Harryshoe, you have a little piece of garden heaven you've created. Wow! Newbies like myself seem to agonize over every plant probably because we don't have nearly as many as you've got and they're all "new"...either in the ground or to our experience. Planning (too little/too lofty) and execution (rushed) of too many goals at the same time is a problem for me. Add to that the uncertainty of what plants like or can tolerate and the impact of losing plants on a limited budget and you've got a recipe for a very nervous gardener. If pressed to admit reality all I probably needed last year was the milkweed, fennel & zinnia to have Black Swallowtails & Monarchs to raise and some red Salvia coccinea to see my first Hummingbird up close and personal. Tulips and the Heavenly Blue Morning Glory were all my father needed to make him happy. I gotta keep telling myself the rest is just gravy even though I want to have something now that looks like Better Homes and Gardens. Maybe I'll make this a year when I try to stop and smell the roses more...the ones that I still have to treat with dormant lime/sulphur to help stave off the blackspot that decimated rose bushes last year. It was late August by the time I realized my father had adjusted sprinkler heads so rose bushes were getting overhead watering 3 times a week! "We" moved the water spray back so this year should be better with preventative care. I know wet soil turns into concrete if walked on now so I'm being vigilant about not tip-toeing through the tulips. Learned that the "hard" way last year. Just spray from afar critter repellant on emerging tulips like the Madwoman of Chaillot. LOL I'm still sowing varieties of Agastache, more Salvia and anything else that serves butterflies & hummingbirds and is remotely critter resistant. I've got to enjoy this temporary gardening experience for everything it's worth while I still have my father's place to do it...and I'm really going to try this year. Realistic words of wisdom from experienced garderners is appreciated in terms of that goal. :)

I moved 60 over the weekend, thank goodness almost all smaller pieces. Be sure to water in well after you plant, and if you are planting smaller pieces, you might mulch once the foliage has completely died down, but it's not essential. Anything that frost heaves will probably survive the winter, and you can replant it in the spring then the ground thaws. You can also keep a bag of potting soil or regular dirt on hand in an area where it won't freeze, and if something frost heaves, scoop enough dirt over the roots to cover them, then replant in the spring. I have a problem with squirrels digging up smaller pieces of hosta in search of the walnuts that might be underneath the hostas, and I don't always find those plants until the ground is frozen, so I always have a bag of dirt/potting soil ready to come to the rescue.

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I should have included a bit of back information that would better give orientation about my overall objectives. This first year or two, my main objective is to define the borders of the porch for my two large dogs. Until now, we had a pad and grass up to the pad (pad is the same pre- and post- porch construction) and they could exit the pad anywhere. Now, I want them to get used to exiting the pad onto the sidewalk in the center, because elsewhere will now be beds (and mud and mess and plants to be stomped). That's why I've bombed the front with the cinnamon ferns, to make a sort of visual railing while the dogs re-learn their exit, and while the beds age in with better soil and I get some other plants going (hostas, etc.). For the first year or two. It will be no problem to move the ferns around the corner when that time comes. I've always wanted a mass of ferns on this eastern facing side: My second objective is to create a streamlined mow line. The grass is maintained with a 60 inch deck mower so whatever bed edge I develop needs to allow the mower to move along it easily (I guess rather than undulating what I was trying to get to was smooth curves rather than corners, for mowing purposes). Third objective is LEAST maintenance from a hand weeding perspective. I know it won't be zero, but I'd like to have it controllable without being consuming. Fourth objective is "pretty." I'm not bothered with "curb appeal" in general as the only viewers are anyone coming up the driveway; this is not seen from the street. Eventually, I would like to grow and develop in a pretty foundation border. I got the ferns cheap and they will help my first objective. As I can, I will add more plants and soil amendments, so that is what I'm asking for - where do I EVENTUALLY want to go with this, etc. I appreciate all your inputs! Please add as you have thoughts!

HU5….......4, Are you planning to provide winter protection for your Celeste? Celeste is a Southern variety. Your winter is too harsh on an unprotected tree for it to thrive for you. Even Chicago Hardy will need winter protection in your zone. Alternatively, your Celeste, depending on its size, may be grown pot cultured. If you can get the majority of its root mass into a pot, I would suggest pot culture. In my case, a 15 gallon pot is too large to move easily. I find 10 gallon pots to work best for me. One last point.....Does the Celeste grow and fruit in the zone 7 garden of the current owner? A 5 year old fig tree should be producing a crop. How does the current owner get the Celeste through the winter? Moses