This may or may not help, but I visited a really cool little nursery on route 17, about 20 minutes north of Wilmington, this summer. Lots of unusual subtropicals, very reasonable prices, interesting landscaping. Unfortunately, the name escapes me, but it's on the right side of the road going south, and had a great streetside garden with "Black Magic" elephant ears, rudbeckias, and two colors of sweet potato backed by a picket fence. I've been thinking ever since about all the things I wish I'd bought there - agaves, palms, perennials. Maybe somebody else can come up with the name. I'm not sure where this is in relation to Sunset Beach, but might not be far.

Toad:
I'm sure you're not zone 7, I think you're zone 8. Probably 8b on the old USDA map and 8 on the new one. I'm on Oak Island just north of you and I'm zone 8, so you must be as well. I've seen that nursery on 17 South just north of Wilmington. I think it's around Hampstead. I never went in but they do seem to have a huge variety of plants.

The nursery is Pender Pines Garden Center, telephone 910-270-2706, and it's a few miles south of Hampstead. It really is a wonderful place.

Allie

oops -- I should have said it's a few mile NORTH of Hampstead!

Allie