In-ground Containers??

[OhmDr]

[align=left]Greetings.* We are in the process of redesigning the flower gardens on each side of our front walk.* Today we have white flox plants, but there is soo much grass growing in them now (after 7+ years) that it is time to redo the beds.* To make matters somewhat difficult, we have landscape lights installed.* When I originally put these in, I used PVC pipe to encase the wires, and to make the new "uprights"...* This design has worked very well and we have never had a light lean over break.* [/align]
[align=left]Anyway, back to the help I need.* We are thinking of cutting the flox and grass down to the ground once the flox stops blooming.* I want to put landscape fabric down and then cypris mulch down after that.* From a maintenance standpoint this is really great... Almost no time/effort required, but I have a*problem with only having mulch and lights there.**Each side is 25 feet long and I really would like to see flowers in there too.[/align]
[align=left]What issues/concerns do I need to be aware of if I were to dig a hole in between each light and put pot in the ground and then add flowers?* What type pots should I use, do I have to remove them in the winter, and what flowers would work best in this setup?* We live in central Illinois and these would be on the West side of the house.[/align]
[align=left]Any help and ideas would be great.* If you need a picture to help visualize our current setup, let me know and I'll post one.[/align]
[align=left]John[/align]

[Newt]

Hi John,

If it were my garden, I would dig out now whatever plants I want to save, dig out the grass and weeds, apply a 4" layer of compost, mix it in, replant the flowers/plants and apply a 2" layer of mulch.* You can make a drop down trench edging.* It's near the bottom of this page under 'dropped lawn edge' here.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_design_p...398447,00.html

Using landscape fabric does not allow the worms and other organisms to mix the soil for you, including the mulch as it decomposes.* Weeds will still sprout in the mulch, though their roots won't go as deep, but with just 15 minutes a week of weeding you should be able to keep them under control.* Weeding after a rain makes it even easier.* If you still feel you will use the landscape fabric, plants that grow in clumps will be easier to maintain and do better then plants that spread by surface or underground roots or rhizomes.

Newt