south but after seeing some of the wonderful specimins growing very well in and around Mandurah I eventually persueded the family to let me have a plam garden. We have begun to plant a variety of palms in the front garden, most of which I have seen growing very well in my local area. I have planted (common names)Bangalows, Triangles, Spindles, Golden Canes, a jelly palm, Majestics, a European Fan, a Bismark and a bunch of different cycads but I also have a heap more in pots ready to plant out including Hawaiian fans, Alexanders and Kentias . I would like to obtain a few more tropical palms like "teddybears" and other varieties of Dypsis as well as some various charmadoreas to underplant with once the more sun hardy varieties get larger. Well I hope this might encourage some more West Australian gardeners to join in and contribute some of their knowledge about growing palms over this side of the country. Adam Harbeck

FWIW - I avoid the use of superlatives when discussing soils because they're certain to invite disagreement. One of the most important qualities of the gritty mix is that it doesn't support retention of any significant amounts of water in the spaces between soil particles screened to suggested sizes, and particle size ios a common theme throughout soil discussions because particle size has a significant impact on water retention and often delineates between desirable and undesirable water retention. We know that introducing any significant volume of topsoil to the gritty mix or other mixes that are very porous introduces perched water, which detracts from one of, if not the most significant properties the gritty mix has to offer, which pretty much makes moot the point of making it in the first place. Too, I'm not sure what sifted topsoil is? Here in mid-MI, virtually all topsoil will pass through an aluminum insect screen; and FWIW, the overwhelming % of discussions I've had re the impact of topsoil in container media have almost always arisen because the grower is trying to be rid of the problems it causes, not to say how well it works; this, because it clogs pores that would otherwise be filled with air and causes them to become filled with water. If I had a gritty mix that I wanted more water retention from, I'd simply increase the amount of Turface or internally porous material in relation to the grit, not add small particles that ensure the soil holds perched water. If I wanted to increase water retention and was willing to sacrifice some aeration for that increase in water retention, I think I'd add some of the Turface fines back in. This because they are internally porous, unlike topsoils particles, which means that to achieve the same increase in water retention you would get from topsoil, you'd need to include a much smaller measure of fine, internally porous material. Less fine material means less sacrifice in air porosity; or, a better way of increasing water retention. Al