Hi Joann, I don't know much about SC but I live in zone 7 in NM. Some of the plants that do well here and come up faithfully every year are: canna, iris, four o'clocks, roses, sedums. I'm sure there are a lot more, but I have personal experience with these. I have mixed yellow & pink four o'clocks and some semi-dwarf (3-4ft) canna with a yellow bloom sprinkled with red that I'd be willing to trade if you're interested. I'm interested in liriope, angels trumpet, or even a small palm. I have a greenhouse so I can over-winter them there if I need to. Thanks, Denise/plantlady35

hi nancy, i don't have any experience growing cane and rhizo begonias outdoors (lucky you!) other than in the summer months here, so i'm not sure how to grow them given your humidity/heat etc. in florida you might try the link at bottom. i would think some larger-leaved rhizos such as 'Caribbean Corsair' (which they suggest for landscaping on their page) would look nice in your arrangement, but i don't know if it grows to 4'. i hope that helped even a bit. i'm not the right one to be answering this! there are some growers here that are in similar climates that may have more to say. -ming Here is a link that might be useful: Palm Hammock

AZ is hotter than FL but its a dry heat thus so many less insects and fungal issues. Same for many parts of CA. Grapes grow awesome in Phx. We grew lots of yummy seedless grapes there. I really wish I could grow those types there. There is a bunch of blackish purple grapes growing wild all over our property. They have seeds and don't taste all that great. I let the chickens eat them. Maybe they are better for making jams? Anyone know of any seedless varieties that will grow in zn 9a (NE FL)?

Hi SoFL Rose, I see you didn't get many replies :¬( - probably due to disruptions caused by all the changes here... For more detailed pruning advice on your old roses as well as Austins, you might like to try posting your question on the Antique Roses Forum. Some old roses need very little or no pruning at all, other than deadheading if you want to, and a tidy up of dead and unproductive wood, etc, every now and then - just like any other garden shrub. Some positively resent hard pruning, and will go into a major sulk if so treated! They're not at all like the modern Hybrid Teas that routinely get chopped back to 'sticks' every year. Each class of rose has its own habit - manner of growth - and so requires a different approach; there can even be sub-groups within those classes that are quite distinct, while some roses are just a law unto themselves! There are often a number of different possible methods of pruning, too. Everyone gradually learns about their own particular roses and how they respond by observation over time. The main thing is to know that you won't harm them by not pruning at all, so you can safely err on the side of caution if you're unsure. Where you live - your climate - is very relevant to timing. Some books etc you read might not be appropriate for your zone. Of course you wouldn't want to prune hard just when they're blooming their little hearts out! The usual time is when they're dormant (not actively flowering or growing), but in warmer areas they may keep going pretty much all year round. Also, I think where they have ice and snow, pruning is done to remove any frost-damaged growth before the new spring growth starts; of course that isn't necessary in mild winter areas like yours. So, I'd suggest perhaps, listing all your older, shrub, and DA roses by name, in classes if you know them (i.e.Teas, Chinas, Modern Shrubs, Ramblers, Austins, etc), on the ARF, along with your query. I don't know how many you have - perhaps it might seem like too many to list them all individually. You might get, as well as individual advice, links to tried-and-true tutorials for each of the different classes. Once you've got a basic understanding of how it all works, you'll gain confidence to start looking at your own plants in your own garden conditions, and using your own judgement and intuition. One other thing, a lot of roses will produce smaller booms at different times of year, eg when heat-stressed. I don't know if there's much you can do about that, since it's a normal biological response. Also, a young plant may take a while to acquire its mature blooms. But there are many other folks, far more experienced than I am, who may well have some excellent tips for getting the bigger blooms you're hoping for. At the very least, posting this answer should bump your question up to the top of the list, so more people will get a chance to see it, and respond. All the best, Comtesse :¬)