I'd suggest sorting out what will do well in the winter shade right against the building first. Kangaroo Paws will grow just fine there, but really bloom best with full sun. Most of the Kniphofia/Poker Plant cultivars will also bloom best with full sun. You also have an Angel's Trumpet/Brugmansia at the left side of the unit, and this can get quite big over time, but can easily be trained to be a multi-trunk tree, and will be bloom well in these light conditions. The cultivar 'Charles Grimaldi' is my personal favorite, and has a warm orange shade of bloom. I'd also suggest that some really big ceramic pots at the walls flanking the steps, with a colorful foliage plant such as Phormium 'Yellow Wave' or 'Cream Delight' could give you year round color, as well as foliage texture. Alternatively, you could also use specimens of Strelitzia reginae or Euphorbia cotinifolia in pots, perhaps with trailing Euphorbia myrsinites, or succulents such as the lavender tinged Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' or Echeveria imbricata. If you wanted another larger growing shrub with nearly year round bloom that could be kept relatively narrow, the Princess Flower/Tibouchina urvilleana does really well in southern California, but does need regular watering to bloom well. The Mexican Lobelia is also nearly year round blooming and grows well in shade and with little water, and can be sheared into a hedge and treated like boxwood. You might also consider using a bold foliage plant like Giant Walking Iris/Neomarica caerulea, having a similar form to a Phormium, but with waves of deep purple blue flowers on 5 foot tall stems all summer into fall. Another really cool shrub with purplish tinged foliage and blue flowers in late winter/spring is the uncommon Ageratum corymbosa, which also does well in light shade. Kalanchoe carnea modoc is another sculptural succulent that is winter blooming, takes shade, and would do well at the front of your building. With the formality of the building facade, I would suggest that treating it as a formal symmetrical planting and massing foliage plants with some color would give it a more integrated look in the front. You might also consider Reed Stem Orchids, Epidendrons, for a narrow yet tall and everblooming airy plant. Some narrow growing palms such as Chamaedorea tepelejote or C. plumosa could also look cool in front of the building, and will do well in shade, without getting too big. If you want to do the Gingers, they typically do want more regular summer water to do well, but things like H. greenei, H. gardnerianum, Alpinia zerumbet variegata could combine well with the Brugmansia and Tibouchina water wise. I wouldn't recommend planting the Horsetail/Equisetum unless it is contained at the roots, as this is a rampant spreader and will choke other plants out over time. You could plant the similar appearing South African restio, Elegia capensis for a similar look, which is very lacey and ferny foliage. Asparagus retrofractus is another tall ferny/lacey looking plant that would like these conditions. Good luck with the project, and post some photos of what you decide to do!

Eileen, that was the ever-present "veggie pizza", my daughters love the stuff. Bake a crust out of crescent roll dough. Yeah, the stuff in the can, LOL. Mix a brick of cream cheese with a cup of mayo and some dry ranch dressing mix. I don't measure, just dump the dressing mix in, stir and taste until it's good. Top with fresh vegetables of your choice, chopped into pieces small enough to eat easily. Mine usually has cauliflower, broccoli, some green onions, carrots, red peppers. Even the kids gobble it down, go figure. I made it once with homemade pizza dough and no one wanted it. Back to the canned crescent rolls. (grin) Annie

Well we have a new assignment for today. I have to order the sink and faucet but have run into a little confusion. Number of Holes The sink comes with 3 holes or single hole. With 3 holes you must use the metal deck plate. Single hole gives same look as Plllog's cutie. Because the sink I'm ordering also has the faucet mounting deck, which one do you guys think is more visually pleasing? Is it my eyes or do you lose a little of Portland's base symmetry with the metal plate? Faucet Color In our Faucet Pageant, the Portland was the winner in Tuscan Bronze. Now we have a White Sink, White Oven, so should the faucet still be Bronze or better in Brushed Stainless/Stainless to match Wall Oven handles and or sink?

Thanks, Nancy, and a "Merry Easter" to you and Kim! Tami, 5 years? I was told 3 years, but I couldn't get the stuff to even grow one year. The first time I planted it, it was by the butternut tree. I didn't know then that butternut trees give off the same juglone that black walnuts do, and of course it didn't grow. I planted some more here in town out by the pool, but it never came up at all. I tried at the farm again, in the far back of the pasture by the pond, but nothing, maybe the cows ate it, but I wouldn't think so. So, three times and nothing, but you know I have to try again. I also need to get some of that lovage that Nancy gave me, I liked it a lot and now I have a place to plant it where it an just settle in and get comfortable, out at the farm. Annie