Sorry just new to the Forum. just updated my profile info. I thought when I entered email info, it would show up in the profile info..

It may be helpful to know what the decor of your home is and what the sun/shade conditions of the courtyard are. Also, does enclosed = covered? Go for lush accessories and furniture in the courtyard that match or complement the interior both color and stylewise, no plastic chairs or pots. Add a few plants in the house, especially in the entryway. Depending on lighting; you could do any number of plants in the courtyard. Crouton, snake plant, ferns, impatiens, herbs, begonias, jade plant, pothos, rubber tree for starters.

Murraya, is closer to citrus..the blooms are incredibly fragrant..but they do best in bright light and a summer outside.. You can get a MOO at www.accentsforhomeandgarden.com for 4.95..Plant is about 8" tall w/buds/flowers..I bought my first MOO from them a few yrs back and recently bought a second to fill up the pot..For that price, you can't go wrong..I wouldn't spend 20.00 only to find the plant won't do well in a north window.. Dunsmoir, do u know what type of jasmine you have? Some are harder to get to flower than others. I've had a Stephonitis for yrs..foliage is doing great but no flowers.. Are you fertilizing your jasmine? Perhaps you should alternate using a blooming food one month, then all purpose the second..They also sell jasmine fertilizer at Plumeriapeople.com and stokestropicals.com Be sure it's not a Murraya, also called Orange Jasmine/Lakeview which isn't a jasmine at all..Murraya does best using citrus or azalea food..Don't give up...If you can post a pic that might help..Toni

I wonder what type of lavender you'd purchased. I've lavenders munstead which are not suitable for topiaries, but the spanish lavenders are suitable. I suspect it might be the spanish variety. Why don't you just allow it to flower and trim it when it has stopped blooming. No need to worry about that it will go out of shape. Once you'd pruned it, it will get back to shape. Enjoy it's blooms and fragrance. As for the jasmine vine. Nip off the tip of it leading vine. That usually stops the growth that particular 'stem' and forces side branches to grow. Ianna