Sorry for the delay. Finally stopped raining. Here's the one in the pot - I hard prune it once a year to try to keep it like a bonsai (which is how my mother raised it - I try to maintain her original shape). It's about 15 years old now: Here's a full size 20 year old - just like the one in the front yard. Was pruned last week (just to take out limbs that were rubbing together - etc.). It's a little thin on the left side because raccoons climb on it - and then try to jump onto the bird feeder (and they break some limbs - not theirs - the ones on the trees): Here's a volunteer from our purple-ish trees that decided to grow in an inconvenient place for a tall tree. Looks nice in bloom. I prune it back pretty hard each year to keep it small: I love the purple-ish color of the one you like (I have 3 of them - one of the few things in the original landscape I liked and kept). I tried to match it for a while (I wanted a 4th) - and never did find one (thought I had - but the 4th turned out more pink than purple - still - it had such a nice trunk structure I couldn't bring myself to dig it up and toss it). Robyn

'Catawba' is not usually bushy. It's an upright cultivar. It can be kept more upright by limiting the number of trunks, or, encouraged to be more bushy by cutting out dominant trunks and allowing multiple trunks to arise. There are many other crape cultivars that are lavender/purple and small. Examples would include 'Dwarf Royalty' (royal-purple, dwarf, 4'-8'), 'Petite Orchid' (orchid, dwarf-upright, 4'-6'), and 'Petite Plum' (plum-purple, dwarf-upright, 4'-6'). The biggest obstacle I can see with growing a crape in a pot (assuming you replant it, as you said you were willing to do) is possible hardiness issues. In your area (7b/8a) most crapes will do fine in-ground, but you might loose some in a cold winter. As I'm sure you know, trees' and shrubs' roots are not nearly as hardy as their above ground parts. You may be OK (especially considering the heat your patio might give off), but I wouldn't bet either way.

I've grown an extensive rainforest of over 400 local area species, including Lemon Myrtle and other Backhousia, under eucalypts - ironbark, gums, etc. and used several large truckloads of fresh tree lopper mulch, all with maximum benefit! Only downside is that eucalypts will take all the moisture and fertiliser they can steal from your intended use for your plants. And it can inhibit growth in some planted species such as fruit trees. Again, a greedy need for nourishment they don't really need. I never had myrtle rust, but did have the brownish colouring on older leaves under shade. No leaf drop, no treatment either. Please work with your natural flora and don't chop it down! If you are concerned about fire risk, that's a different matter, but growing dry rainforest (scrub) species around the house will give some protection because of the high moisture content and less oil in the foliage. Marjorie, SE Qld.

The flushing may convince the ants to relocate as they don't like a wet environment. Boraxo (Boric Acid) will kill ants but it must be missed with something with sugar in it to get them to eat it. Ant tend to avoid just Borax(o). Things like soda, apple juice, etc are easy ways unless you want a powder or paste, just make sure it has sugar. To avoid contaminating the soil the "ant bait" should be put in a small container that only ants can enter. Things like empty pill bottles with 2-3 small holes drilled in it works great for this. Be sure to label it "Ant Bait". Just be sure when you make the bait it doesn't contain so much borax that it kills the ants before they get back to the nest. I have used 5TSP Borax in 1L of soda with good success. Adjust to suit your needs.