Just bringing it to the top. ;)

Hi koicool1, Thanks for reminding me of my post here! Spring isn't quite here yet in my area, we just got 4 inches of snow the other day! However, I peeked in through my covering, and everything seems to have survived. I'll only know for sure once growth begins again in a few weeks(end of April to early May). Because of Lake Erie, we get spring pretty late here in Buffalo. Here's what I ended up doing: I made a raised bed out of cinder blocks. I tilled up the existing soil and mixed in bags of paver sand and paver base(chunks of gravel) resulting in really well drained soil. I planted the following species, which then had most of the summer to establish themselves: Yucca brevifolia v. jaegeriana Yucca faxoniana Yucca rostrata Echinocactus texensis Echinocereus fendleri v. kuenzleri Echinocereus triglochidiatus 'White Sands Strain' Echinocereus reichenbachii v. Baileyii Agave gentryi jaws Agave havardiana Agave parryi Agave parryi ssp. truncata Agave montana baccarat Agave utahensis For the winter I covered the raised bed with large glass panes like I previously mentioned. However, those began to leak, so I put a layer of heavy duty transparent plastic over top of it. I'll remove the plastic and glass covering once the chance of frost has passed (late April). If you are between zone 6b and 7a with dry winters and quick draining sandy soil, I'd deffinately give some Agave's a try. If I remember, I'll post again once I know for sure which of my guys made it and which didn't, but that won't be for a few weeks.

looking for a 7b hardy agave.. variegation is always a plus! check my list, although it is not complete. please in quire.

It all depends on were the seed was collected too. I have agave ovatifolia survive 0 degrees and 18" of snow while my largest from yuccado perished. Havardiana has been bullet proof for me as well as parryi var parryi. Victoria-Reginea has done great loves moisture too. It stays small enough that I can cover it with a plastic tote during large snow events. I have had poor luck with salimiana, and neomexicana. Last winter wiped out several long time agaves like striata, lophantha, and killed protoamericanas to the ground( all are coming back).