we moved from outside of NYC to brandon FL 3 years ago and then to Sarasota last August (2012). Our FIRST time gardening and we had a 1/2 acre back yard to contend with - it was, and I kid not, a "swamp" when it rained and a sea of biting ants when the rain stopped. no irrigation either. We spent a ton to pull up the weeds, re-level everything, and then proceeded to put down 17,000 sq feet of zoysia and the rest we made into beds filled with over 1,500 plants now (about 140 different varieties). We did most of this by October of 2013. We had done tons of research (with Gardenweb being invaluable) prior to planting ... but now its June ... and we've learned a few things along the way. in respect to your full sun spot .... couple suggestions... Everyblooming - the 2 huge winners in respect to non stop bloom for us are Dipladenia Pink (2-3' high x 2' wide, dark shiny green leaves and pink flowers) and Scaevola Purple Fan (low ground cover with purple flowers)... they still haven't stopped blooming since October (thats 8 months and counting). The scaevola is more drought tolerant but will need some water - both of these are doing well in one spot in full sun in our yard and we also have them in light shade as well. Another good drought tolerant low-growing that will do well in full sun is Blue Daze (Evolvus Glomeratus) -- ... i have alot of this .. its pretty up close but the blue flowers are too small to be seen from a distance. It goes in and out of bloom. the Scaevola Purple Fan is far more showy and grows to create a carpet of purple that, as noted, as been non stop bloom so far for us. The Blue Daze is easier to find though. If you have a lot of room and want something higher, get Plumbago - while it doesn't bloom non stop, its evergreen, pretty when it does, and low maintenance. Its a bit more of a wild look than the others but its pretty indestructible. Stay away from the low growing lantana - just gets too ratty looking for my taste and then you have little nubs when you have to prune it back to refresh it. We also have the low growing Verbena and that died down in winter and seems to keep getting moldy in the center. Likely the lowest-maintenance thing you can get is Flax Lily (green & white variegated spiky leaves -- no real flowers worth talking about). Our 100 or so of these are plagued by rust in sun, in part sun, in mostly shade... pretty much every single one of them .. BUT .. if your spot is very dry and you don't have overhead sprinklers, perhaps you could avoid this fate. they get big and you'll have to divide them every now and then but from a distance, they give a nice contrast to the lawn. For vines -- the Mandevilla (in same family as dipladenia) would work .. but will die down in winter - its really really pretty and easily controlled during the rest of year. We also have the Purple Wreath vine (too woody and overpowering for a mailbox), the Garlic Vine (blooms too infrequently to be useful - also a woody vine), the Bleeding Heart VIne (you're spot is likely a bit too much sun), the Thunbergia vine (OH man -- grows like wildfire but you won't have a mailbox left unless you're out there trimming it daily). You could also do low-growing Bougainvillea -- there is one called Coconut Ice that has green & white variegated leaves and then white flowers. If your spot is very dry ... these would work ..they'll bloom all Fall, Winter, & Spring for you and the variegated leaves provide something of interest during the rainy season (when they will not bloom). The low growing bougainvillea grow around 1.5-2' tall and about 2-3' wide and have thorns but not too bad. regards - d

I've read that there actually is a true cherry that does well in Zone 9--the capulin (though most reviews I've read of it say it doesn't taste much like one), I've never seen one, never tasted one, never found a place that sells named cultivars even. If anyone ever finds a source for them, please let me know. I read about it in "Florida's Best Fruiting Plants." I'd love to try this tree. Bill

Barbcoleus, sheep are not easy. I had a small flock that I planned for, that would crop the grass. Instead they ate my fruit trees, shrubs and grape vines. They ignored the lush lawn totally. They "would" eat expensive T&A hay, grains, and Peanut hay. They had to be clipped, dipped, wormed, and have regular hoof trimming. They hate any kind of touching, so any treatments were a battle. They were extremely noisy. My husband couldn't take the constant "baaahing." I loaned them out at X-Mas for live Nativity Scenes at a local church. They were a big pain in the neck. I placed them all in pet homes. I won't own them again. Cute, but very dull-witted, and high-maintainance. Turkeys are much better "farm" pets. Sweet and gentle. I've never had pigs, but I get to listen to, and smell the neighbor's pigs. Ugh! Lisa

A couple of notes because the rest is going to be rather long and involved: Lynda, I have the Vitex marked for you and in your baggie! And thank you for the marigolds! They will be very interesting with my others! Dessie I would be more than happy to receive your little helper's seed packets! I think it's great! Wendy Try some Chai Spice tea, it works wonders in helping clear up colds and flu. I always add a dollop of honey to help sooth the throat. It's a staple in our house and really does help. Alright, here is my take on this.. I can understand how many were hoping that the two swaps would not coincide, but, we all knew there was a fair chance of that happening. For myself, I know that I continued to update my list, even well after Patty's swap's mailing deadline. I did my updates using the same method we did for Patty's swap- using an updated date. Even had I not, I knew there was a good chance the two swaps would overlap. I joined this one knowing full well- according to the guidelines posted for it- that I may NOT receive as many as I sent in. That I would receive as many as were sent in FOR me, up to five packets of the SAME item. I recall there being some issue with this and a member who became very rude in their comments about this fact. Yes, my package from the What's Left swap is in the second batch to go out. No, I did not keep strict record of what I sent to those who were in the What's Left swap. I did keep better records of what I'm sending for this swap. I also know that a lot of people will be sending in baggies of seeds marked as extras- not dedicated for anyone, but to add in when it's seen those items are on someone's list. No, these may not be some of the rarer or more exclusively wanted items on someone's list. But if someone has some of those rarer or more specific items to share, I'm sure they would have put them into your baggie before they mailed. So, I don't see that anyone would be missing out on anything. The only way I could see having updated one's list further as complicating Patty's swap would be if someone had removed things from their list. Updating and adding items would not have conflicted. Because if there were any extras of what you were wanting, Patty would have included them. So, I guess I'm not really understanding how there is such a need to update the lists just because one is in both swaps. If I receive duplicates, wonderful! Because the things on my list are things I want! If I don't receive something on my list, then no one had it to share. If I receive so many of something that I can't plant it all, then I can bless someone else by offering it up for a trade. So, perhaps I'm being dense here, but how would one not receive something sent in specifically for them (up to FIVE packets of the same item!) that was on their wants list in this swap? Everyone has the chance to see your wants as posted and you have had the option to add to that list, as many including myself have this whole time. The only thing I could really see the two swaps happening almost simultaneously possibly affecting would be one's have's list. I'm sorry, I don't mean to upset or offend anyone. I'm just honestly trying to understand why this is such an issue. So please don't take this as meaning to offend or as pointed to anyone in particular. This is just me trying to understand why so many are upset about this. If you prefer to email me privately and help me understand it, I would be pleased with that and please do! Perhaps there are aspects and issues with this that I'm not readily seeing and should consider. I don't want to keep the thread off track by my question becoming a debate here. Perhaps there can be some adjustments of dates if this swap happens in the late summer or again next winter, but for this year it is as it is and personally, I'm really enjoying it! Nancy, I hope you don't decide to drop out, because I know that I should have at least a couple of things from your list, perhaps more. But I'll respect your choice and be your Garden Buddy either way :) Fran, you have a real job ahead of you and I don't know how those like you and Patty do it! Leave me hosting my "pair em up and let em go" or true RR type swaps! I think those of you that host this kind of swap are awesome! Angela, you have been a wonderful help to Fran and all of us in this swap! I know the time it can take to code pages like that, though updates are easier once the initial work is done, and I want to say THANK YOU for the time and work you are putting in on this swap for everyone's benefit! Kathy~ heading off to stuff more little baggies and envelopes.