Dottie - I don't think Vinca is a bad choice. I've seen it used plenty of times in difficult areas. I think in some situations it's the only thing that will work. For me though I would save it for the hardest of all places to garden - under large trees in dry shade and bad soil. In raised beds or planters it quickly takes over and dominates everything. But you can't beat it for low maintenance. My favorites are the variegated forms of Vinca major. It's easy to pick out plants but the key to success will always be how well the soil is conditioned and how much work the gardener is willing to put in. The plants aren't really on the top of the list - everything depends on the health of the soil. This is why I tell people that during extreme periods of drought the thing to do is work on your hardscaping and build up your soil. It isn't the most glamorous part of gardening but it is the key to a great garden. My yard is so hot and dry that even the weeds are dying!

Other then a great selection of cultivars that will eventually turn your property into a thing of beauty I should like to add a few other comments. With the Acer palms coming from Oregon in late February I would be hesitant about putting them in the ground until the last frost occurs in your area if any have broken bud. Standly never ships Acers till after the last frost which is late April here in KC. The same could apply to you even if Z.7 in Tenn with a late freeze. All the red leaf Acers palms will take a hit if broken bud and this happens. I would not amend the soil. Crown root flare 2" above grade and no more then 2" of mulch. Applies to all plants. Carefully inspect potted root bound plants. Take necessary measures to correct root bound stock. If anything is B&B remove all burlap and wire cage if so supplied. Cupressus glabra 'Raywood Weeping' needs to be permanently staked for height other wise it will lay on ground. Best presentation if staked. Pinus banksiana Schoodic very suspectacle to Scale. Picea pungens 'Glauca Pendula' needs to be staked for height. A striking conifer if done right. Very unstable if left to free range which is not so bad either. Good choice. Picea pungens 'Fastigata' A Iseli conifer with a broader growth habit then Picea p.'Blue Totem'. Both great conifers with 'Blue Totem' better suited for limited space constraints. Pinus thunbergii 'Thunderhead' will not tolerate heavy snow loads and it does snow in Tenn so keep cleaned out. Last but not least...because I like to spend other peoples money I would also recommend several (Alaskan cedars) Chamaecyparis nootkatensis. No garden is complete without these beautiful conifers. I would be interested to know if you have a master design plan that gives consideration to height, color contrast, sun and shade issues just to mention a few for best presentation. Remember all these conifers will grow till they die. Don't be fooled by the 10 year growth size & height that are listed. Allow plenty of room as some of these will get big. When the truck arrives and you get it all unloaded send us a photo. Dave

Thanks for the clarification, Steff. I agree the green granite goes better with the autumn colors above. I think I just wanted to make the green granite go with it, because I like it, and because it took several beatings pretty well. But, I like the most recent backsplash better that the green granite, so I just have to find a more suitable counter. Regarding the honed absolute, it seems many others on this website say the same thing. Wonder about any other honed granites that might go well with the backsplash and not have such maintanence issues. Before I settle on the caesarstone, I do want to explore (exhaust?) the options. I saw today (here I go again), in a high end house basement laundry room, a gray concrete counter and sink that I believe would go well. However, I've read about cracking and scratching. Almost done with this particular decision... Thanks everybody.

Wow! Thanks live_wire_oak -- really appreciate the feedback and ideas. My concern with the stainless (around the cooktop and in the hood) is centered around getting pieces made which are the right size. I'm not sure how to go about finding a local company who can come do the templating. Or, can I simply measure precisely and order online (both ways, after checking references of course)? Other than the effort involved in tracking down someone who can do this correctly (and the wait time for the pieces to be made), I'm fine with the idea of SS around the cooktop (sides, bumpout) and the interior of the hood. Would I just use grout for the 'seams' between the cooktop and the SS and the quartz countertops? (Cooktop will be flush with countertop, not sitting on it). I really like the first tile you show -- if you could possibly provide tile name, that would be great.