I know that camellias have been grown successfully on Cape Cod. I think you could try them if you are located in extreme SE Mass. This area flirts with zone 7 or is in zone 7 depending on your overall level of optimism. But still, don't expect them to thrive if they survive the winter. I have seen the hardiest varieties for sale at Sylvans Nursery in Westport, Mass. If you are on the coast north of Boston, I don't think they will work for you.

Southerngrl62 - welcome to this forum! I think you'll find people are helpful here. Come on now guys, anyone else with suggestions?

There are several plant swaps that take place that you may want to participate in. This is a great way to get new plants that are hardy to this area.

I am inland, northern MA so I don't have any direct experience with coastal gardening. My husband's family has a cottage in Marshfield though and we often walk around and admire the gardens visible to the street. His family's cottage is also right near the ocean. The area around his cottage is very dry and windy so it is difficult to grow things without careful watering and ones that can take the heat and wind.

From walking around Marshfield here are my ideas:
Perennials: sedums, hens and chicks, daylilies, irises, dianthus, creeping phlox, rudbeckia 'goldstrum'. Annuals: portulaca, marigolds, geraniums, gazania, zinnia, cosmos. I have seen many beautiful lace hydrangeas and roses. The roses seem to do well near the ocean and have fewer problems with black spot and other diseases (of course may require careful watering).

If you are on the South Shore, you may want to go on the South Shore Natural Science garden tour in early July. We went on the tour last year and the gardens were spectacular! Garden tours of your area can be a good way to see what varieties will work. Many of the garden owners are available to answer questions. You can see a complete list of garden tours at:

http://www.gcfm.org/calendar/

Or BostonGardens:
http://www.bostongardens.com/bostongardens/events/

Or in People, Places and Plants magazine. Or contact your local garden club and see if they are running a garden tour.

People, Places and Plants Magazine covers New England and is a very useful source for ideas and local products. Many libraries have this magazine. Or see the web site for more info:

http://www.ppplants.com/

Good luck!

I guess one thing that may help people is to know if you are on the North, South Shore or Cape area.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: South Shore Natural Science Center

Since you are new to this area, you may not be familar with North Shore, South Shore and Cape. North Shore are roughtly defined as the towns north of Boston on up to New Hampshire including Salem, Newburyport, Gloucester, Rockport, etc. South Shore are south of Boston down to the Cape Cod canal so include Weymouth, Scituate, Marsfield, Plymouth, etc. Cape Cod area is usually defined as Bourne and towns east of the Cape Cod canal. This may make sense if you look at a map... Each of these regions has different growing conditions even in a small state like Massachusetts!

Hi Smith,

I'm a zone 5 up here in NH and there are lots of things that bloom here and would do great for you. Here is a map of one of my gardens with plants list.
Deanne
{{gwi:174570}}

1. Buddleia ÂPink DelightÂ
2. Perovskia atriplicifolia
3. Hemerocallis ÂPastel ClassicÂ
4. Lilium ÂRegaleÂ
5. Aconitum napellus
6. Platycodon grandiflora
7. Echinacea ÂWhite SwanÂ
8. Anemone tormentosa ÂRobustissimaÂ
9. Heliopsis ÂLoraine SunshineÂ

10. Salvia ÂMay NightÂ
11. Nepeta ÂSix Hills GiantÂ
12. Platycodon grandiflorus 'Mariesii'
13. Coreopsis verticillita ÂMoonbeamÂ
14. Phlox paniculata ÂDavidÂ
15. Hosta ÂPatriotÂ
16. Aster Novi-Belgii Patricia Ballard
17. Iris germanica ÂImmortalityÂ
    17a. Arrhenatherum elatius var. bulbosum 'Variegatum'
18. Ajuga reptans 'Burgundy Glow'
    18a. Vinca minor
19. Lupinus ÂThe GovenorÂ
20. Sedum ÂMatronaÂ
21. Hemerocallis ÂPreppy PinkÂ
22. Mix of Sedum kamchaticum and Phlox subulata
23. Sambucus racemosaÂSutherland GoldÂ
24. Hemerocallis ÂJolyene NicholeÂ
    24a. Salvia nemorosa ÂEast FrieslandÂ
    24b. Stachys byzantina
25. Hosta ÂGolden TiaraÂ
26. Hemerocallis 'Siloam Amazing Grace'
27. Hemerocallis ÂAppalachian SunsetÂ
28. Hemerocallis ÂStella dÂOroÂ
    28a. Hakonechloa macra 'Albo Striata'
29. Geranium sanguineum ÂNew Hampshire PurpleÂ
30. Sedum kamchaticum
31. Rudbeckia fulgida ÂGoldsturmÂ
    31a. Lilium ÂAphroditeÂ
    31b. Picea orientalis ÂBergmanÂs GemÂ
32. Echinacea purpurea ÂMagnusÂ
33. Calluna vulgaris
34. Juniperus horizontalis ÂWiltoniiÂ
35. Chamaecyparis pisifera
36. Stachys byzantina 'Helen von Stein'

The link below has photos of this border through the seasons.

Here is a link that might be useful: Driveway Border

Thank God there is another Southerner here now.

Hi,

I'm from Alabama, too. I grew up in Muscle Shoals. I've lived in MA for ten years and currently live in Marshfield along the South Shore. Send me an email and I'll give you the scoop on things in this area.

Camellias are tough to grow here. Your best bet would be the Ackerman hybrids although I've tried a couple that promptly died during their first winter. You can find some examples of these camellias at this link. You can also do a Google search for more info.

If you're interested in growing some other southern shrubs then I tell you that crape myrtles can be grown along the coast. The cold weather tends to kill a lot of the top growth so they don't get nearly as large in this area as they do down South. I have three Hopi CMs that I've planted five years ago that recover each spring and bloom for at least six weeks. I also have an Acoma, Pocomoke, and Red Rocket but they don't bloom nearly as well as the Hopis. My neighbor has a Southern Magnolia but I really wouldn't advise planting one since his really hasn't done that well. It's hardly grown at all over the last three years and suffers a lot of damage each year.

I just got an email from Wayside Gardens featuring a Camellia they say is hardy to zone 6. I have no idea if this is true or not.

Claire

Here is a link that might be useful: Camellia

Southerngirl you'll find a new class of Camellia being sold by Wayside called Ice Angels. We've just moved back to Ct. from Fl. Spent 5 years there. So I'm alittle familiar with southern plants and a lot familiar with the ones up here as I was born here in southern Ct. z7. I have an Ice Angels coming and I'll let you all know how it goes. I think I have to update my profile to reflect my new location.