I plan to plant another planting of green beans about 2 weeks from now and a couple more zukes soon. there is time yet for both.

Linlily, I think it's a combination of genetics (some are hardier than others) and protection. I find that when we get early snow before it's really cold, marginal plants here, including butterfly bush, seem to do better than if it gets really cold before snow. A lot of my plants rely on having snow for winter survival. I don't usually mulch specifically for protection in winter, but all my beds have some mulch, and I leave stems on many plants to hold leaves for self-mulching.

This post has me laughing!! Maybe I should just keep my mint in some pots on the patio..... I do love tabbouleh, though, which is what I primarily need the mint for, I could eat that stuff by the feed bucketful, especially on a hot summer day. Ginny: I rooted the cuttings from a small bundle of mint from the market, they weren't pre-rooted. If it grows that rampantly, why does it cost $1.99 for a small bundle!?! A huge bundle of parsley is only 89 cents. Go figure...

Terry, I've long since changed to hardy shrub type roses that require little if any winter protection. The few hybrid teas I have, have proven their ability to survive with minimal protection. When my garden consisted of all hybrid teas and floribundas I used paper collars around the base and filled them with shredded leaves, compost, soil, and any other protection I could find ( I had over 500 plants). I also built styrofoam boxes over the beds but that's a bit of overkill unless your roses are planted close together in beds designed for that purpose. I even went so far as to build a large unheated poly house over a large part of my back yard over a number of rose beds. Most important is preparing for winter when you plant your bushes. Bud Unions should be planted 4-6 inches below the soil surface and avoid buying cold tender plants. In our zone, even with winter protection, you'll still experience dieback which will require lots of severe pruning each spring. Climbers will tend to be tall bushes unless you bury the canes. Tree roses will have to be buried or pot planted and moved into an unheated garage or shed each winter. All is not doom and gloom. I grow over 400 roses but have chosen the proper types that survive with only shredded oak leaves at their bases.