Look closely at the site. If it's in Texas or Florida or other gulf states, it may say part shade. In Massachusetts or Minnesota, it may say full sun for the same plant. Drought resistant does not mean 'never needs water' -- it means it can survive a dry spell. Moist soil usually means 'likes to be watered a lot but with great drainage' but sometimes means a bog.

My preference is to find information on university hort sites where they do plant trials rather than sites where they're selling plants. Plant trials done at state university gardens where the climate is most similar to our own are most likely to be accurate for our conditions. That's why I use TAMU, MSState and UFla as often as UGA. Athens, GA is not nearly as humid as where I garden in a sandpile.

Some plants can tolerate either moist or dry, preferring one or the other depending on some other conditions like whether there's shade and how humid the air gets and the soil type.

Here's a 'for instance' -- gottagarden grows dahlias in rich, well amended soil in full sun. Here in sandy loam, they prefer to be in part shade with oceans of water, but not a bog.

Nell

I agree with Nell 100%! I also feel the same way about gardening shows on tv. I love watching them, but you really have to take in account the climate and zone they're orginating from because where and when they are planting may not necessarily be the best for your conditions.

Ditto on what Nell said. I think the best bet is to find a local source of information.

But don't get discouraged because we all face the same kind of confusion and experimentation! :-)

Marilyn

Also the variety can make a diff..one variety can often do full sun, the next needs part sun.

I have found that I really need to pay attention to what zones members here on GardenWeb live in because I drool over their gardens but then have that wake-up call as to just where they are gardening. Your best source for local growing conditions is your County Extension Service or a local 'good' garden center not one of the big box garden centers although some do have informative help but that is rare.

I have also found that trial and error is the best teacher. Tony Avent of Plants Delight Nursery has a saying that holds pretty true - 'a plant has a place in my garden till I kill it 3 times'. Try a different micro-climate or a slightly different season before you give up on a plant. If you grown from seed - plant them in different locations and see which area gives the best performance for that particular seed.....

Lynne

Thanks for the input.