I'm in the piedmont region. You still have time to plant summer squash, cucumbers and green beans from seed. (And you'll most likely miss the SVB due to planting later). I usually plant turnips, collards, etc in early fall. You could probably plant them sooner, but I put them in after the summer veggies are spent. As far as how much to plant (?). I plant with the intentions of canning so I tend to think big. But two bushes of summer squash could easily feed a family of four for the rest of the summer (I have 9 hills planted, but I'm crazy!) A few cucumber plants would go a long way, as would pole beans. I don't think it would be too late for early variety tomatoes either. Just a few suggestions. Best of luck with your garden. ~ Tracy

As those are all natives, or prevalent invasives, I'd suggest following this link to the NCSU Plant Fact sheet and look through the native trees/ shrubs. I'll be fun and you have a while to look. At least they aren't wildflowers, wow, that would be a challenge. Good luck. ---Keith Here is a link that might be useful: Great site!

Thank you, Sheila. We used to be able to post pictures to the ARF right from our Flickr accounts. But, of course, if you delete your photo storage account, any communication that might still exist between the two sites is lost! I still visit the "Antique Rose Forum" from time to time, esp. during the cold winter months when I need a pick me up. I don't post much any more. I do love my gardens and my roses and have had many triumphs as well as disasters over the past five years since I did these postings in 2013. Disaster 1: I now have numerous roses that are 15 feet tall/long. 20 feet tall. And even taller and even longer. And I now realize that, although the idea of giant roses seemed romantic when they were 3 feet tall, they have created a variety of problems in my garden and I am in the process of getting rid of all my monsters except a couple of my most favorite. Disaster 2: I have hundreds of roses. From almost every class. And I have lost track of what I have and what I have lost. Disaster 3: Invasive plants: Japanese anemones. Mexican primrose. Salvia. 4 o'clocks. Sweet violet. Blue globe flower. Black-eyed Susan. And even morning glory. I find poison ivy/oak sprouting in my pots, I invite you to imagine my garden plots. Disaster 4: Thrips. And, though, I love every single one of my roses, even those I am culling, I have found after growing so many, that above all, I love my David Austin roses most. Here are some photos from this year's garden. They may not be great since they were taken with my phone. Best of luck to you in your garden. May it bring you joy and very few disasters.

If you are living in an area that has had a dry summer and fall, then the secret is to provide water! Install only those plants for which you are able to provide proper care throughout their establishment period. I, too, live in an area that has been terribly dry for many months, but have made sure that all plantings get watered as needed. If you live along the coast, there are other problems associated with that kind of environment so be sure that you are selecting the right kinds of plants for your location. If you are looking for more detailed advice, perhaps you could be specific about what the problem seems to be.