Mountain laurel is a good idea. Maybe a yaupon holly? How much do you want to water it?

You already have one palm in the rounded pot, why not get another palm to put in the second container? This might help create more of a theme if you have a little repetition. I also think palms look nice around a pool area. It looks like you already have a sago palm in the landscape. One more palm - even if it is different from the first two - would give your landscape more unity giving it a tropical theme. Plant a few tropical hibiscus in your landscape beds to fill in and you would definitely have a theme going for this year.

gardner...watering won't be a problem, in the part of the yard not seen there are several smaller potted plants and a lemon tree that I'm currently watering regularly and anticipate having to do so (the small ones anyway) at least twice a day.

Denise, I did think about another palm but there are three sago in the landscape and the one in the pot, there are also two bird of paradise and a pineapple guava in the back corner so I thought that might overdo tropical but I'm no landscape artist so I'm not certain of that. I was also planning to move the hummingbird feeder from the left of the door to just over the potted plant so was hopping for something they would like to use for cover.

Okay, I do see a second sago palm in your landscape, but isn't the one in the pot a fan palm? Maybe another fan palm in your pot would be okay. From what I can see in the picture, your container looks like it wouldn't be large enough for a tree. You would have to water it a lot if you put one in there.

If you don't want anymore palms, then how about a gold star esperanza? That would be very pretty on your patio and a nice contrast to the blue container. Even a red flowering plant would be pretty against the white stucco of your house. Something like Firebush - Hamelia patens - would be georgous and definitely attract the hummingbirds.

I actually have a crepe myrtle in a pot and love it. It's only about 4' tall and have had it for about 5 years in the pot now.
This is it in very early May of 05 and its just now starting to leaf out and it blooms every year. It's the one behind the jap. maple.
I do trim it back to keep it in check each year..but don't butcher it..LOL

Dena

I'm not sure exactly what to recommend, because I'm much better at taking care of plants than landscaping plans, but I would go for something that:
1. Is colorful
2. Does not shed (ie, hibiscus blooms fall off)
3. Can take a lot of sun (in addition to the sun patterns you described, light will be reflected from that goreous pool)
4. Is interesting to look at (ie, maybe something that attracts hummingbirds or butterflies)

Heck, I'd recommend lantana if they didn't smell like onions!

I don't think mountain laurel would make a good container plant. If you put a plant in a pot, it needs to be interesting, and a mountain laurel isn't. Its great because its indestructible and for a week or two has nice flowers. ditto for crape, a nice well adapted plant for texas, but every other yard has one so why cultivate one in a pot?

Where in Texas are you?

Exactly Laurellily! but what is that?? :-)

Denise, I may still do a Palm (the one in the other pot is a...well I don't remember the name but it reminded me of pinata) but the one I have has to either be covered or brought in and I was hoping to avoid that if possible.

tcharles...I agree with your assesment of the mt laurel, I was thinking of it since I thought it would be hardy enough but after researching yesterday I've decided against that. I'm north of Austin in Leander.

Dena...does the Crape Myrtle drop flowers? I've never had one.

I really appreciate all the input.

tess tex could that be a pindo palm, Butia Capita? I'm not sure of your zone, but I'm 8b and mine has been outside in the ground for 5 years with no problems. I know you said you don't want something that has to be brought in during the winter, but... what about a ponytail palm? Just an idea that would help bring a tropical look with minimal care. It does have to be protected from feeeze though. Stays small and has a different look to it.

Lea

You can never have enough palms. Walmart in Galveston has them 1/2 price right now, go check yours today! I got a great pygmy date palm for PS, I'm soooo jealous! I want a pool!
Tally HO!

If you don't want another palm maybe one of these: salvia greggi, flame acanthus, butterfly iris, rosemary, dwarf banana, small antique rose, ornamental grass, geraniums, horsetail, japonica, and even common stuff like purple heart, verbena and petunias could all work. I'm sure there are loads of things that you could use. It will depend on whether you want something bushy, blooming, color foliage, etc. Have fun with your possibilities.

Carla also in Leander

Dwarf or regular Pomegranate do very well outside all year round in pots. Hummingbirds like the blossoms.

Carla in Rowlett

Depends on size desired. That is a fairly modest pot, and I would think an Acanthus would look good in it.

If you want a true tree height, then consider Carolina cherry laurel. Not a showy bloomer, but very pretty plant, and it will do better in a pot, as it likes acid, and good drainage. It will provide a nice greenery type plant, up to about 10 ft. tall (if put in a bigger than that, pot), and can be pruned or shaped as desired.

What about Texas Sage? My sister-in-law has two in big pots and they look great. They're pretty large and they stay evergreen and can take the heat. I have one that's in full sun(in ground though) but hers only gets morning sun. Both of ours look pretty much the same. Not sure if that is the type plant you want but they do grow large and can be pruned to have more of a tree shape instead of being shrubby.

Tami

Thanks everybody! There are some terrific ideas here, I'll be researching these and surely there's one that will work for me.

I went to Red Barn on my lunch and had thought I'd found a perfect choice only to get back and google and find out that even though they had them standing in full sun the plant requires mostly shade. Too bad as it looked ideal, Camellia Alba Plena...a bit on the pricy side but really lovely and blooms in the winter.

You could research Jatropha for your area too. It would be great for your pot and pool area.

It loves the sun, or is happy in shade, blooms red all summer, and hummers love it. So do I. LOL

Also, research a Queen Palm. Very regal, it is my favorite.

Love your pool.

Who belongs to that boxer dog in Denaw's picture? We have a match for that one, they would be a perfect pair. Ours is such a stinker, but we would not take for her.

Janie

I will Janie, thanks! I can't claim the boxer but have a stinker of my own...I have a feeling that one day soon the pool vacuum is toast :-)

Unless you have kids who still put stuff in their mouths, you might consider an oleander. I've got one that's been moved from smaller to larger containers for almost 7 years, and it's stayed outside each winter. You could let it grow in the pot for a few years, and once it's too big, transfer it to the landscape and start another one.

Annie in NW Austin

Have you thought about doing daylilies all around the front of the boarder. They are easy to care for and you can get rebloomers so you would have pretty flowers from spring to frost.
Other plants to consider are Cannas these you could still find I got mine at Mikes Nursery 69 cents a bulb, Amaryllis plant in fall, Pride of Barbados plant now, my Pride of Barbados dies back in winter and comes back mid summer, it gets larger every year.
I have a rose of Sharon, lilies and calla lilies by my pool. My bed is very small compared to yours. You might look into wood ferns to seen if they take full sun in your area.
Sometimes I wish I had a clean slate to work with. The house we have already had the pool and it's just a plan one but a huge one with no charm. There was no landscape at all in the back yard and the land has been a huge challenge but over the past three years it's starting to come together.

I agree that the pot looks too small to support a tree. I like the Hamelia patens suggestion, although it's not evergreen, and may not be winter hardy outside in a container. It would be borderline where you are. When you want a plant to winter over outside in a pot, look for plants that are hardy to 2 zones colder than where you are. If you're 8b, look for plants that are hardy to zone 6 or colder. I recommend planting seasonal color in that pot, and getting a larger container for a tree. I do not recommend crape myrtles near a pool, as they are very messy and will drive you crazy with all the stuff they drop. It's too bad you don't have more shade, cause Japanese Maples make great container trees.

I think the people posting above me have made some good suggestions, but remember to keep in mind hardiness to zone 6 in whatever you choose. Oh, and on top of that, you need think about it's ability to withstand the incredible heat in that location. Some possibilities would be Blue Point Juniper, Yaupon Holly, Maybe one of the smaller deciduous trees such as Mexican Buckeye, Lacy Oak, or Shantung Maple. You may even consider a different direction and put bamboo in the container, or some other ornamental grass.

Good luck.

Sally

There are some passion flowers that would do quite well in a pot that size. P. caerulea, also known as "Blue Crown" is evergreen in Texas except in the harshest winters, and even then will regrow from the roots. Passis don't require much in the way of fertilizer, but will still grow well if you give them a trellis to climb on. Here's what a regular caerulea looks like:

And the white variety, caerulea var. "Constance Elliott":

Also, the hybrid "Incense" is popular and hardy in Texas as well (although it's not evergreen):

By keeping them in a pot, you don't have to worry about the roots sprouting up new plants all over the yard. And they add a nice, tropical feel to the setting.

Well on the crepe myrtle question, yes they do drop flowers. and on the Boxer question Janie, I will post my additions to my family on the gallery side. I love my Boxers, they are such great fur babies.
Dena

Camelias will take part sun, but full sun is a little much for them. Mine are on the north side, and they get morning to midday sun.

Again, thanks so much for all the help! I'm going to make the rounds locally this weekend and bring the pot with me to make sure I end up with something that will work. I ended up with the Pindo (thanks Lea, that's it!) by speaking with the owners at Seasons. I may change the plan up a bit and get both a tree with a larger pot and use the one I have for more color with some of your other suggestions.

Tess

My DH is very interested in the Passion flower vine...do you know if there are other colors that would be evergreen?

mikeandbarb...I planted two Pride of Barbados last year, one was normal, about 4 feet tall but the other was huge, well over nine feet, the giant one didn't bloom at all and finally died back in late December. I cut the trunks off in February but wasn't sure how much to leave...first, how much should you leave? I cut them off about 8" from the ground and when would I expect to see some regrowth? and any idea why one would get so big but not flower? I'm including a picture from the pool build if that helps.

Given this location- sun on a hot surface and a container plant to boot- and the fact that you don't want anything messy- crape myrtles would be about the worst in that regard- and the size of the container- tecoma stans (esperanza Gold Star) seems to be a choice you might seriously consider. A tree would be fine if you want to replace it every 2 or 3 years as it outgrows the pot, although common sense dictates that trees belong in the ground.

On the Pride of Barbados you need to cut it all the way to the ground, I start seeing new growth on mine around June and doesn't flower till about August. Your's might be sooner being farther south.
I don't ferilize it but you might give it fertilizer and I only water it once a week.
I don't know why it didn't flower, might be to little water or to much water but really I'm clueless.