Hi Sue, and welcome to Alabama! I don't live in Ft. Payne, but am pretty familiar with the area. I live in south central Al. but love to visit the Ft. Payne area, especially the Little River Canyon area. Be sure to check it out the first chance you get, when you get moved. I have a very good friend who lives up there too. I think you are going to love it there.
Jan

Now we just got to get you yelling for the only football team in Alabama RRRRRRRRRRoll Tide. Just joking, you will learn soon enough why they call it SWEET HOME ALABAMA. Welcome
Jill

WE TOLD YOU!!!!

I've just been in Alabama for 4 years (the anniversary was just a few days ago!) and have been ceaselessly amazed at the physical beauty of this state. Just wait until you get a chance to explore a bit.

When I first moved here (which was the day after we got married) to Huntsville, my husband and I got into the weekend habit of getting in the car and going on little day trips. Rarely did we have a destination in mind, but he just wanted to show me Alabama (and Tennessee). He's lived here for many years and HE got to see lots of new things that way!

I think you will find your experience nothing but wonderful.

Dorie

Welcome! I live in Huntsville, just a hop, skip, and a jump away! When you move, make sure that you check out the Huntsville Botanical Gardens.... They have a lot of garden-related activities and a bodacious plant sale in the spring.

Cheers,
amy

Hi Suzanne, I'm the one who sent you the info on Realtors in Ft. P. I live in Rainbow City, a suburb of Gadsden, about 50 miles away but I grew up in and around Ft.P. and still own my parents home in Pine Ridge. We go there for getaways and I have a big garden there.
Just where is your dream home and acreage? You need to examine it thouroughly to be sure it's not too rocky to garden.
Ask anything you want, if I don't know I'll try to find out.

Hi again
and thanks for all the warm welcomes..
TED, my dream home is in Sylvania(Ft Payne-area) and on 3.7 acres..
I put an offer down and hope the owner can wait with the sale and favor me,since I have to sell here in Florida first..
I wanted to take a trip to Lil Canyon, but it started to rain..so I figured, next time.. :)
Those Highways were also pretty impressive, since Florida is kinda flat and those hilly road were too cool..
Well, I will keep u all updated , please keep your fingers crossed and hope to see you soon in SWEET HOME ALABAMA..
Susanne(SUE)

Unless you are a big city girl, you will love Slyvania. It is a small town but very modern. If you need to go to the big city ocasionally it's not too far to Chattanooga or Huntsville. I remember when a drive from Ft.P. To Sly. and back took half a day. Now just over half an hour.
The soil is a sandy loam, very easy to till but will need liming and fertilizing or heavy composting if you're organic since the warm temperatures and medium rainfall leaches soluable nutrients out. Will grow almost anything except tropicals as the average last frost is mid April and first frost is mid Oct. and temps reach into 90's, sometimes higher.
When you mentioned Lookout Mt. I was afraid you might be buying a pile of rocks. There is much good land on Lookout but also much that is very rocky. Sylvania is on Sand Mt. and due to the altitude will be cooler in summer than the valleys.
My place is in Dugout Valley between Ft. P. and Sand Mt. in Pine Ridge. Very rocky but very prolific gardening, don't even try to keep hoe sharp.
Anything you need to know ask here.

When you move, send me your email address. I work with a lovely lady also from Germany. Her Mom still lives there. I'm sure she would love to talk. Get that house sold and come join us in Alaabama.

Terry

Dear TERRY,
I would love to meet nice folks like you guys and it certainly is a huge plus, if some of you even speak German.. :)
I am working very hard on house and garden down here to put it on market and hope the seller up in AL will wait for me, since she agreed with my offer..
I read in your profile that you grow Hibiscus...
So there is a chance for me to bring clippings and even a few smaller Hibiscus's with me>???Or do they need a greenhouse???
What zone will I be in?? 7, or??
Sorry, lots of questions but I am already so excited.. :)
Lots of Greetings and please tell your friend,
" ich gruesse euch in alabama "--> Greetings to you all in Alabama..
Susanne(SUE)-> the going to become *Alabamian*...

Sue, if your Hibiscus are the tropical variety (which I suspect they are) you will need to keep them in pots and bring them inside or put them in a greenhouse for the winters in Ft. Payne. You can, however, grow the perennial hibiscus and the Rose Of Sharons in zone 7. I have lots of rooted cuttings of the ROS, that were rooted last fall, and are doing really well. If you have gotten moved by the time we have our fall plant swap in B'ham, I would be glad to bring you some of them.
Jan

Guten Tag Susanne,

Willkommen! Mein Sohn, Dalton, erlernt Deutsches. Ich weiss a little. Moglicherweise konnten wir E-mail Kumpel sein.

I hope you enjoy Alabama and the transition is smooth.

Deb

Hey everyone,
Jan, that is very nice of you, I really appreciate that..I hope that we are up there by the end of summer..
Deb, wow, that is so cool, you learning to speak such a hard to learn language..German has so much grammar that I adore everyone trying to speak it..
Yes, I would love to stay in touch with you..Are you close to Ft Payne area??
What other common plants can I bring??
I have a Butterfly Garden down here and I want to start another Butterfly Garden up there...I saw already lots of Butterflies when I was visiting.. :)
Greetings
Susanne(SUE)

Sue, Loads of things do well here in North Alabama that also attract butterflies. Buddleia, echinacea (coneflowers), gaura, lantana are some common things that come to mind, so you will not lack for butterfly garden plants. If you have plants or seeds, then bring them if you can. You will love the Huntsville Botanical Garden. Last weekend they opened their new butterfly house. It is claimed to be the largest in the US, and it's very well done. It's adjacent to a new children's garden area. I highly recommend a visit to anyone.

We're in the country in Laceys Spring which is in NE Morgan County, and I am originally from Guntersville, just down the road from where you will be. A good, dear friend now lives near Mentone, which is another charming little town near Sylvania. You must visit there, especially in the fall & spring.

Welcome to Alabama (soon I hope), and stay in touch with us.
Elaine

Hi again,

I took German in high school, and when it came time for the kids to learn a foreign language, they chose to start with that. Dalton is probably advanced from where I am at. He studies everyday, and it has been years for me. Dae speaks "sehr klein" but loves to point and yell, "Das Flugzeug, Das Flugzeug!" to impress her friends.

We actually live in Central Alabama just northwest of Birmingham. We do visit Huntsville occassionally. In fact, we just recently got back from Space Camp.

Lantanas are hardy here. I am not sure about there, but that would be a good one for the butterfly garden.

Deb

SUE!!!!!! Forgive me for screaming ... I'm so excited that you're moving to Alabama, I can't sit still. I haven't been in this forum for many months, and the first thing I saw when I came back today was the news that you'll soon be my sort-of neighbor.

I just came in from my butterfly garden, where today I was visited by my first Monarch of the season. And she was checking out the milkweed seedlings that are second-generation offspring from seeds you sent me year before last.

When you get here, we'll be about 90 miles apart. We'll finally get to exchange seeds in person.

geni

GENI....
Hey, girl, where have you been??
It is so good to hear from you..!!!!!!!
Yes, I am definetely moving up there, people are awesome , you can tell just communicating with them here, and I need a change, a big one..
We are really going to be that close??
WOW..I decided I will dig up a lot of plants and move them with me..And whenever we can meet, I will give you some..Everything is in bloom here..I have not that much time for raising my butterflies now, but I still have a few Sulphurs, tons of Black Swallowtails , Gulf Fritts and a few Sulphurs I bring in..
As you read here, I found our DREAMHOME and I am doing everything I can after work to straighten out the house here so I can start selling it..It is a huge step and I am on my own with packing, cleaning ect..I got thrown back after I had foot surgery and could not go in garden for a while..Now I have to pay for that b/c the backyard is like a jungle..lol..
I will spend all weekend cutting bushes, trees, grass etc and then I will try to put it up for sale on Monday..
I cannot wait to meet you and those wonderful members here up in Alabama, I already feel so comfortable with them and so welcome..
Florida is getting too expensive and crowded and the Hurricane season is not helping with staying here longer..
XOXOXOX
Please stay in touch
Yours
Susanne(SUE)

Hi, Sue. I just read your email about hibiscus. If you plan to grow tropical hibiscuses in Alabama, you will definitely need a greenhouse or a sunroom. I hope tropical storm Alberto isn't too bad. I look forward to seeing you at one of our plant swaps after you move up here. Terry

Hello all- may I chime in here?

(Born/raised in AL, living in Chattanooga area now, fairly familiar with Sand Mtn. [love to sing Sacred Harp down there!]) My home's in AL, no matter where I lay my head!

The Chattanooga Aquarium also has a wonderful butterfly garden/exhibit, you'll only be about an hour from there.

Miss Huff lantana is a perennial here, tolerating the heat very well.

Sylvania is not far from Crossville, where there are lots of landscaping nurseries. Also, you'll find good folks who'll be glad to share from their gardens. Then, about 2-2 1/2 hours north of Sylvania, is McMinnville TN- home to a kazillion nurseries: trees, perennials, native plants...

You're landing in a wonderful place- welcome! BTW, how DOES one say "Roll Tide" in German?? Linda

Hey Terry, Linda and everyone else...
House is on market and still cleaning up the backyard..lol
It has been raining so much lately, weeds are spreading through mulch now..So, more work to be done..
When I planted the Hibiscus I was not so much into gardening, I just wanted to plant something around the a/c unit..TERRY, I have no idea what types of hibiscus I have: I have a few diff. colors and they are gorgeous...
LINDA, "roll tide" translated to German, hmmmmm,it is hard to do , since I don't even know the meaning in English, lol..I have been here only 6.5 years.....
Oh, by the way, my dreamhome got inspected yesterday: the inspector said for the age of the house it is in a very good shape, just some minor stuff needs to be done, but no hurry for that..Maybe someone knows contractors and electricians there so when we move I can contact them, but no hurry for that..
Ok, hope to hear soon from all of you, I so appreciate any help..
Have a wonderful day
Susanne(SUE)

Hey, Sue, guess who?
My hubby and I are going to visit the DeKalb County area on the 17th-22nd of this month. We'll be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary, and while we're there, looking at Lookout Mountain and as much of the area as we can, we'll be looking at some land.
The destruction down here just continues. The drought we've been in since Katrina - 50% of normal rainfall - has caused even more trouble with the trees I've got left on my 5 1/2 acres. Several of the oaks that were cracked have come down, and the dry weather has caused or encouraged pine bark beetles, so 5 more big pines are dead. I can't believe what's happened to my beautiful woods! :(
Just think, we may be neighbors.
Where are you in Alabama, Geni?
What you been up to?
Sherry

You don't need to learn "Roll Tide" in German just say "War Eagle" in english. That's the battle cry of Alabama's winning football team.(Auburn)
You never said why you had picked the Ft. Payne area. Did you or your hubby get transferred there on the job?
I don't know what variety of hibiscus it is but my wife has one that grows about 8-10 feet tall and blomms with a bright cardinal red blossom. It dies down after frost but comes back every year.

Having been raised in both Alabama and Florida(St.Pete), I have to say I LOVE Alabama. When I moved up here after my divorce years ago, so many people would ask me "Why would you want to move from Florida to here?" Personally, I think the answer is obvious.

One great thing about Alabama for a gardener is this. With our zone you are able to grow so many more COOL plants up here than you can in Florida. I know that Flordia has it's tropicals, but there are so many beautiful perennials that just can't be grown there. Plus, ther ARE many 'tropical' type plants that can be grown here, like Angel Trumpet (Brugmansia) for example, along with Canna and Lantana.

Best of luck. And I agree, Florida is way too crowded now. One day it's gonna sink with all that weight!!! Jan

Yes Jan I agree. My wife and I could have retired almost any where and we chose N. Alabama near where we grew up.
A few years ago my nephew, a friend of his, both from N Georgia, and I drove to Montana in my pickup pulling his camper on an elk hunting trip. As we got into the Rocky Mts. they both began to oooh and ahhhh over how beautiful they were. Finally one said,"This must be the most beautiful place on earth."
I could take it no more so I said ,"You guys shut up! The only place prettier than N. Ga. where y'all came from is No. Al." I pointed out how gorgeous every thing is in spring with the dogwoods, azaleas and rodedendrons and bright green leaves and grasses. "Right now the goldenrods are in full bloom and the autum leaves are in all their glory, but those sage bushes out there look dry and dead. We have four distinct seasons but all of them are moderate and adequate year round rainfall that most anything will grow, while about the only moisture they get here is the runoff of the melting snows that may be several feet deep after a bitter cold winter." After some reflection they both agreed with me.

Hi SHERRY and everyone else here,
well, house is still on market and me still packing..
I found the area through a co-worker of mine who is from there..I told her I miss home(Germany):
the mountains, rivers, lakes,meadows, etc, and she said you should go visit Northern Alabama ,you will love it..and she was right, it is heaven there..
And with all those friendly neighbors I will have up there, :) , I know I am not going to miss Florida..
Sherry, wow, I thought you wanted to move to TN...
Sheesh, we could be living very close to each other and starting our Butterfly-Gardens again..That would be awesome..(Sorry about the mess you still have from the hurricanes b4)
I cannot believe that so many buyers are not interested in my Wildlife garden and Butterfly Habitat, they want plain green lawn..shhesh, I am digging up most of my plants besides all the other packing I am doing and I will bring everything with me..If it survives,good, if not, oh well..
Also I have a large shed there which I will transfer into a Greenhouse..
Sherry, have a wonderful Anniversary up there, I know you will fall in love with Alabama as quickly as I did..Please let me know if you find land there..
Greetings to all of you
Love
Susanne(SUE)
Oh, btw I think Geni will be about an hour away from there..

We decided against the Tennessee land, Sue. We may or may not buy land in north Alabama, we'll have to see. My Daddy was from Alabama - south Alabama/Monroe County, but I still feel a kinship with the whole state. I'm hoping it'll be a little cooler next week up in the high country than it's been down here!
Sherry

Sue,

I live in Cedar Bluff which is about 25 miles SE of Fort Payne. When you get moved up here check out Weiss Lake in Cherokee County.

Linda B.

Hi everyone,
it has been a few monthes since I posted, and I did not buy the home I put an offer on..I went back last weekend b/c I found a newer and much more nicer home also in the Sylvania Area.. The Inspection was done friday, no problems at all with home..It is sitting on 5 acres, 1 is wooded, the rest is open field..Next week I will start with the closing procedure and I hope we will be moving up there in November..There is still a lot to pack and do down here, but hey, Dreamhome and Sweet Alabama we are getting there...Please stay in touch with me,I have tons of questions and might need some help..:)
Cannot wait to join you'all ROLLLLLLLLL TIDE....
Greetings
Your's
Susanne(SUE)

Sue, hope everything went well at the closing. Give us an update. Do you have a moving date yet?

Hey Terry,
the owner decided that he wants the entire amount of home-prize at once,not just a large downpayment with monthly payments what I offered until I sell my home here in Florida... :(
I still have about 25 days left to closing and I am trying very hard to sell mine down here..
Please keep your fingers crossed, I love the home up there..
Greetings
Susanne
PS: I wanted to celebrate my Birthday up there, but that may have to wait a lil.. :(

As an Auburn alumnus I'm not sure I want to help you after that Roll Tide but I'll try to be a good Samaritan. Remember it's a buyers market now after a quick turnaround and prices are tumbling. Remind the seller of that.
If you're dealing through a realtor they should be able to help with mortgage financing with your large down payment and monthly payments till you sell. A large realtor might even arange a direct swap.

Dear TED,
is there any way that you can email me directly??
It sounds like you know what the realtor business is about..I think the realtor is not working hard enough for me, but maybe you can give me a few suggestions??
It would be so much easier to finance through a mortgage company up there, the house would be empty here, etc..
Please contact me if you can
TIA
Greetings
Susanne(SUE)

Butterflyer1966@aol.com

I don't have any association with any realtors in the area. The only one I have delt with is Sommerville in Ft. Payne and I have already sent you the info on them. I found them to be honest and competant and they handle real estate all over the county.
I do have a nephew in the finance business in Ft. Payne, Fort Payne Finance, but their rates will be high.They usually take small loans on autos and furniture.
If you found the place through a real estate listing, they are required by law to work for the best interest of the original listor. If you had a realtor looking for you they are required by law to work for your best interest.
I would make an offer to the seller to make a down payment and mortgage the rest until you sell your place in Fla.
Be sure there are no penalties in the contract for early payment in full. The seller should be able to find a mortagor in the area willing to take that deal.
Remember, It's now a buyers market. A rapid turnaround. If you've got the cash you've got the upper hand.

Dear TED,
thanks for you reply..
I tried to do that large downpayments thing and the owner has disagreed..
I talked to my realtor up there and her company does not work together with a mortgage company which I thought was strange b/c I did that with my home down here in Florida..
Now I am back to square one since I don't know any mortgage companies up there...
Guess I really have to sell here first and then move,which will make everything so much harder... :(
---> I really don't like showing my home to potential buyer s the way it is box-up right now..
Greetings from a sad Susanne(SUE)

i hope your real estate issues will soon be resolved and that we will all have you here with us,best wishes

Hi to everyone,
well, we got the home, yeah..... :)
After convincing the owner to wait for the CASH from my side and not to take the other cash-offer he had received, we got the house in Sylvania,right around FT PAyne..
We will be moving between the first and second week of December and are very excited about it..
Thanks to everyone for all the nice postings etc, I will need lots of help with the gardening after we settle in..
We cannot wait to spend out first christmas in our new home..
Holiday Greetings
Susanne(SUE)

Great! fantastic. Let us know when you are ready to actually move and again when you get settled into your new location. Maybe we can meet for lunch sometime when we are up in DeKalb Co.

Sue, welcome to Alabama. I'm in Huntsville and agree that the Ft. Payne area is gorgeous. Good luck with the move.

Becky