How practical are those self-watering hanging baskets? I've seen them at the garden center and they seem pretty pricy. But if it's worth it.... At this point we have some vinca vine, creeping jenny, hot pink ivy geranium and powder puff ageratum. (Not all for the same pots!) I really like the look of the trailing lobelia, and kept coming back to it at the garden center. But the label said "sun - part shade" and I worried that it might not like the blazing sun we get. We got the lighting up this weekend; rope lighting along the soffit the width of the porch. I think she wants to wrap some tiny fairy lights up the railings of the bannister on her side of the porch, which is obscured from the street by our little tree, but we're going to wait a bit on that. We've figured out how to handle the water, by putting in a garbage can "water tank" in the corner. We got PVC pipe and fittings to run from the hose on the ground to the porch, even spray painted it to match to brick. Now we have to figure out how to attach it to the brick! Appreciate all the suggestions!

The only upkeep I do is to trim off the dead flowers at the end of the season and trim out the little bit of dead wood each spring. If you look at my photo from last August you will see what my Little Lamb looks like. That is pretty much what it looked like later in the season. This season is might be slightly larger, but there is no sign it will be floppy. I may have just purchased a very mature shrub. It doesn't lay on the ground the way people describe. I believe I planted it summer of 2008, but it was a fairly large plant (although I recall it had almost no roots, I was actually worried it wouldn't make it), so it isn't *really* just 3 years old. I actually mis-purchased...I wanted something that would get large for that corner (like Tardiva), but I'm happy with it. If you want floppy, you should see my Swan.

Here is a list that got off this web site. Ken had some pictures posted not too long ago of Sum and Substance along his driveway. I think those are in full sun (but not really sure just a guess) I had a full sun question and first thing he said was 'plantaginea'. Hope this helps * 'Abba Dabba Do' * 'Abiqua Recluse' * 'Allan P. McConnell * 'Aphrodite' * 'Arctic Rim' * 'Aspen Gold' * 'August Moon' * 'Avocado' * 'Birchwood Parky's Gold' * 'Blue Angel' * 'Blue Mammoth' * 'Blue Umbrellas' * 'Bright Lights' * 'Brother Stefan' * 'Captain Kirk' * 'Carolina Sunshine' * 'Cathedral Windows' * 'Cheatin Heart' * 'Chingbanyuzan' * 'Christmas Gold' * 'Circle of Light' * 'City Lights' * 'Color Glory' * 'Crown Prince' * 'Dawn's Early Light' * 'Daybreak' * 'Dee's Golden Jewel' * 'Devon Green' * 'Dixie Chick' * 'Don Stevens' * 'Dust Devil' * 'Eagle's Nest' * 'Emerald Tiara' * 'Eternal Flame' * 'Fantasy Island' * 'Fire and Ice' * 'Fireworks' * 'Fortunei Aureomarginata' * 'Fragrant Bouquet' * 'Fragrant Dream' * 'Fragrant Fire' * 'Fragrant Flame' * 'Fragrant King' * 'Fragrant Star' * 'Francee' * 'Fried Bananas' * 'Fried Green Tomatoes' * 'Fringe Benefit' * 'Fujibotan' * 'Garden Party' * 'Geisha' * 'Gentle Giant' * 'George Smith' * 'Glory' * 'Gold Glory' * 'Gold Regal' * 'Gold Standard' * 'Golden Bullion' * 'Golden Delight' * 'Golden Fascination' * 'Golden Friendship' * 'Golden Galleon' * 'Golden Prayers' * 'Golden Sculpture' * 'Golden Waffles' * 'Golden Years' * 'Gosan Sunproof' * 'Guacamole' * 'Grand Master' * 'Grand Tiara' * 'Green Acres' * 'Green Fountain' * 'Green Wedge' * 'Guacamole' * 'Hadspen Blue' * 'Halcyon' * 'Hanky Panky' * 'Heart and Soul' * 'Heartache' * 'High Noon' * 'High Society' * 'Hole Mole' * 'Honeybells' * 'Ice Cream' * 'Independence' * 'Inniswood' * 'Invincible' * 'Joshua's Banner' * 'Julia' * 'June Fever' * 'Just So' * 'Katie Q' * 'King Tut' * 'Korean Snow' * 'Krossa Regal' * 'Lancifolia' * 'Last Dance' * 'Leather Sheen' * 'Lemon Delight' * 'Lemon Frost' * 'Lemon Lime' * 'Lime Piecrust' * 'Little Aurora' * 'Little Sunspot' * 'Little Wonder' * 'Maekawa' * 'Marilyn' * 'Maui Buttercups' * 'Midas Touch' * 'Millie's Memoirs' * 'Ming Treasure' * 'Minuteman' * 'Miss Saigon' * 'Mister Watson' * 'Morning Light' * 'nigrescens' * 'Old Faithful' * 'Old Glory' * 'Olive Bailey Langdon' * 'Olympic Sunrise' * 'On Stage' * 'Orange Marmalade' * 'Paradigm' * 'Paradise Joyce' * 'Paradise On Fire' * 'Patriot' * 'Paul's Glory' * 'Pearl Lake' * 'Piedmont Gold' * 'plantaginea' * 'Punky' * 'Queen Josephine' * 'Quill' * 'Radiant Edger' * 'Raleigh Rememberance' * 'Rascal' * 'Regal Splendor' * 'Remember Me' * 'Reptillian' * 'Revolution' * 'Rhino Hide' * 'Rising Sun' * 'Rosedale Genevieve' * 'Roxsanne' * 'Royal Standard' * 'Ryan's Big One' * 'Savannah' * 'Second Wind' * 'September Sun' * 'Shade Fanfare' * 'Sherborne Swan' * 'Shining Tot' * sieboldiana 'Elegans' * 'So Sweet' * 'Spritzer' * 'Squash Casserole' * 'Stained Glass' * 'Sugar and Cream' * 'Sugar and Spice' * 'Sun Glow' * 'Sundance' * 'Sum and Substance' * 'Summer Breeze' * 'Summer Fragrance' * 'Summer Lovin' * 'Sun Glow' * 'Sun Power' * 'Sun's Glory' * 'Sundance' * 'Super Bowl' * 'Sweet Bo Peep' * 'Sweet Tator Pie' * 'Tattoo' * 'Tears of Joy' * 'Tenryu' * 'Tick Tock' * 'Tijuana Brass' * 'Touch of Class' * 'Treasure' * 'Twenty Four Carat Gold' * 'Twilight' * 'Twist of Lime' * 'Undulata' * 'Undulata Albomarginata' * 'Valerie's Vanity' * 'Vanilla Cream' * 'Venus' * 'Vera Verde' * 'Wheaton Blue' * 'Whirling Dervish' * 'Whirlwind' * 'Winfield Gold' * 'Wylde Green Cream' * 'Zippity Do Dah' * 'Zounds'

Hi Roger! Thanks for the layout diagram! How long is that whole section, Roger? That is a lot of digging and planting! Have fun! Roger, having seen your plan, I have the following thoughts. Rather than doing a whole straight line of hydrangea bushes, with the QF in the centre, and then alternating them with the various hydrangeas, I am wondering if you would consider growing the similar ones together, so that you have groupings of 2 Annabelles + Incrediball, 3 QF, etc etc. Then you can even have some space in between the groupings, so there is no need for you to necessarily buy more to fill the gaps, as the gaps can be nice to have, esp if you later decide to plants some lower perennials like hostas there. I think that may be nicer looking than a whole long row of hydrangeas. What do you think? Also, Roger, now, don't scream now - I think that what you are trying to do is a straight line row of hydrangeas, is that right please? IF it works for your overall garden design, would you soften that up with some curves for this bed, rather than a straight line, unless you have decided to go with a linear design like I have for my new yard? If you go with a curved bed, you certainly have even more options as to how you would plant your hydrangeas too, so that they are not necessarily planted in a straight line here... ! Please ignore me if I am giving too many unsolicited advice! :-) Lastly, Roger, if you get shaded by the afternoon with the fence, would this be a north-facing area? That would be great for the ones like Annabelle etc. It looks like you have a really good blank canvas to work with - have fun!