Hi Vicki, I'm zone 8a but in Virginia. However I grew up out west and am familiar with the climate. Check these websites: http://www.ci.fort-collins.co.us/water/plantlst.php http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/xeriscape/ they should give you some ideas or at least provide a starting place. Also try the Garden Web Xeriscape forum, I'm sure you'll find a lot of help and encouragement there! http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/swest/ I know your planter will look great when you're done! Good Luck!

Matrices, I am not sure if you are still considering skyrocket junipers, but if you are, find another narrow evergreen to use instead. Skyrockets are a cultivar of J. scopulorum, which is a western tree that doesn't do well in humid areas. Unless it is in a relatively dry area it is likely to get fungal diseases on the foliage and so even if it doesn't die directly from them, the view won't be pretty. I also suggest that you check to see if there are healthy purple leafed sand cherries in your area since they are often denuded of leaves due to insects or foliage diseases in humid areas. I honestly can't offer a lot of positive suggestions of specific plants since I don't know what will grow well in your area. I do have a couple of general observations/suggestions to offer for you consider. The last photo you offered with the various labeled plants has a very different feel from the more regular look of the strictly alternating plants of the photos you posted near the beginning of the thread or the formal look of Yardvaark's mockup of a hedge of all one species. Figure out which look you like and then use that. I am glad to see that you are using at least some repetition since even a bed that has more irregularly placed plants looks more pleasing with repetition rather than one of each. Another suggestion is to at least consider whether having screen on or by the deck might be more useful to provide screen on that level, which would free you to be less restricted in your plant choices in the fence bed since the fence blocks the next yard from ground level. For instance, would having an obelisk or three with vines in that corner of the deck work, or planting a bushier tree closer to the deck that eventually would be limbed up provide both seasonal shade and a visual screen for the neighbor's yard? Also, there is a Detroit area designer, Deborah Silver, who often deals with narrow side areas that need screening. I will see if I can find a way to filter her blog posts (Dirt Simple) to get just a listing of the ones with your issue so you can see some images of solutions that both provide the screening and are well designed since you have mentioned not finding inspiration photos that address your needs. Edited to add: I just searched for the term screen. So some posts won't apply, but there are a bunch that do show narrow beds planted to provide screening. Dirt Simple screens

Sorry for the late reply, HU-243901113. I don't regularly fertilize my Jiaogulan plants, but do occasionally water them with some 'Foliage Pro' in the water, which is what I water my citrus trees with. My first year growing them I kept them in a near total shady spot, and they grew very slowly. When I moved them to a sunnier spot they grew much faster, but too much sun wilted them badly. I now keep mine in a spot were they get the morning sun, and afternoon shade when the day is hotter. They have thrived in that spot. I started/grew Jiaogulan plants last winter in a SunBlaster Grow Light Garden kit I got off Amazon, and it worked OK. I also have put them in a window where they grow, but not as fast as when outdoors. Most of the Jiaogulan roots in the pictures above died this past winter (I should have moved them to a more protected area when the prolong super cold temps came), but they produced a lot of berries last year which I harvested for seed (berries are not edible by the way). Those seeds germinated and I now have replacement plants just as good as the ones above. When they sprouted, the vines had 3 leafs, but now they have matured into 5 leaf Jiaogulan plants. I don't think I'd be willing to sell any of my plants. I got my starter plants from Joe Hollis of Mountain Gardens Herbs, and highly recommend purchasing plants from him. I have purchased plants elsewhere. Not all Jiaogulan plants taste them same, some are bitter, some sweeter, some have no flavor at all. The bare root plants I got from Hollis were most vigorous and had a pleasant taste. I use mostly the leaves for tea, as most of the beneficial properties in Jiaogulan are concentrated in the leaves, from what I have read. I don't *think* the roots or flowers are edible (haven't confirmed they are), but I have read in Jiaogulan resource books that the berries should not be consumed. . Good luck!

I'm in zone 7b one state south of you in Raleigh. I have a large fruit and veg garden as well as a greenhouse for tropicals. I get more fruit off of the potted plants in the greenhouse or outside than I do off of any of the fruit trees. The potted super dwarf peaches and nectarines are less work and out produce the trees in the ground by a long shot. Citrus in pots (large or small) can produce a lot of fruit, same with guavas. Kumquats do well in pots and handle some cold but fruit better in a greenhouse. There are citrus hybrids that will survive your area but the fruit is usually pretty harsh and resinous (I still eat them). Besides figs, you should try Pineapple Guava also known as Feijoa, its a guava relative that is pretty cold hardy. The fruit has its own special flavor that not everybody loves. Kiwi vines are super productive but they take up a lot of space and require a lot of pruning - I mean constant pruning to keep them in line. Grapes and muscadines are good for grapes. Check out Ediblelandscaping.com in Afton VA. That's where most of the odd ball fruit growers around here buy their plants. Worth the drive and you can check out Monticello while you're in the neighborhood.