another shrub i came upon browsing thur my pics: carissa macrocarpa, common name is natal plum. it has beautiful smell. normally it has thorns and can be grown as shrub/tree or hedge. but there are dwarf varieties that are also thornless - it should be fairly easy to find. it's drought resistant and grows in the sun. the leaves are very fleshy and should withstand the wind well. plus it bears edible fruit similar in taste to sweet cranberry. i think it's quite popular in the gardens. here's pic it untrimmed trailing from the balcony. not a dwarf :) Here is a link that might be useful: floridata on carissa

Hi Harv, You must prune off the reverting branches on your maple. They'll grow more vigorously than the variegated branches, and it's best to cut them off as soon as possible. I have to do this every year on my A. campestre 'Carnival'. You have such a lovely garden! It's a treat to see your large specimens, and everything works together so nicely. I look forward to seeing more. Alex

Of the ones you list (potentilla, lambs ears, daylily, iris, chives, lady's mantle, coral bells, ivy, pachysandra, hosta, trillium, forsythia, hydrangea, sedums, phlox, clematis), only the following might be questionable, or need some special consideration: - ivy, pachysandra, trillium, forsythia, hydrangea, clematis The trillium likely needs woodland conditions, so you may have to create that setting in your new location, depending on your situation. For the shrubs, it would be useful to look up the particular species and cultivar to help judge hardiness...same for the clematis. The other perennials you list are generally very hardy types, and should likely be hardy there.

I have Dakota Sun here in central Michigan. Mr. Smith (he died a few years ago) bred his rose to be upper midwest hardy, and he succeeded with Dakota Sun. Kedem is the only propagator that I know of -- Kedem sells his roses both own root and grafted onto multiflora, so you will have to ask him which is used for the Dakotas. In the winter, he is keeps Sunday afternoon hours, and he is very pleasant and helpful. I have had DS here for over five years. I never spray it, nor do I consistently feed or water it. I do, however, keep a nice mulch around it all year. It grows about 36--42 inches high & has a nice and thick bush shape. No disease -- the leaves are beautiful, shiny and healthy. It blooms on and off all summer long -- very bright in the landscape! There is no scent -- but perhaps because of that and the fact the petals are rather thick, the Japanese beetles tend to leave the flowers alone. The rose was bred from Dr. Buck's Prairie Harvest X seedling. I wonder if the seedling had some Kordes in it, because I see a bit of Kordes' older rose "Sunsprite" in DS's color, but DS is way more vigorous, healthy and a much heavier bloomer. I like the rose enough to have ordered two more for this spring from Kedem, and I am also going to try Dakota Song this year. I highly recommend DS for the midwest! Here's the Help Me Find link: https://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.39058.1 Here's to spring, Sunny