Ohhhh - I hear Malus sargentii 'Tina' calling your name. It's hardy to zone 4, so can prolly stay out all winter if you take a few precautions. It's also available either on a standard or on its own roots so it grows with its natural form which is almost a mounding apple that can very easily be pruned to upright (or buy on a standard). Syringa meyeri, though not a fruiting plant, is also available on its own roots or on a standard. Dwarf Korean lilacs are VERY hardy (to zone 3) and exceptionally easy to keep pruned and compact. Both plants have great ramification (twiggyness) and small dense foliage. Either would make a superb patio plant. I'll offer this tip. Though we tend to want to choose trees for their blooms, we should at least consider the fact that most trees are only in flower for a week or so each year, which means we look at the foliage or the branch structure for 51 weeks of each year. It probably makes better sense to choose a tree for its foliage or winter form and/or other attributes than for its floral display; but that said, both the trees I mentioned will show off a lovely floral display each spring. ;o) Al

Kandhi, We are in northern-most central Alabama. A friend has a Michelia/Banana Shrub on the south side of his house with tall pine shade at midday. It is 15-20 years old and 8 feet tall. We have had a few degrees below zero in that time. I rooted a cutting of M. skinneri last year but will keep it in cold frames until 3 or 4 gallons in size. Larger plants, well mulched, can recover from the roots even if frozen back. Camellias die back to the ground here every twenty years or so. They always recover. I plant risky things in the spring so they can get established before freezing. We can now grow huge Banana trees (Musa) outdoors now. Same for evergreen Clematis armandii. Climate warming or a fluke? Banana shrub seedlings may vary in hardiness. Thats a trait worth watching for. There is a southeastern hardy plant society that focuses on these things. Mike519

Hi Ritholtz - Leylands are beautiful trees. If you want to trim them that short, they may be more prone to disease over time. It's better to find a plant that you can prune a bit closer to it's mature height. Maybe other can weigh in on this? Neil Sperry says never to "top" a tree. Because I read recently that Neil Sperry (or Howard Garrett) no longer recommends Leyland Cypress for Texas, I marked it off of my consideration list (arborvitae's are prone to a lot of insects?). Because of that, I am focusing more on junipers. You can google evergreen plant nursery for dimensions, "mature" rate, etc... If you are interested, I would do some further research. Last night I was looking at some videos of Wax Myrtle on youtube. I recommend checking the videos and google "wax myrtle trees" images. Yes, they do need to be pruned and trained as a tree (some people want them to grow more as a shrub). They take really well to pruning so it is possible to make them look like a nice tree. I found some really nice ones. Right now, I'm looking at the Majestic Beauty Indian Hawthorne; It grows to the right dimensions, is evergreen, drought tolerant. I would have to find a larger size since it is only moderate growing... Here's what I'm doing - a combination of spartan juniper, Nellie Steven's Holly, Blue Point Juniper, Majestic Beauty Indian Hawthorne, and Cleveland Pear (hardier version of the Bradford Pear - a bit larger and still very dense). I know some people hate the pears but I think they are "well-groomed" and provide good density. Cleveland is less prone to blowing over in an ice storm. Also, according to Neil Sperry, they have a moderate lifespan (25-50 years) and fast growing. In all these trees, I'm taking into consideration - hardiness, drought resistance, density (for privacy) and beauty. I've been reading Neil Sperry's gardening book to help narrow down choices; I recommend it! Hope you can find some answers!

Russ- My thoughts on your latest questions... For what you are doing, a utility pot of at least 15 gallons would be good. They come in different dimensions (length vs. height combinations), but a standard one might be about 16-18" in diameter by about 16"+ high. Something this size will allow for the screening density you want, prevent having to re-pot frequently, and will be completely stable in the wind. It sounds like the boxes in that Bamboo World link you provided have a bottom with drainage holes, but the bottom is supported off the ground. If I were using those, I would simply place the pots inside the box, and skip the bamboo barrier as unnecessary since the rhizomes would be contained in the pots and any that escaped through drainage holes could be easily pruned. And if you plant clumping bamboo you would not really have to worry about rhizomes escaping, anyway. I would make a wooden X support to place under each pot so it is not sitting directly on the wood bottom as that will preserve the bottom longer, and you can make the X of a dimension that raises the top of the pot to whatever level you want in comparison to the planter. You're not likely to get much, if any, dirt falling out of the bottom of the container, and that can be hosed off the patio since you've got clearance. You will have some water on the patio, but that will be minimal once you learn how much to water them at a time (and I presume there is a slight slope to the patio to help drainage when it rains?).