Question
I live in upstate New York and I'm fairly new to gardening.I have Rose Bushes and a few perennials but I really want to expand.I know what zone I'm in the problem I'm having is how do I find a listing of perennials that are hardy for my zone.I've looked and I can't seem to find much.I just want to have a list of plants I can look for when I go to the nursery,could you please help me with this?Thank you for your time.  

Answer
Here are the best websites that I can give you.  

Spring Hill Nursery:You put in your zone and what you want and they will come up with suggestions.

http://springhillnursery.com/default.asp

Ilona's Reflecting Pool:
http://www.geocities.com/reflectpool/gardening.html

These two will get you started.

I will also include my FoolProof Recipe for your gardening soil.  Great gardening is 90% soil and 10% labor and plants.

Good Soil Mixture:

  If you do this when you begin your garden area you won't have to add stuff every year. In the established garden areas, I  use a shovel to turn the clear areas around the plants  each year and some of the mix.  Work it into the soil around all your established plants.
 
For new garden beds:
 For every 10' x 10' area add:

4 bags of good topsoil
4 bags of horse/cow/chicken manure-not raw
Any amount of your own compost
2 bags sand-play sand is OK(depending on your soil type)
1 bag Millorganite -organic fertilizer usually at nurseries
2 bags cedar mulch
2 bags pellet gypsum (for aeration)-if your soil has lots of clay
1 bag powdered/granulated sulphur

Rototill this mixture into the ground about 1 foot in depth or more if you can.

This mixture is the best I have formulated and I have GREAT success with it.  I always have a bunch of it premixed so when I transplant I can have that area primed!  This stuff is like butter if you till it enough and put in the right stuff!

I also use this in and around already established plants.  The mixture can be lightly turned to mix with existing dirt with a shovel.  I do this yearly.  I usually have a big mound of dirt ready to go anytime in back of my shed (covered, of course).

MILLORGANITE can be purchased at all the nurseries in town, about $10 a bag.  It is organic and will not harm pets or you!  You can put it on the lawn in the spring and again in the fall with a spreader ( I put it on quite heavily) and all your flowers and vegetables.

After planting all your flowers, and are not planning to sow any seeds, I use PREEN with fertilizer to keep the weeds away.  It does an exceptional job all season!!

Sijka