pippi21 - what is the compass orientation of the affected bed & its sun exposure/shade cover? A number of perennials can survive the seasons in a container but there are others (i.e, lavender) that suffer from too much winter moisture such as snow and/or rain. I was a bit surprised but happy when WS Heuchera/coral bells, delphinium, Astilbe, Agastache, Alchemilla mollis/Lady's Mantle, Platycodon/balloon flower, Siberian iris & Spirea all came through the winter in gallon pots/larger containers on my breezeway. Phlox sublata/Creeping phlox is a spring-blooming perennial and as long as it gets moved in the fall when it isn't blooming or too stressed due to dry conditions, should transplant in good shape. That's only my own general understanding of perennials speaking--not the voice of experience since I don't particularly like creeping phlox. My spring preference is P. divaricata/woodland phlox which is just as lovely but blooms for a much longer period than P. sublata. Again, it's only my own observation & what I read in my perennial guide but Papaver orientale/oriental poppies grow from seeds, not bulbs, and spread via rhizomes/traveling roots in much the same way as Missouri evening primrose (whose botanical name escapes me at the moment). It's my understanding they're best moved when very young plants as they don't like to be disturbed. You may or may not already know this but laying down a layer (or two) of corrugated cardboard under your mulch will be a huge help in discouraging weeds. I've found the cardboard is free & readily available at my local grocery store, package store or else the recycle bin at the town landfill. A judicious application of ordinary vinegar at the edges early in the season tends to discourage most weeds.

Do not worry about Oleanders toxicity. my aunt has been a veterinarian in PHX for 30 years and has never seen or heard of a case of oleander poisoning. We decided against Oleanders because of the proximity to the pool, they are very messy. We instead planted a Japanese Privet hedge, total of 65 5-gal spaced 3 ft. The only main drawback is the water consumption during their first summer. Each received 5 gallons of water 5x/week. Heavy water schedule on a reliable drip is an absolute must in their first summer. Otherwise they will fry. Even with consistent deep watering, about 20% did not survive. Another tip that will greatly enhance survival and thrive is proper soil amendment. Privets do not like high PH soil (too much salt) which is very prevalent in AZ soil. Prior to planting, treat the soil w a sulfur product. this will loosen the soil and allow for maximum nutrition uptake. Ensure to continually treat the plants w products that will lower PH levels. Many synthetic fertilizers will increase PH, so look for a local organic compound meant for trees and shrubs. Our hedge has grown 4 ft in 2 years. and will grow faster now that they're established. Good luck!

That's a new one! I'll check into it :) Is there a reason to go Skip Laurel vs Prague Vibernum or vice versa? The major minus for the skip is that cost $40 a plant vs approx $10 for Green Giant or (the now ruled out) North Privet I'll be pricing Viburnum next :) Arbor Day tree finder also recommended purple Sand Leaf Cherry (prunus x cisterna) Any thoughts on that? I appreciate all the info-- I am trying to learn as much as I can before doing any work :)

What's coating the lava pebbles ls fines. I get it without fines. And GG is correct - rock is not a component of soil per se. I grow many plants that are native to very rocky or poor soils - Australians, succulents and conifers primarily. Maybe the term term 'substrate' is better! In order to grow winter-dry plants here (waaayyyy out of their normal rain pattern) I must keep their roots as dry as possible, which means planting on mounds with a high rock/pebble component. Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek is apparently redoing their beds with a significant component of rocky substance. I have found that the conifers do well in this mix, too. The Pittosporum is likely much less fussy and doesn't mind the wet feet as much. I have successfully been able to overwinter succulents( that rotted in past) because of the soil mix that I now use. FWIW, I now plant all of my container conifers (mostly those that are still too small to plant out - the jackrabbits are vicious) in cactus mix. I would imagine that woodland plants or any that prefer a richer soil would not like this, but the Japanese Maples do fine, as do the Ginkgo, oaks, etc etc. Westes I think that GG is also correct that you are likely overthinking this. The Pitts should be ok with almost any of the choices.