Hi KraZbuderfly, I have a balcony something like yours, cocked to slightly face northeast, slatted, but on the end. The end faces west and the other end is blocked. I have an overhead balcony too, limiting the light somewhat. I've lived here for 5 years (6th spring), so have had lots of time to experiment. Still experimenting! LOL Currently I have: Perennials Climbing rose (on west end) Peony (just planted last year, but it's coming up now) Pink carpet hanging rose (both roses were planted last year) Columbine Hosta Astilbe Pansies Ornamental grass Fern (no sign yet this year) Great Blue Lobelia (no sign this year) Vines 3 clematises Morning glories - planted indoors, ready to go out if they don't die first from planting too soon, last year they did fine I grew a Sweet Autumn clematis for three years but got tired of it and wanted something else. Shasta Daisies (treated as an annual so I could plant the peony) Water Garden This did well the first year because I had the right plants in it. It's declined every year since. This year we're going to clean it out and only put things in that will grow in the shade, like water lettuce, water hyacinth, a tiny bit of duckweed or Spanish Lace. We haven't decided what else. Herbs I'm not much for veggies, but do grow a little parsley, chives and some feverfew in a self-watering pot. I've grown a lot of other herbs that have done well. Here's this year's pot: The feverfew came back from last year. The parsley is a little small, so will replace it. Chives are doing fine. Bulbs Snowdrops Puschkinia Tulips Daffodils Lilies (Asiatic and Orientals) Annuals Last Year Torenia Sweet alyssum Coleus (I have Glennis coming) Plectranthus Mimulus Verbena Blue Moon lobelia (does great every year) Here's what it looks like so far this year: We look west to the mountains with Denver in the foreground. I know what you mean about some things not succeeding because of something you did. I let my mimulus dry out last year, same with astilbe. But I'm DETERMINED this year not to let anything dry out!! I have a few self-watering pots, and they're the greatest, but then I don't think they need as much watering and I forget to fill the reservoirs. It's a lot harder in August than it is in June! LOL Hope you'll post some photos too. Here's two of last year: East End This is fun! I hope you've got high speed access. I didn't realize how big these photos would be. Sorry... Judith

Wow, this post is going in 15 directions at once. My ADD is kicking in! :) To answer your question (about 10 posts ago) a Sunset Maple is a type of Red Maple. So yes, it is the same species that is in your front yard. Growers have tweeked the wild Red Maples to have faster growth, prettier color in the Fall,longer lasting color, more intense color, earlier or later color changing, etc. etc. A bit like Gerraniums at the greenhouse. Different colors, the tendency not to be woody, etc. but still Gerraniums.The same with Apple trees for example. Lots of different types, but still Apples. And admittedly, a lot of this is to sell more Maples. Other varieties or cultivars of Red Maples are "Autumn Blaze", "October Glory", "Pacific Sunset" and so forth. If you choose this tree do a google search or see pics at your local nursery. Please forgive the jargon "specimen tree". It is just a name for your "centerpiece", most eye catching, or the one you're most proud of tree in your yard. The nurseries have a ton to choose from, it was so fun to pick ours out this year. Admittedly, we did it based on the shape and health of the tree, not the cultivar. With Summer coming on, I might recommend waiting to plant in the Fall though. Or if you do it, do it soon!

Linda, Thank you for asking. Yes, I confess. I love cannas. In my climate, there are only a few people I know that can leave them in the ground year round and I consider them magicians with microclimates. The rest of us must store them over winter somehow. I prefer not to dig mostly out of laziness. You are exactly right about the bubble pack and brown paper. Brown paper for darkness and bubble pack to provide some insulation since my garage is not heated. Once they all green up, I will pull out all the brown dead leaves from last year and clean them up. In late May, they will be able to stay outside all day. For now, the canna trolley it is. I also gave them some kelp water about every 3rd water. And this year, I gave them a sprinkle of milorganite because I read that it can give you huge cannas. I don't know all the variety names that I have. I never really kept track. I do know that I have Bengal Tiger which I bought last year and a yellow one called Harvest Yellow. I actually found that out by posting on this forum which was so fun! I have a red one, a hot pink one, and I have a dwarf variety as well. The pots are pretty full and I should probably divide. I did divide the yellow one last fall so I'm waiting to see how that turned out before dividing others. I don't have the best pictures of mine, but promise to try to get better photos this year. Harvest Yellow - photo taken August 2016 (this one blooms really late)

In shade, Fothergilla doesn’t grow as densely or get the really bright autumn colors that it does in a half day or more of sun. I haven’t been particularly impressed with Ilex glabra, though I know many people like it. In my garden it was somewhat sparse and tended to get damaged in heavy snow. I would want something(s) evergreen near the house. Look at evergreen, shade tolerant groundcover such as some of the perennial geraniums or Veronica Georgia Blue and the Andromeda/Pieris cultivar would also be evergreen. Since it may be bright shade you could check out some of the more hardy, shade tolerant Rhododendrons. Viburnum cassinoides or nudum v. cassinoides (different sources seem to name it differently) does well in shade or sun IME. Fall color is nice. I have only grown Clethra in sun, and it is of most interest late summer and fall, and otherwise a green blob in summer and twiggy in winter. I would likely want a small tree or large shrub diagonally off the corners of the house.