Hello Everyone, Thank you for the responses so far. Viburnum Valley - I appreciate your suggestions. At one of our other properties we have viburnums (I think 'carleseii' is the cultivar?) They are nice because they grow quickly. Something that blooms ALL summer would really be nice, but I know we're asking for a lot. The idea would be for these to 'pop' from the landscaping, rather than blend in with the landscape. I really like your suggestion of the Virginia Sweetspire. Forsythia are great, but they only bloom for 2 weeks here in CT (no color rest of year). Florwergirl78 - At our other neighborhood a couple years ago we planted numerous Knock Out Roses. They are nice because they grow to 30" in just two years. However, they do not bloom continuously (maybe 2 weeks at a time). Additionally, they do not get large enough to use them in a way where I think they will 'pop' from the landscape. Karolina11 - Thank you for mentioning maintenance. We want to keep it as low as possible. At one of our other properties we have about 20 limelight hydrangeas planted in a hedge form. They are currently under 25 inches of snow and I have no concerns - they should bloom just fine next year. I agree with you: While I like Knock Out Roses, I don't love them. I hope are current plantings of Knock Out Roses do not catch this disease. I would like if the shrub of choice in the end grows more than 4' (you can always trim growth off, but you can't add growth on!) You mentioned the thorns and kids. We specifically plant things that are sharp or prickly so children don't rip them out of the ground. We have planted regular shrubs that get tugged on eventually. This is why we plant things such as Barberry, Junipers, Roses, and Ornamental Grasses (the thin blades simulate a bad paper cut). Our ornamental grasses always look so good because the kids do not touch them (and these plants are only a few years old and already 5' tall x 4' wide!) I AM STILL WELCOMING & ENCOURAGING MORE PLANT OPTIONS FROM ANYONE READING THIS! -Thanks guys GREENINGUP123

I have some monstrously large (over 5 foot tall, maybe 6 or 7 foot wide) jade plants (crassula) that I NEVER EVER water. They get rained on during the winter, but when the rain stops, that's it. They bloomed this year, and the leaves are still very fat and happy. When you first plant your new plant, it will need to be watered every now and then until its first winter. Then it should be fine. in el cerrito

FAWNRIDGE: Thanks, I thought about Agave and Aloe as they are pretty common around here but am still holding out to see what my quest turns up. LOU: would you believe I thought of that this morning! When I go away a few days I do that with my herbs, except I coil the rope on top of the soil and bury it under the mulch. It wicks what it needs from a big bucket of water. I was going to ask if anyone thought something like that would work but thank you, you have confirmed that for me. That is excellent. HESTER: Container gardening is all IâÂÂm familiar because IâÂÂve never owned a home but IâÂÂve been keeping small herb/veggie container gardens for about 20 years. Putting plants around my screen porch is going to triple/quadrouple my container gardening work load, and IâÂÂve never grown flowers/shrubs before except a few short lived annuals. The easier, the better. I am going to order that book you recommended on Amazon right, thanks so much, I just wish you could get royalties for selling it. All my container gardening books are from the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens up north and have been pretty useless since I moved South a few years ago. AMBERROSES: Yes, thatâÂÂs along the lines of what I was hoping to do... get some pots around with easy, sure-fire plants and shrubs. IâÂÂll probably add annuals in the mix here and there. Yes, majority of my pots are plastic, and IâÂÂve just inherited a big stack of plastic milk crates I plan to line with grow-bags and poke holes in them. I can camouflage them with some window boxes placed strategically in front of them or some dollar store plastic mini border fence I have. CORRIE: Lantana I recognize, and they always have it at nurseries around here though I never grew any myself. Your suggestions sound perfect, just the kind of thing IâÂÂm looking for. I also found one on my own... butterfly weed (not bush), a native weed but colorful and orange. Sounds hard to kill. Everyone, thanks for all the help... YouâÂÂve given me some great suggestions to look into and by all means keep them coming if you have any more.

If you want a deeper green than English laurel, Pacific wax myrtle may not be the right plant. Foliage is a bright, grassy green from a distance, as the leaf reverse is a lighter color than the top. Once established, this is a rapidly growing shrub, on par with the growth rate of the laurels. Spread is variable, but if left unpruned could be 8-10', perhaps wider. This shrub is quite amenable to pruning and it can be hedged if necessary although looks infintely better if allowed to assume its natural, somewhat loose habit. It is not overly expensive, although larger sizes initially can jack up the price if you are impatient. Availability can be sketchy - this is a very popular shrub for this area for a variety of reasons and demand typically seems to exceed supply.