Charlie, There is also a cold hardy cactus forum on another list exchange that cannot be named here. If you're interested, contact me privately, and I'll direct you to it. Also note that the problem for us in wetter climates (Kentucky is similar, but not identical to my climate in Pennsylvania) is not just the cold tolerance, but the winter wetness tolerance. Some of the most cold tolerant cacti and succulents cannot survive wet winters. So you have to be careful what you pick out to try to grow.

Thank you, everyone - you've given me lots of plant ideas. I agree with you, Blueangel, about planting by groups of water needs. I have tried to do that in at least one area. And I certainly learned that some plants should not receive too much water. I had a waterline leak for two months (because they wouldn't fix it until I took some action) when we were having our wettest spring in a long time, and had a number of plants die. I also agree with Lorna that mulch is the best thing you can ever do for your plants. That's why I'm trying to mulch everything really well this year. And I should have learned this in prior years, but I should not give in to my impulses and purchase plants after the middle of May. It's just too hot and they don't have much of a chance of survival. I think the penstemon I just planted from Bluestone are already goners. Thanks, Mary

* Carex hachijoensis, 'Evergold' (Evergold Japanese Sedge) Part sun - Morning light Only - cream and green grasslike leaves - mounding, clumping perennial - interesting swirling habit - great edging or groundcover - water usage -Semi-moist - Average size 16"-16" - Cold Hardiness (zone 5): -10 to -20 degrees F * Pennisetum setaceum, 'Rubrum' (Purple Fountain Grass) - Water - low, once established - Average size - 4-5 'X 4-5' - Cold Hardiness - (zone 9): 30 to 20 degrees F - requires excellent drainage * Juniperus horizontalis, 'Wiltonii' (Blue Rug Juniper) - 6 hours of full sun - water wise / deer resistant - Water - Low, once established - Average size - 1" X 6" (low and wide) - Cold hardiness: -20 to -30 degrees F - Note: deer resistant but not deer proof, depending upon scarcity of food. * Spirea X bumalda, 'Anthony Waterer' - (Flowering) - Full sun (6 hrs) - Compact deciduous shrub - New leaves are purplish red - bright red flowers - good filler or bank cover - Water - semi-moist - bloom time - Summer - Average size - 4' X 6' - Cold Hardiness: -30 to - 40 degrees F Not: Likes Sandy Soils * Spirea X bumulda, 'Goldmound' (Goldmound Spirea) - Full sun 6 hrs - low-growing, deciduous shrub - Pink blooms in late spring - Lovely golden, rounded foliage - Good for accent and shrub borders - Water: semi-moist - Average size: 3' X 4' - Cold hardiness: -30 to -40 degrees F * Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Sungold' (Sungold Threadleaf Falsecypress) - Water : Semi-moist - Average size: 3-5' to 4' - Cold hardiness: -20 to -30 degrees F Note: Mulch with 3-4 inches of bark chips to help keep roots cool in hot summer weather. So, there you have it! I have several 'fancy" spireas and all of them said "semi-moist" soil. All have gotten through every summer we've had so far, including this one. The key is mulching them thickly and watering them deeply. I set the hose to run slowly under them and allow the water to soak down deeply. Between these deep waterings, I water to keep the top mulch soil damp and help cool the topsoil. I consider these plants to be "Drought Tolerant" because even though they might need to be watered, they still grow well and look good through drought and high temps when many plants called "drought tolerant" burn up and look awful. It's a matter of perspective, I suppose. Shrubs do best here for me on the hilly prairies where summers and winters are both severe with lots of strong wind. (We have every- day winds like some of you experienced recently in the hurricane! When the wind gets up around 50-60 MPH you might hear someone say, "It's a bit windy today, ain't it." That's why we put our potato chips inside our sandwiches - so they don't blow away! (Hee hee hee) Springs and Falls are wonderful seasons here - moist and cool and that is when my gardens look their best. Even though Oklahoma is a relatively small state, there are 10 distinctly different Geological regions that cross the state diagonally from the northwest to the southeast. Altitudes range from nearly 4,000 ft above sea level in the highest region to 0 ft or sea level at our lowest point. Those 10 regions are so different. From desert lands and salt flats to woodland mountains and piney-wood forests; From prairie lands on flat lands or rolling hills to the hilly, rocky country with mixed wood forests. All distinctly different. Only two other states have that many geological regions: Texas and California. So, what it says on the tags vs what I KNOW will grow well here in my area of Oklahoma are not necessarily the same thing. Hope this clarifies things for all of you about my plant selections. Sorry again if it mislead any of you. ~Annie

Liz, I never even noticed you had not said 'fruit' on the subject line. LOL! Cynthia and all, here on the NW side of San Antonio fruit cocktail shrimp plant is just as hardy and drought tolerant as the red shrimp plant. In a mild winter like last year it didn't freeze all the way back where it was against a wall. The tops that did get nipped and fell over kept the stems green so I just left them in place until spring. Once fruit cocktail is established it comes back very quickly and blooms continually until the first freeze. Well, I take that back. In protected places both the fruit cocktail and the red shrimp flowered all last winter. It gets a little over two feet tall and is very thick and bushy spreading itself around nicely from the roots, and though you will get a few plants coming up from seeds blown around it is not 'invasive.' BTW, I never see anything like a seed pod, but some plants have come up some distance from the original planting so I have to assume it is from seeds. Those volunteer plants don't get much water. They wilt, but I'm amazed they survive and perk back up when I think to water them. It is definitely on my favorite plant list! Incidentally, my 'soil' is shallow black clay over limestome. No bugs bother it and the foliage is healthy and green even when the volunteers come up on pure caliche. Like everything else it gets a few sprinkles of fertilizer now and then.