Moving into my first home, will be my first yard and it's pretty much a blank slate. I need some advice on what to plant. My home faces south, and yard is square. There is not much shade as this is a new development. The yard doesn't seem to drain very well, so I need to plant something that can stand having it's feet wet. Yard is on automatic sprinklers. There is a eight foot white cinder block wall behind the home that screens the road, I'd really like to screen it out with something that will cover it all year. We would like some low maintenance shade trees that won't be susceptable to any of the boring insects or other diseases plaguing the U.S. (I.E. japanese boring beetle). We love hummingbirds, and would like to attract some of those. We love songbirds also, and have several feeders. We have a cat (declawed!) but no dog. Kids are 12 and 15. I travel a lot, and am a weekend gardener.

Thanks for any suggestions, and please let me know if there's any more information you might need.

John Gordon

Welcome to the board John! I can't help you with plants for your area, I'm in Michigan,zone 5, but I'm sure others here will have some great ideas.

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Nan
http://community.webshots.com/user/nan1065

hi jonh,
not shure bout what all trees, or shrubsyet but i got a list of flowers {perennials} that like wet feet for ya,,,
jack-in-the-pulpit,for zones 3-9, part to full shade,spring flowers
siberian bugloss, for zones 3-8, partial-full shade,early spring bloom
white turtlehead, for zones 3-8, full sun to part shade, late summer to fall bloom.
spotted joe-pye weed, for zones 2-8 full sun to part shade, mid to late summer bloom.
queen-of-the-prairie, for zones 3-9, full sun to part shade, late spring to early summer bloom.
sweet woodruff, for zones 3-9, part sun to part shade, spring bloom.
siberian iris, for zones 3-9, full sun to part shade, summer bloom.
big-leaved ligularia, for zones 3-8, part shade,late summer bloom.
cardinal flower, for zones 2-9, full sun to part shade, late summer to fall bloom.
yellow loosestrife, for zones 4-8, full sun to part shade, summer bloom.
bee balm, for zones 4-8, full sun to part shade, summer bloom.
himalayan fleeceflower, for zones 3-8, full sun to part shade, summer bloom.
drumstick primrose, for zones 3-8, light to part shade, early spring bloom.
common spiderwort, for zones 3-9, full sun to part shade, spring to early summer bloom..
hope this helps ya some sibyl

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Thanks for your quick advice and encouragement.

John

hi john welcome to the garden helper. i am sorry i haven't answered this post before now, but have been working the g8. i too live in guyton, on courthouse road. only i am clearing pines (i am on part of an old tree farm). tell me more of your plans and ideas, maybe i can help as i am native to this zone if not this area.