One thing I notice is that a lot of people plant a lot more trees than they need to. In an effort to have lots of varieties and all the correct pollinator combinations, and to have all kinds of fruit in long seasons, they might plant enough trees to provide -quite literally- tons of fruit every year in just a few years. Even one semi-dwarf apple can give you bushels of fruit. Pears, peaches, apricots, plums, cherries ... they can all come through for you nicely, but they won't help you use it. Why, in no time at all you'll be packing produce to the food bank and hiring help to put up all the preserves you need to make to use it all. So maybe start a little small- choose a favorite apple, a favorite apricot or peach and maybe a cherry and/or plum, and get those going. Learn about the pests/diseases in your neighborhood and figure out how you're going to deal with them. Are you doing berries and such too? That has always tempted me, but I just don't have much space. I would like to talk SO into a grapevine, though. I don't have room for many trees so I try to get varieties by having multi-grafted trees. That is, my one apple tree has over a dozen varieties, and my pear about ten. But that's a whole 'nother thing, and you don't have to rush into it. A lot of fun, though. Good luck, Mark

I tried for years to start painted daisy from seed with absolutely no luck. 4 years ago I gave up. Then the next spring the tiny babies I had planted and forgot about came up! Now I have them all over the garden! They get almost no sun and not much water either but they have bloomed ever since. This year I have double and the ones in the vegie garden are up and huge! I think I just planted them and forgot about them. Same with 4 varieties of shasta daisy. I haven't had much success with perennial carnations but I can sure grow dianthus Sweet William or pinks. The cheap little six packs from Can. Tire have been coming back for 3 years now. Bigger and bushier every year. Why not try Brown Eyed Susans? Agrola on 137 Ave. and 120 Streetish in Edmonton had them last year and they have good prices. Or try Greenland out on highway 16 East. They have a complete list on their website. Hope this helps Ginny

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

Such a small thing van change your life.