You know what I ALWAYS hear that Californians grow in some windowbox or pot in those conditions? Nasturtiums! There are some that are gorgeous, and they will fill up the container like a little bush and trail down the sides. And they bloom all summer. You could also try some of the low-growing lantana or even some million bells or mini-petunias (which I noticed alot of places around here are selling instead of the million bells). You might even try a mini bougainvillea since they seem to mainly bloom when stressed - ie., when they are hot, dry, and potbound. lol To try to reduce the watering, consider gettng some moisture-retaining crystals like SoilMoist into your soil mix and that will help.

Thankyou to all respondents. I must apologize for incorrect data in my profile. I am in Australia but the registration page requires a valid ZIP code - not accepting Australian format ... I have started with cement sheets for 4 raised beds: 180 cm x 60 cm x 45 cm. They look great, 2 painted in bright orange and two closely immitating timber: woodgrain textured cement boards painted over with Timber Effects Jarra paint. For the first 2 raised beds I built a frame from treated pine (painted over to prevent toxicity). From this experience I learned that such a solid frame was an overkill in sturdiness and cost. For the next 2 beds I used a sort of a frame (corner poles) made from garden stakes produced by http://www.plasticrecyclers.com.au/stakes.htm After the materials are brought home, it takes less than an hour to build such a bed (frame, cutting sheets to size, painting and setting up) For these beds I used woodscrews to affix cement sheets to the frame. The sheets used for the first 2 beds were the thin DuraSheets (4.5 mm) from http://www.bgc.com.au/fibrecement/s_02/02_durasheet.html on a solid frame. Later I swiched to 7.5 mm DuraPlank (same source) fixed to the light frame. As to the containers (currently 3) - I am using 300 mm wide sheets of 9 mm thickness on the frame from recycled plastic. Two walls are glued to the frame (poles) and two walls and a floor are fixed with screws so that the container can be easily disassembled for root treatment or stowing away as a flat pack. I am much encouraged with your prevailing opinion that toxicity of fiber (fibre in Aus) cement sheets is not a major issue especially if they are painted over. I'll try to post photos later PM

Yes, and I'm not looking forward to it. But last year and the year before we got down that low -- even a touch lower, as I recall a night or two each year that dipped just below 0F -- and only two died outright. Those were 'Jaune Desprez' and "Secret Garden Musk Climber" after Winter 2013-2014. I replaced SGMC with a gallon-sized plant, and that one survived Winter 2014-2015. I gave up on the pipe dream of having a Tea-Noisette growing out in the open on my dying Japanese maple, and stuck 'Baltimore Belle' there instead. Many things had damage, but rebounded after I cut out the dead bits. Of course, the ones with little or no damage were the OGRs with little or no China/Tea in them. But even "Bermuda Spice", which had to be cut back to under 12" inches the last two Springs, rebounded to about 5' X 5' by the end of each season. I was hoping to see what it does when starting Spring with something more like 3', but this weekend may keep that from happening. Meanwhile, my potted roses look frozen in time -- few leaves dropped, but no active growth, and no discernible damage. They're hanging out in my enclosed unheated back porch, getting some sun from the windows. This cold blast is an anomaly this year, coming as a brief interruption in otherwise mild weather. I'm hoping that such a short dose of intense cold followed by temperatures in the 50s a few days later won't kill anything. The Chinas and China-Teas I planted in the ground in 2015 are mostly in a protected spot against the house and facing south. The few I put in my tiny front yard are a bit more exposed, but I planted them deeply. We'll see in just another month or so, when I start pruning. Being a zone-pusher, I realize I take risks -- but how else do we learn? And frankly, considering the more tender Chinas and Teas keep blooming through our hot and humid Summers, they're worth it. :-) ~Christopher

There are species of trees that lend themselves well to espaliering and many that don't. Unfortunately, those that don't are pretty much all your list :-( Most fruit trees are excellent choices for this process but I would expand those most popular selections to include Japanese maples, Stewartias, redbuds,crape myrtles, yews and olive trees. Also, many large growing shrubs can be trains as espaliers - camellias, flowering quince, redtip photinia, cotoneaster, pyracantha, forsythia, podocarpus and many viburnums. I would also encourage you to look atpleaching as well. This involves joining/braiding/twisting sapling trees together to form a free-standing wall or hedge. This is a pleached hornbeam garden located only a few miles from me. Trees that lend themselves readily to pleaching include hornbeams, lindens, laburnums and oaks. And FWIW, you will have much better success at either of these intense training practices if you start out in the ground rather than in containers. Making the transition from pot to ground will not be terrifically easy. Better with individual espaliers than with a pleached hedge however.