Yonuh, your story about the Arizona soil reminded me of when my mother and step-father moved to Green Valley, AZ about 15 years ago.

My step-father is an avid gardener, and had grown beautiful flower gardens when they lived in Wisconsin.

So when they arrived, he decided he wanted to install an irrigation system so that he could grow roses. According to my mother, he spent days in the garden area with a jack hammer, loosening the soil enough to bury the pipes.

He succeeded, and they now have a huge grapefruit tree in their yard, as well as lovely rose gardens. I am sure this is part of what helped them sell their home in the last month. The new owners are moving in from Ohio. (Which would indicate they are used to seeing gardens with roses and other temperate condition flowers in them.)

By the way, he does appreciate the natural plants of the area as well; he's also been active in a local arid garden club all these years.

I don't know what kind of soil we have here in our yard in NW Illinois, but this is an area with a lot of rock outcroppings, and ground they refer to as "karst," so I expect any garden I would start would have to begin with augmented soil.

I have been giving a bit of thought to the hanging tomato plants, so those of you who have them, please keep us informed as to how they work out.