I also have a hose on the front of my house and prominently between two garage doors on the side (on corner so visible to traffic from one side). I have the crockery shallow pot for hoses. It does work and it's a bit of a pain to wind the hose back in (but truly not more than a few minutes worth). You do need to get a good non-kinking hose - the others would be too much wrestling to get it in. That said - it's still better than those things you wind the hose on with wheels - I also have one of those and prefer the terracotta pot to it (hose must come at it exactly straight or it goes off the side you have to stand right there winding plus holding the hose AND it doesn't look great). The pot I have does hold a long hose (maybe 100'). Got a nice decorative metal hose wall hanger to replace the plastic winder thingie and will probably get a new black hose - will look nice enough new (tho, off topic slightly I hate finding red hoses everywhere ..

It's interesting to go through the entire thread and see that you did, in fact, take suggestions offered here. That's nice to see since I suppose many wonder if their advice if falling on deaf ears. I am so glad you dumped the idea of the dwarf alberta spruce. Good decision. Also, I see you nixed the landscaper's suggestion of the cotoneaster. While I am a big fan of cotoneaster in the right location, they would not have suited the front of your house. Another good decision. I think the whole thing looks sweet, actually. I liked that you stayed low on the left side of the house and did some nice repetion of form and plantings. I would like to see a note of height on the right side, but you can maybe add that in next year somehow. I also like the color palette...the soft pinks of the spirea, blues of the hydrangea (or pink depending on your soil) and the white azalea, along with the "traditional" (I assume you mean pink) azalea will work nicely I think. However, although right now the "hot" colors of your impatience are okay since the shrubs are small, next year you will want a softer, cooler palette of annual color. Also, I totally concur with the windowbox idea. That would look very nice, in my opinion. Patty

Do we all have a love/hate relationship with hoses? LOL! What would we do without them, but they really can be a pain. I have both. We invested in multiple 50' heavy rubber hoses years ago and they have been great. We stretch a couple out permanently during the season through shrubs to where we need them so we don't have to continually drag them around. The others we do have to drag around and put back into place when done. The issue I have with these huge hoses is they do take a lot of space when they're coiled up and they are SO heavy. I do like the flexable hoses because they are so light they are just tons easier for hand watering and when I'm done I hide them in my potting bench. They shrivel up to nothing. I mentioned in an earlier post that we don't have the greatest of water pressure which is why I probably haven't had any issues with them bursting or failing. Maybe folks who have great water pressure would be best to turn on the spigot halfway to see how it goes. I do find the spray goes quite far even w/o good pressure.

Ken, Beautiful Guardian Angel! Mine got mauled by something this spring (its first year too) but came back some. I'm hoping it looks even half as good as yours in the future. I have Green w/Envy and like it so much I have at least 4 plants (from divisions). Mine seems to have a fairly rapid growth rate. I'm buying more soaker hoses and DEADLINE next spring. (And I don't even want to hear it from you "formaldehyde haters". I'll use it sparingly. I got nowhere with the ammonia spray. Apparently I can't get up early enough or go out late enough to make contact). I vow to WATER, WATER, WATER and fertilize until mid July! I'll add compost in the spring along with coffee ground tea... Zowee, these sound like New Year's resolutions already! Ken, you inspire me! Char