Hi,

I started getting into vegetable and flower growing. I was growing indoors, and things have gone well so far, though I didn't realize how much space some of the varieties were going to consume. Naturally, it seems these will need to go into the greenhouse I have in the backyard (sadly unused to date).

I've bought a few southwest specific books and have skimmed through a bit, but I'm still a little unsure about a lot of this. I realize now is the idea season for our area, but I also want to plan ahead for the rest of the year correctly.

The greenhouse I have is of high quality and quite large with shelves and all, but covered with the greenhouse style plastic tarp material (clear with green criscrosses in it). Naturally I assume this would be an ideal place to put my container plants right now.

However, when it starts to heat up, does the greenhouse come out of the equation, or would it be advantageous to open air planting when it is vented? I have a solar powered evap cooler for it, but I don't think it would put much of a dent in the summer temps we have here.

Would a shade house be the option instead, or maybe somehow create a shade cover over the greenhouse?

I guess the bottom line is, can you grow vegetables out doors in Phoenix in the summer inside a shade house or a greenhouse covered in shadecloth house with a evap cooler, do I have to go indoors? I know it is hard to answer because I am not sure what temp I could get it lowered to yet until summer comes around, but maybe I am looking for a "you have a decent shot" or "no way in heck!" kind of answer to set me in the right direction. =)

Second... a have a section of yard, about 11 feet wide, 20 feet long with East/West exposure (walls of house and yard block north and south exposure). If memory serves, it gets some decent light in the summer, but not right now, so I'm thinking lower light plants. I'd like to plant a ascetically pleasing garden there. The biggest thing I would love to achieve, since the wall is rather short, is to create a privacy barrier between myself and the neighbor without adding block to the fence.

I'm thinking of shrub as opposed to a vine, since I'm not sure if a trellis raised over the fence would look goofy or not (not so much for me, but for the neighbor, and maybe the HOA). I'm not sure what types of shrubs would do well in the lower light and have the type of height I am looking for (8 - 10ft), and be able to be kept only a few feet deep at max to allow me room to plants other flowers and herbs there.

After I get nailed down, then I will start asking about what good low light herbs and flowers I should go with (feel free to throw them out now if anything pops in your head though, I'm taking notes).

Thanks!