Thank you, greenfingers. A question: how did you attach the metal poles to the trough? Did you secure them with screws, or simply stick them in the dirt inside the trough? My garden has now begun. I bought several bags of professional growers' potting mix and mixed it with topsoil and composted manure, adding Plant Tone organic amendment to the mix, topped with bark mulch. Found a nursery nearby with very reasonable prices. Went looking for cypress but decided I wanted traditional Southern plants that I couldn't grow before in the colder climate in the mountains, and I wanted perennials that I could 'harvest' for natural materials when I decorate for the holiday season. So far I've planted containers with 'Heavenly Bamboo' nandina (amazing winter color and berries), gardenia radicans (blooms and fragrance right now), acorus (sweet flag, gorgeous variegated foliage, strong vertical accent), and camellia sasanqua 'Setsugekka'(evergreen, fragrant, midwinter bloom, elegant semidouble white flowers). I'm aiming for garden additions that are visually beautiful and also attract wildlife and/or are fragrant. But my real splurge was a 4x4 'Little Gem' magnolia, in bloom, espaliered on a trellis. It looks absolutely perfect against one of the privacy fences lining the deck, and I can see it from wherever I sit in my living room. I plan to plant annual vines at the base next spring and let them intertwine: purple hyacinth bean, maybe moonflower. I hope birds will nest in it next year. The garden already has hummingbirds zooming in and out (I put up a feeder) and a praying mantis has taken up residence too. The deck is already getting full, so I really must figure out something, like baker's racks. to hold more pots. The only way to go is up. I'm sure that's a common problem on this forum.

The masonry bit probably won't work, except on terra cotta. As glazing contractors we regularly drill all sizes of holes in glass/mirrors, granite (shower door installations) and other vitrified materials (the objects people bring to us to drill holes in). Most containers you'll encounter can best be drilled with a "spear-point" drill. I'll link you to a picture from one of our suppliers. The drill is also called a 3-point drill. Highly vitreous containers (glass, or glass-like - ceramic - clay fired at high temperatures) may even require a diamond impregnated "core drill", but it's very uncommon to find containers like this, especially at the dollar store. These inexpensive drills can be found at big box home improvement stores. They should be cooled with water or a 50/50 mix of water/antifreeze as you drill. An excellent strategy is to immerse the container upside down in a tub and add enough water to just cover the drilling surface as you drill. Rotating the drill clockwise at a slight angle while drilling will greatly increase ease of operation. Alternately (I use this method), fill a squeeze container (contact lens solution bottle is stellar) with water or 50/50 water/antifreeze & squirt it at the drill/material interface as you drill. If you can't find the drill you need, you can contact me off forum & I'll be glad to help you. Al Here is a link that might be useful: Here is a link that might be useful: See a spear-point drill here.

I don't see why not. I have grown a Cl Crimson Glory in a large pot for years. ZD for me would routinely drop its leaves in the summer, but always came back. The wonderfully scented flowers would happen primarily during a spring bloom with modest fall flush. A great solution for that is to use it as a trellis for a vine such as a mandevilla. Clematis is another option, or some annual vine. ZD will definitely like it better in some sun.

bagsmom, thank you for the nice compliments on my hydrangeas...what a coincidence that we have the same lily and hydrangea. Great minds think alike!!ha As for the name of the big hydrangea, I think it may be Nikko Blue, but am not 100% certain of the name. I have had that hydrangea for several years. I have moved 3 times and each time, that hydrangea has been dug up and taken with me..When I first moved to my present home 3 years ago, there was not one decent plant in the yard. love the yard....I don't add anything to my hydrangeas, but just let Mother Nature take its course...I do miracle gro them in the early spring and periodically during the summer... this has been a great year for hydrangeas... I loved everyone's pictures..