I do have a trailing plant that makes it through the winter in a container, outside on my deck, zone 5. I just don't know the name of it! It's a spreading/trailing groundcover-type plant; it's green, no flowers, with yellow/green roundish leaves. I bought it three years ago and threw away the tag because I was sure it would be an annual in my pot. Imagine my surprise when the next spring it started turning green again. I've since moved it to another container, divided it, and it still comes back each year. Hopefully someone else might know the name from my poor description.

Drew51, My plants are still young and I'm keeping them small. I didn't like the fruit so I ditched the Mulberry and the gooseberries. Of fruiting age I have 1 Cherry, 2 blueberries, and 2 blackberries. This year I harvested nearly a gallon of sweet cherries, 1.25 gallons of blueberries, and a gallon of blackberries. I'm guessing they would be larger and produce more if planted in the ground. Not that I'm an expert, but I've learned much on this forum. Fruitnut grows a ton of stuff in pots. gardenweb's search function seems to limit results to the previous year's posts. However, you can direct google to search a specific site. Check out fruitnut's old posts. Try google searches like this site:gardenweb.com fruitnut blueberries. My quick tips would be, 1) The rule of thumb is that your plants will need to be 1 or 2 zones hardier than your zip code reflects, unless you protect them in the winter. 2) Pot size matters. I think fruitnut grows everything in 5 gallon pots or smaller. I'm using 14 gallon rubber maid rough totes with drain holes drilled in the bottom. 14 gallons is pretty heavy. I can't drag anything larger. 3) Potting soil is a big deal. Most of the commercial stuff isn't up to the task. Making your own is better and cheaper. And it's easy. However that discussion is a little bit longer and the recipe varies a little for acid loving plants. If you decide to try potted plants, circle back around to the topic of potting soil. 4) Your plants will probably need water every day in the summer. 5) Fertilizer is important in pots. I'm still working on that. Check out fruitnut's posts. Good luck.

ha ha ha, Sorry I guess I left some info out for those of you who don't know... I run a daycare. That is haw I knew diapers hold a lot. I have one little one who I think could fill a gallon jug. So saying that I had not tried them I meant in my flower pots. I read some place where they used the diapers in their flowers while on vacation. To help hold in moisture. So that is how I know about the diapers. I may need depends someday, but not quite yet. I'm glad I could make you smile ; ) I will have to start proof reading a little more often, lol. Bonnie, always up to my elbows in diapers.

I'm thinking that if you add a shed roof garage, you will add so much "weight" to that side of the house. With two front doors it's already a bit confusing (which door do I go to when I show up for coffee the first time??) and putting so much more mass to the right puts the right hand door in the center of the house. (Maybe that is the main door?) So even though you don't like the gable, it's not going away and I think you'll get a more attractive result by adding a front-facing garage with a gable roof that matches the house, and siding to match the house. Then paint out the solid door and trim to match the siding of that's not the main door. You mentioned resale a couple of times and I think most buyers will be looking for stylistic cohesion.