What is the environmental situation and what do you want the plant to do?

It would be receiving full sun for the majority of the day.
I would like something with a bit of height ... 3 1/2 feet or higher.

Basically I would to know what would be happiest living in a pot for an extended time. The nursery suggested Rose of Sharon but I already have two in the garden.

Hardy deciduous shrubs like lilacs and Hibiscus syriacus have the advantage of not being damaged by sitting above the ground in a pot during winter here but do not provide enough interest for such a prominent use. Deciduous shrubs with colorful twigs such as one of the yellowish forms of Cornus sanguinea currently a bit of a rage would have the advantage of providing color throughout winter. However, the summer effect from such shrubs can often be somewhat lacking.

Hardy evergreen conifers are both cold-tolerant and in leaf throughout the year. However, except for those that turn a different color during cold weather or become more conspicuous when making new growth these look pretty much the same most of the time. If the container is large enough your best bet is probably to plant a combination of different types and sizes of plants, rather than relying on a single specimen to carry the whole show.

What would be chosen should also be affected by the color of the container and the color of the wall or other surface behind the planting.

The Sunset WESTERN GARDEN BOOK has a section on trees and shrubs for containers in the plant selection guide near the front.

Thanks for your help, bboy. I've sent in a request to my library for that book.

I'm kind of leaning towards a lilac now. I had one in my previous garden and do miss it. It would be easy enough to plant annuals under it for summer interest.

Any suggestions as to variety? Also would planting now or waiting until spring be better?

I'd choose something on the border line of hardy. Am curious about Cordylines.Eucalyptus, or Hebe's that overwinter.

Since a plant in a pot is more likely to freeze than one in the ground this is NOT the place for a tender plant (cordyline etc.) unless the pot is going to be wheeled into a greenhouse or garage during cold spells.

Speaking of that hopefully your container has been treated to prevent it from absorbing water, freezing and cracking open or splitting apart.

Lacking interest most of the year and being prone to disfiguring leaf conditions in this region a lilac would be much better planted in the ground, preferably at the back of a mixed border with a large-flowered clematis growing up through it for summer color. An exception would be one of the dwarfish S. palibiniana types that has a compact habit and may flower longer or more often than an S. vulgaris cultivar.

I have had golden bamboo and black bamboo in pots for several years now. They still look good in the dead of winter. They're in black plastic containers set inside frost proof Vietnamese pots. Gotta take a chain saw to the Golden Bamboo next spring to divide it. The extra work is worth it. Black bamboo is slower and looks fabulous with it's lower leaves stripped off.

Oh the bamboo sounds nice too.

My DH really needs to dig some new beds for me or make a larger patio so I can have more pots. I really don't know how I'm going to choose.

Bamboo plants, like other broad-leaved evergreens generate dead leaves and other litter over long periods. There will have to be repeated tidying around any in pots where debris is likely to be a source of concern.

These are also quite prone to mites in this region, so I wouldn't use one of these in an intimate location for that reason as well. Even plantings in large open areas or in the background or border of a garden become quite conspicuously blotched in appearance when fully infested.

The golden bamboo is messier than the black. Mine have never had mites and if they did I'd destroy them. I've never used a leaf blower on them but since I've just layed gravel nearby for a groundcover I figure a leaf blower is an easy fix. What's the easiest way to post pictures?

I have 2 large pots with Japanese Maples in them. They both look interesting year round, one because of the shape of the trunk, the other because it so large that I can hang bird feeders in it and it really attracts a lot of birds. It has been growing in a pot for about 20-25 years.

Dottie, do you root prune the oldest? I have a Japanese Maple in one pot, just planted this year and it's still quite small.

I haven't root pruned it, but last year I put it into a bigger pot and it looks happier. The root ball is very dense and it is hard to keep it watered. I bought a device from Lee Valley that is a metal stake that is hollow and the water comes out of the bottom so it forces water into the middle of the root ball. The tree is about 10 feet high so it is a small growing variety.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Water coming out of the pipe will continue vertically down through the center of the rootball and out the bottom of the pot. It will not spread sideways to wet a large portion of the center of the rootball.

Strax Japonicus 'Emerald Pagoda'?

It's one of Steve Whysall's (Vancouver Sun) picks and he says it's suitable for a container.

Hi:

Nandina aka Heavenly bamboo makes a lovely container plant. My personal favorite though is the umbrella pine we have planted in a medium sized pot.

Cheers,
MG

Here is a link that might be useful: Our website