I tried both direct sowing on the ground and sowing in small pots on the windowsill. No success so far with direct sowing but it was an exceptionally dry winter. My seeds had to be lightly covered with potting soil to germinate. Recommend 3 inch pots as smaller ones dried out too quick and killed the seedlings. Overwatering will kill them too, but they dry out and die quick when they are little. I started them in December and put the plants out in July. It's been a dry year in Oakland CA so I wanted the plants to develop enough roots before setting them out. Could have planted out much earlier I suppose. Watering 2 or 3 times a week until they become well established. Well draining soil in raised bed rock garden. Keep in mind with enough water this plant develops into a multi-stemmed shrub as high as 6 feet and maybe 3 feet wide.

I see you are in zone 10. I'm assuming that is USDA zone 10, in the US, but is it the southeast or southwest - very different environmental conditions. Without that knowledge, I will not recommend specific plants. For aesthetics: 1. select some plants that will drape down over that wall in places, softening it and visually connecting the flower garden to the lawn. You could use a hardy perennial like creeping for wooly thyme, or a cascading annual. 2. select plants that will not grow too large for the bed 3. select plants in a variety of mounding and upright habits, in varying heights, and position them for an undulating effect. 4. select plants for a succession of bloom throughout the season, keeping bloom color as well as leaf color and texture in mind when arranging for a pleasing effect. For the butterflies & hummingbirds: 1. Include a variety of plants that will provide blooms throughout the season. Native plants are best. When using perennials, choose them so you have a succession of bloom (as one is finishing, another is starting). 2. Provide fresh, clean water. Butterflies will also appreciate a muddy spot for "puddling" to obtain minerals. 3. Eliminate or reduce use of pesticides. 4. If you want to support certain species of butterflies, know their host and nectaring plant requirements - certain ones need certain plants: monarch/milkweed, pipevine swallowtail/dutchman's pipe, etc. There are any number of websites that will list plants native to your region. Below is an excellent article on butterfly and hummingbird gardening; this is written for the Northeastern US, but the same principles will apply. Scroll down and click on the link for the plant list. Again, this is for the Northeast, but there may well be some overlap. Here is a link that might be useful: How to Create a Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden

Jim, All the mtn laurel around me have brownish spots on their leaves ~ there are alot of laurel growing naturally around my home. I planted a few in my yard which have also developed the brown spots. I went to Lowes a few years ago and looked in one of their books and found a spray that worked reasonably well. It needs to be applied very early in the spring. Unfortunately, I am out of the spray (need to make a trip) but I am fairly certain their Ortho book referenced the problem. ~Shari

My beds are all 36 inches wide or less, and I have plenty of perennials and annuals in them. It really can be done. :) Perennials I have had in them for 3+ years (counting this year): Penstemon mexicali Veronica Sunny Border Blue Day lilies Hydrangea Mini Penny Scabiosa Foxglove Gaura lindheirmeri Salvia Heatwave Dahlias Asiatic lilies (they spread but can be moved) Garden phlox Columbine Balloon flower Coreopsis Dianthus Blanketflower Spiderwort (in shadier conditions) Newer ones Perennials (1-2 years): Gladiolus Shasta Daisy Penstemon Red Husker Canterbury Bells Now, I am not sure how these would work with your sun/shade and the brick wall...but, I have had no issues with these guys in my 24-36 inch wide boxes. It looks like you have a plan, but I wanted to throw these out. :)