Yes, gardenias grow well here (I'm north of Atlanta). There are many varieties that grow well in large pots, so you could start them now and then just take the pots with you when you move.

There are several variety of gardenias, and some are more sensitve to cold. I have onloy been down here 6 years (originally from NY) but I have heard that if it gets below 10, you can lose gardenias. Apparently there was a very long cold spell back in th 90s and many people lost gardenias.

They are wonderful shrubs (not really periennials)the scent of the flowers is to die for. Once they get established, they bloom in the spring and most of the summer. In fact, the ones I have are blooming right now!

The do appreciate some shade.

I would suggest some of the roses that love the south, like Noisettes, Teas, and Chinas. Roses don't mind being dug up and moved...or you could just root some cuttings.

Bulbs like jonquils are a good choice. Gorgeous from Year 1, and easy to move.

Thanks folks! I can hardly wait for spring!
I laid out my garden areas yesterday, one for cookin' (veggies & herbs) and one for lookin' (flowers,etc) I notice the one I laid out for lookin-- has partial shade at some times of day. Will roses do ok there anyhow?
Otherwise maybe I will just put some roses in front of the house where its sunny all the time.

I brought all my garden 'bones' with me. My stone bench, birdfeeders and bath, wrought iron short fencing, freestanding arch trellis, and pots. So I got those all set up and mulched around it all to make room for plantings yesterday. That little area is visible from the dining room windows and the veggie garden can be seen from the patio doors in the kitchen. Perfect! All I need now is plants--and compost and more mulch. :-) Mary t

In general, you need 6 hours of sun at a minimum.

Also, go to your local library and look at the gardening books by Southern living. They have a lot of good advice.

Partial shade - right up my alley. My entire back yard is in partial shade, surrounded by old trees on the east and west, and a few on the south. It faces south, but with all the trees, there is little direct sun at any period during the day.

I agree with Buford - use pots - lots of pots. You will be glad you did when it comes movin' time. Is Charleston close to Raleigh? One of the greatest nurseries is in Raleigh - Plant Delights. Check them out on the web at www.plantdelights.com.

You won't be able to grow a few of the plants that you grew in Wisconsin and North Dakota, like lupines, astrantia, delphiniums, and the like. You can grow epimediums, hellebores, oakleaf hydrangea, itea virginica 'Little Henry', calycanthus (sweetshrub), hostas, astilbes, campanulas, asiatic, oriental, and orienpet lilies, ferns (suited to your climate - I think it's zone 7), azaleas, rhododendrons, other hydrangeas (try Endless Summer that blooms on both old and new wood, and you won't have to worry about when to prune it); porcelain vine (ampelopsis brevipedunculata), coneflowers, northern sea oats, heucheras, tiarellas and the new heucarellas, clematis (many varieties are suited to partial shade), meadow rue (try Illuminator, with powdery blue foliage), hardy begonia (evansiana), Japanese Maples, columbines. The choices are endless.

A lot of people think shade gardening is boring, but it's really not! I hope you enjoy your garden and your "totable" plants!

Susan

Actually I'm not unaccustomed to shade gardening--I think I have more sunlight here than I did in Wisconsin--there I had woods all around me. In fact hubby cut down about 100 trees so I could get just a little more breeze and sunlight. The yard was almost totally moss when we bought that house, over the years we got it to grow grass.
In my gardens there I had trilliums, jack in the pulpits, wood anemones wild geranium and etc plus a host of cultivated things. I love hostas! I've never had hellebors but they look so beautiful in garden magazines I would love to try them!!!!! I did have lupines in North Dakota--but that's ok, I would happily trade them for the weather here-- so far- I'm amazed at the warmth in December. In Fargo right now its 10 degrees out but with the wind--which is almost always substantial it feels more like 10 below 0.

In Wisconsin right now-- my extended family are shoveling out of a good foot of snow.

so -- North Carolina sure seems awful nice. :)
maryt