Sorry, I do not post pictures here on GardenWeb but I can easily describe the method I use for shady porches which will thrive for years in a situation such as yours. In time you will have to move it into a larger pot during one of the cold winter months when it is dormant. In your growing zone it should remain evergreen and not bothered by cold weather. Purchase in a box store plumbing department....one, 1/2" diameter, 10 ft. long plastic pipe. Paint this with black acrylic paint. When dry bend into an arch and insert both ends down into the pot of soil until they reach the bottom. Plant a small-leafed ivy at the base of each leg. As the ivy grows twine and work the vines around the pipe. This will grow quickly and in a year you will have a full topiary which will need occasional pruning to keep it shaped. Feed once a month during growing season with half strength liquid fertilizer. You can work white Christmas lights through it if desired. Or, hang some sort of bauble from the top. I dreamed this idea up about 20 years ago for a client and a similar ivy topiary that stands on our front porch is always commented on by visitors.

I forgot to mention that the plant is "camellia sasanqua yuletide" and it's located in Southern California (zone 9/10). The branches and leaves are dry and brittle. Few leaves are green. I cannot tell you how it has been taken care of until now but from now it is going to be my responsibility. After discovering this website, I have fired the gardener and will be taking care of everything myself so I will deeply appreciate all input for you. Thanks, Kev

My recommendation is keep it low. Any height will start to give the sense of imprisoning anyone one the walk. 3 dianthus. For sure I would not do a tree where you are suggesting ... right in front of the door. Find another spot for it.

I feel the "that's totally normal" comments can be very misleading to someone without a lot of experience, especially if the person says in the post "I've been watering every other day." it appears people skip over the post and just give that common blanket statement, "ficus lose leaves when you move them." thats true, but they also die when you water them every other day. when I was first learning about how to properly care for these trees, Al, and maybe a couple others were the only ones to give real info, tips and they would actually read my post. Anything I'd post would get that same statement from everyone else "that's normal, ficus lose leaves when you move them." However, a lot of those posters were even reading what I had to say. In my case, the tree wasn't moved and the abscission was in young leaves and not older. But id just get that same general copy and paste statement. Just saying, there's more to it.