I don't think you could ever have too many containers! I'm chuckling because recently my husband asked me, "Are you going to add all those planters again this year along the walkway and patio like you did last year? I really liked that." I just started landscaping my yard last year, and now I'm hooked on container planting as well, though yours are much brighter colors than my own - very pretty. Your clematis is fantastic. I just planted mine last year running along the fence on my driveway, so this year I'll probably keep cropping back again to focus on root growth, then I'll let grow out after the end of July. By next year they should have a nice full growth. I like your petunias in your planter box too. We will be putting our window boxes up soon....woohoo..I can hardly wait. My yard is still a work in progress, but I've included some pics in photobucket. If something looks out of place in these pics, it probably was so just ignore the obvious. Someone had pics of white liatrus in their container plantings and it looked fantastic. I've looked around, but the only thing I can find is purple liatrus. Here is a link that might be useful: Photobucket pics

Well my Carefree Wonders were 2 years old last year so this year they are on their 3rd year in that location and last year they were getting as high as the lattice by the end of last summer but they seemed to have to be staked in the ground as they started to lean or slip open with any kinda rain. My Knockouts seem to hold themselves up better.. Love the Carefree Wonders flower though.. The Carefree Wonders get morning shade from the fence and afternoon sun. I was looking for more privacy by the patio where the 6 foot fence is. Something that goes to 6 ft is fine.. I might want to carry some of the pink roses down the post and rail end also but more towards the patio I wanted more privacy..We had to move our Susan or Ann Magnolia bush last year so we choose to put it at the end of the simi private fence and are planning to redo the flower bed there to incoporate that bush into the bed and making it alittle wider out...We thought of looking into once of those patio arbor/pagoda things that you can have a patio with chairs under off our now patio in front of the fountain but not sure that will be in this years budget. As for the neighbors they don't plant much and rarely outside. So privacy 6 foot or so by the fence is best..

What is the rose you are planting? Looking at the picture of your main house, I think you could put a rose there too. Two in fact - one by the fence to the right of the stairs, and the other on the left end trained up around the window like you're doing on the shed. I would run your rose questions by the rose forum. They can guide you to the best varieties for the locations and conditions you have. E.g., something that will stay close to the wall, climb 10 feet, be thornless, flexible canes that can be trained as you like, hardy to the zone below yours so there will be cane dieback so you're starting all over each year, reliable repeat blooming (or big one time show), attractive foliage against the color of the wall, a scent that wafts into your window or across the yard or requires putting your nose to the petals, etc etc. The right choice will make a big difference.

Paint colors don't add light. White doesn't add light. Windows and lighting fixtures do. Paint does react with the existing light, so if things are pulling blue/purple look to the other side of the color wheel for guidance as to the direction to go. Colors turning blue in an artificial light can mean two things - color temperature of the bulbs (go warmer, which is lower in degrees K) and CRI - color rendering index (look for bulbs rated 90+. Anything less is going to give you "off" colors and if the bulb doesn't proudly state 90+, you have to assume it's only CRI of 80 or so).