Lisa- Willows are messy plants that will drop a lot of small branches, leaves, and catkins to clog your pool filter. So never a good choice near a pool. And I doubt that they would survive the first winter in a container in zone 5a. (See below) I don’t know of any bamboo that will survive in a container in zone 5a. There are a few types of bamboo that will survive in the ground, but not many. A container is exposed to air temperatures on all but the bottom, rather than being surrounded by a huge mass of soil from the ground around it like with in-ground plants. Because of this, the container soil will freeze solid in cold weather and will have many cycles of freeze-thaw over the course of the winter. Based on my experience as well as what I read, few plants can survive this. The ground, because only the top surface is exposed to air temperatures, may freeze a few inches down, but doesn’t freeze below that unless it is in an area that is without plants, mulch, or snowcover, and even then there won’t be the kind of temperature extremes and swings that happen in even the largest containers because it takes a long time for in-gound soil temperatures to change due to the enormous mass. Year-round container growing works for warmer areas, but not zone 5. I have found one plant only of many tried that will grow and survive in a container, ribbon grass, something that is too much of a thug to let loose in a garden. However, it isn’t tall enough to votive you much privacy, perhaps 2’ tall. So plant large, quick-growing annual vines on trellises in your pots, something like some of the larger cultivars of mandevilla vine or Black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia) or scarlet runner beans. Add some groundcover or draping plants like wave petunias or golden creeping Jenny and you will have a colorful set of pots for your pool that will offer privacy. Be sure to read up on container soils and have some type of irrigation system to keep them looking good. Or consider freestanding screens that can be moved into place to provide privacy.

I would like to touch a bit on the origami master's observatgion re creeping into zone 6. I have observed the same thing and have seen trees in my neighborhood normally grown in lower zones but are okay here but in a protected area. However I think that because our weather patterns has been terribly unpredictable lately, it would be best err to keep within the official zones. I've never had to burlap my corkscrew hazel. However I did plant it in a corner of my fence and so it's well protected from fierce cold winds and the severity of winter. I had it in my front yard for about 2 years but I observed that my particular kind of corkscrew (comes up purple at first and then green) started to burn from the south sun which surprised me. I didn't think of this plant as a semi shade plant but eventually I did transfer it to it's present location. There it thrived so much it brought up new 'trunks' and multiple branches. I've had to prune it several times over to keep it in check. Ianna

contact you local soil conservation district.. in the white pages under US GVMT ..... they sell plants made for your area.. for your climate.. for your soil ... in bulk .. at cheap prices ... natives are the way to go .... a diverse planting is recommended instead of a single cultivar ... good luck ken

We just got power so I'm just posting from Mystic. We're about 200' from the water on all sides (penninsula). Maple trees are dropping leaves like it was November. Sweet Autumn Clemetis killed outright. Hydrangeas faired well if they had some protection from evergreens. Those with no protection have black leaves & are defoliating. Black-eyed Susans, sunflowers, Montauk daisies, etc. - all flattened & turning black. Boxwoods held up excellent. Pines - lost many needles but still look green except on the water side(s). White birch - defoliating. Diablo ninebark - has turned a gold crispy color. The leaves haven't fallen but they will. Clemetis with protection did fine. Roses are fried on the south side including rugosas. Japanese maples, red varieties, seem OK so far. Green varieties are fried. Daylilies are fine. Hosta vary by variety but most look OK, so far. Heirloom tomatoes flattened & leaves are blackening. Tough storm. We did have surge so plants suffered inundation plus the wind driven spray. /tricia