I always grow my mints in pots because I am afraid to allow them the freedom of open ground. Every fall I sink them into a raised veggie bed and they always come back. I dug up some Cimicifuga in the fall because it wasn't doing well in an area that was not moist enough, I assume. We didn't get to replant before winter and they spent the entire winter above ground in a pot on the north side of a stockade fence and happily came back! Terrene...have you ever tried Lavender Lady? That is the only one that grows for me. I've had some for a long time and I wintersowed more in 2007 and not only did they come back, but the base of the stems was full of new growth very early this year. I am surprised, Linnea, if you have a problem with Sedum Purple Emperor. Mine came through the winter. In the past, I have left Autumn Joy outside all winter in pots near my front steps where water would drip into them and freeze into a solid block, then thaw and repeat and in the spring would fill with water for days before it thawed out completely. I was shocked that they survived this treatment year after year. I consider Sedum AJ to be indestructible...lol, and thought it applied to all sedums. Not sure about the PEmperor. pm2

Tony, can I ever relate. The only difference is that I had never made a thing grow in my life before. The plants I received during the many hospital stays, I managed to kill within the year. I had three failed back surgeries which left me with no use of my left leg and foot, a back that I can no longer bend, turn or twist and lately severe Arthritis has attacked my entire body (especially my hands) and horrific pain 24/7. I was in deep depression for a very long time and perhaps if my children would have helped and worried about me as you do about your Mom, I would have pulled myself out of my world of self-pity a long time ago. Alas, I was not that lucky, however, one can only live like that for so long, before thoughts of ending it all take over, and I thank G-d for giving me the strength to find the will to search every avenue to help myself. Also, I have a family physician who is modern and not adverse to giving me enough medication (even narcotics) to take the edge off of the pain. When my youngest moved across the ocean, I bought a samll computer to keep in touch with her. I taught myself how to send e-mails and then I started wandering around the Internet. It was then that I came across GardenWeb and after reading the different posts for days, I got the courage to post and ask questions. You would not believe the many replies I received with all kind of advice on how to start a garden (some giving me sites where to find more info) Last winter I kept myself very busy planning my little garden, searching through catalogues, gardening magazines and the Internet, looking for perennial plants that have "good garden manners", as my garden buddy Newt taught me.I have several container plants and start working on them when it is too cold to plant in the ground. My garden takes up most of my time (even the many long sleepless nights). I agree with the poster that said that outside help can be very frustrating, however, if you have the time to supervise then they will do as your Mom would like to have in done. Who knows, I just might find another hobby to add, that will ensure that I have no spare moments to dwell on all the things I can no longer do (I was not born disabled) Also, I am not adverse to getting a little psycological help now and them when I need it most. I have to digress here for a moment and tell you that the great friends I found here on GardenWeb gave me a new lease on life. I still write to some and they answer when they are able. We exchange jokes as well as gardening information,links where you can find more information for every subject and seeing that we are in the same boat, in one form or another, it gives me the strength to carry on. (We understnad each other) Perhaps that is why I am so grateful to GardenWeb,and to this new Forum. The advice you got in the previous posts are excellent, and if I may, I would like to suggest that if you do build a raised bed, sitting on the wall and twisting around to care for the plants does not always work for everyone. I know it doesn't for me. I don't know if my solution will work for your Mom, however, I had four large (tall) rock garden stones with relatively flat tops placed in strategic places so that I can move around on them (not have to twist my spine). That way I am closer to the ground and can get my hands in the dirt. I guess I will have to leave the composting to purchasing it in a bag (not quite the same as making your own, I understand, however,it's the best I can manage.) Just one last thing, I have purchased some excellent "Enabling tools" through a Catalogue,the name is called Gardenscape, they have a toll free number, which is: 1-888-472-3266, the are situated in Toronto 416-698-5339, they are very reliable, guarantee all purchases and ship promptly. The Catalogue is Free. (I believe they are a GardenWeb sponsor) Good Luck, and G-d Bless Punky.

This is the first year I put my thyme's in the ground. I grew just two...lemon and English. They are both still doing well, despite temp's dropping into the teens with wind chills way below that. Surprisingly, even my cilantro, which I kept from bolting all season by constantly cutting it back, is still green in patches. It had some yellow leaves here and there, and some that have suffered from frost, but for the most part, it's fine. Surprised me. This year, I decided to leave my rosemary outside. The man who's backyard faces ours has a rosemary plant in the ground and it did well, despite some snow we had last year. Sure, some leaves did turn brown on it, but for the most part, the entire plant still was good enough to harvest from and bounced back the next season. I'm happy to say the 5 rosemary bushes I have are doing well so far also. One is a bush I took from my father's house I gifted to him, but I'm sorry to have to say he passed away this past November. He did love it so much because he knew how much I loved rosemary and I cooked with it so much. I visited him every Thursday and my partner and I did every other Sunday for the day and dinner. Since the house has been vacant (we lost my mother in 2005 to her third cancer), the plant needed care it wasn't getting, so I brought it back home and am nursing it back to health. It's a little scragglier than my others, but I think it will be fine. Needless to say, it's very special to me. Because one of the folklores of rosemary is symbol of remembrance, I buried him with three sprigs of it in his hand, one for each of us children.

Well that's nice... wouldn't let me add the full list, here's the rest... WATERMELONS:Carolina Cross Orange Tendersweet Sugar Baby Unknown Yellow I also have the following veggies and herbs in small quantities:Basil - LemonCauliflower - Early SnowballChinese Bok ChoiGreen Onions - Evergreen BunchingHERBS: CATNIPCHIVES:CommonCILANTRO:Coriandrum ativum SantoDILL:Diana LEMON BEE BALMOREGANO:Origanum vulgare hirtumPARSLEY:Italian Flat LeafCurly LeafSAGE:Broad Leaf SPEARMINTSUMMER SAVORY:(A) Satureja hortensisTHYME:Common FRUIT: Black RaspberryCape Gooseberry Dragon Fuit Cactus FLOWERS & ORNAMENTALS: Cactus “Queen of the night” - Selenicereus Grandiflorus Calendula – Yellow Cassia - Candlestick Cassia – Popcron Shrub Cleome – Mixed Colors Confederate RoseCoreopsis – Plains Cosmos – Bipinnatus Dragon's Head Echinacea _ Purple Coneflower Formosa Lily Gaillardia – Yellow Geum – Mrs. Bradshaw Gypsophila panculata - White Baby's Breath Hungarian Broom Corn Love-in-a-Puff Vine - Cardiospermum halicacabum Lunaria White – Moneyplant, Honesty Marigold – Crackerjack Marigold – Petite Mix Monarda – Bee Balm Purple Morning Glory – Clark's Heavenly Blue Morning Glory – Grandpa Ott None-So-Pretty - Silene Armeria Palo Verde Tree Pink Trumpet Tree Ratabida columnifer - Mexican Hat Royal Empress Tree Sedum – Autumn Joy Shasta Daisy – Alaska Sunflower – Italian WhiteSunflower - Lemon Queen Sweet William – Dianthus Barbatus Yellow Trumpet Bush - Tecoma Stans Texas Bluebonnet Texas Red Yucca - Hesperaloe Parviflora Umbrella Grass Verbena - Bonariensis Zinnias: Tons, saved as various same-variety groups but unknown names. Give me an idea of the size you're looking for and I probably have a group that grows to that approximate height.MORE coming later.....Always looking for unique tomato varieties.Unusual veggies, herbs, sweet or bitter greens; especially Italian and other European varieties.I'd really love to get my hands on some Winged Peas (aka 'Asparagus Pea'), Rat's Tail Radishes and Kohlrabi Gigante or other large, long keeping veggies.Have just starting adding flowers to the garden; so, anything there, both perennials and annuals greatly appreciated.Almost anything I don't already have really.Although you can all keep your Okra and Lima Beans to yourselves, thank you very much...lol