wild, I like Georgia, and not just for roses. I live in New York (Long Island) my whole life until I moved here. I didn't really garden there (because I couldn't afford a house with a yard!), but I know from talking to my mom and sister that it's better here. I am in North Georgia, outside Altlanta. We do have 4 seasons, it gets cold in the winter, but if the sun is out it's pleasant. We have a nice fall and gorgeous spring. Stuff starts leafing out in late Feb into early March. Our summer begins in late May and ends in late September. Yes, it's hot and humid, but if you stay out of the sun, it's bearable. This year we haven't been that hot or humid. Despite what redsox says, it is worse when it gets hot in the NE, but that is only for a few days a year. We don't get hurricanes, or they are tropical storms by the time they get here, we do get thunderstorms and some tornadoes, but not the big ones. As for roses, we do have to spray for black spot and I usually have japanese beetles, but not as bad as harry's. It's unclear if we are zone 7b or 8 but we can grow pretty much everything. The best part for me is that the cost of living here is low. The homes are affordable and the taxes are low. The traffic is really bad though.

DiTTO on Rock City Gardens!! Though it's really closer to Vero Beach it's truly worth the extra drive for how beautiful it is. My favorite garden center in Melbourne is South Brevard on 192--I used to go there every week pretty much and the people there are GREAT! Believe it or not...the Brevard Zoo also has quite a nice garden throughout...they also offer on-site kayaking through their African Wildlife area (no gators or hippos in the water...don't worry). In my opinion, a must-go for the area. Valkaria Tropical Gardens is also worth a visit! It's only open a few weekends every year, but it's very inspiring and chock-full of plants (literally). Dr. Frank has bromeliads stuffed into everything and he has mature palms of all kinds; namely Teddy Bear, Bismark...and awesome clumpbs of exotic bamboos too!

thanks. truth be told due to the GBBC this weekend i was on a mission to get some killer shots.

I want to see Alligators, crocs, caracara, Snail Kite (and any other kite), hawks, turns, ducks, bitterns, night herons, any cranes, egrets, gannet or booby, frigatebird... gannets and boobies and frigatebirds are open water bird. no luck on them unless you drive down into the keys. you might spot a frigate bird. for kites, the best way to find them is by boat on west lake toho or lake kissimmee. on land joe overstreet park might be your best bet. also there are community whooping cranes. so if you go to kissimmee you might want to look that up. caracaras will be around kissimmee and okeechobee. look along the roadsides and fence posts. most of the ducks will be gone. but you will find florida mottled ducks. NOW. im my opinion one of the best spots is viera wetlands. it is out of your way. about 3 hours from tampa. and a little over an hour from kissimmee. it has all the herons, egrets, bald eagles, northern harriers, caracaras, tone of gators, turtles, snakes, the bitterns may be gone by then, sandhill cranes, all the ibises, and variouse passerines.