Here are some thoughts based on my own reading and research this past year in preparing to re-landscape my yards with trees and shrubs. The Homeowner's Complete Tree & Shrub Handbook, written by a northern New Englander, Penelope O'Sullivan, has almost 200 pages of plant profiles and pictures. Her observations/recommendations are heavily tilted towards what does or doesn't work well in her own area (NH, I think). The first half of the book, on landscape design, purchasing, care related to trees and shrubs is really accessible and first rate. Well illustrated. I would buy this book in a heartbeat, if only it were Midwest rather than upper New England centered! Michael Dirr's reference books, often available in public libraries, provide excellent plant profiles for all types of woody plants (esp. trees, shrubs). Handy to have if you're interested in learning about specific trees and shrubs (but expensive, so borrowing is a good option). I haven't downloaded it yet, but Dirr's Manual of Woody Landscape Plants has been released for iPhone/iPad; the promo blurb says "Dirr's Tree and Shrub Finder covers 1670 species and 7800 cultivars, with 7600 high-quality plant images." Its database can be searched by 72 criteria, inc. hardiness zone, which would allow you to tailor it to your area. Customer reviews suggest it works best on the iPhone.$14.95. Have you looked to see what online (and/or print) resources are available from NE state extension services and major area arboretums? As I live in Iowa I frequently turn to area databases from a couple of regional arboretums--the Morton Arboretum in Chicago and the Missouri Botanical Gardens in Chicago--for information, then extrapolate from there. The Morton offers about a dozen specifc guides on trees and shrubs--topics like "small ornamental trees," "crabapples," "viburnums," "decid. shrubs" and "trees" by height ranges--that can be easily printed out. Each about 4-5 pages, with lists of recommended plants, inc. hardiness zone. Might work for you as they give strongest emphasis to the Upper Midwest. Go to http://www.mortonarb.org/tree-plant-advice.html and use the "Selection Guide" pulldown menu in the upper left. Perhaps the Arnold or others in NE offer similar online guides? In states with large land grant universities, state-run Extension services (associated with agriculture, horticulture programs) offer lots of free or low-cost, usually state-specific books, pamphlets, and/or online help. Not sure if N.E. states have anything comparable. This winter I stumbled across a free 128-page report from Cornell focusing on "recommended urban trees for USDA plant hardiness Zone 6 and colder" (think: trees able to withstand Upstate NY conditions). While intended for urban planners selecting trees for street and park areas, it has dozens of one-page profiles on trees known for their hardiness and ease of transplanting. Surprisingly, many of the trees are ornamentals like crabapples, tree lilacs, hawthorns, etc. Includes info on ease of planting and soil moisture I haven't found elsewhere. Only takes a click to download the entire thing as a pdf. Available at: http://www.hort.cornell.edu/uhi/outreach/recurbtree/ Have fun!

We use square to take credit cards and it works really well. You can get a stylus to write with on your phone and just have people sign with that. We have one for our Ipad. Square is free until you use it and then they take a percent flat rate. I think it's 3%. We also use accuweather to check the weather. We are very fortunate where our market is, we can use their wifi for free, because they have an internet hot spot. it reaches all the way to our booth, so I bought one of the new Ipad II's so that I can do all this tech stuff easier on a bigger screen. And I don't have to pay for a plan, since the wi fi area is the only place I use it. If for some reason their wifi was down, my daughter helps me on Saturdays and she has a smart phone that we have used the square on too. It's a card reader that fits into your headphone jack on the android and other smart phones and tablets. We have a paper receipt we can fill out for people who want it, but most people just want you to text them their receipt to their cell phone. It's one of the things you can do through square for free. Some of them like the text receipt so much that they quit taking money to the market though...so that kind of sucks!

Tended App is another option that works on tablets, phones, and desktop computers since it's web-based: https://www.tendedapp.com/ It lets you visually design a garden (including across different seasons, so you could keep track for crop rotation purposes), track your inputs and outputs, and see reports about your growing. There's also basic task management on a calendar view, the ability to upload photos, and it lets you see other gardeners' layouts as well. Check it out!

You've pretty much asked people on a forum to do some extensive research for you... without providing any input yourself. Being in zone 4 and purple in zone 8, we're probably not too familiar with what's easily available for zone 6. If you want annuals, they "generally" bloom continuously from the minute you put them in the ground until frost knocks them down. If it's perennials your looking for - you'll have to research names of plants for your zone that you like and note their usual bloom time - which is pretty much once a season with a little give and take according to weather and the other usual conditions. Then you buy X because it blooms in May, Y because it blooms in June, Z because it blooms in August... well, you get the picture. Head for the library or surf the net for things like zone 6 garden calendar bloom times, etc. I have quite a few garden areas - I've never bothered with spread sheets and rely on reading the plant tags when I'm looking at new aquisitions.