Hi Natasha! I am WAY FAR from an expert, but... MULCH MULCH MULCH and AMEND AMEND AMEND! (Got that advice a few years ago from one of the regulars here... can't remember who at the moment!) My soil still isn't great, but I started by adding bags of topsoil and mushroom compost and mixing it up into my beds. I hear leaf mold mulch is great, but I haven't tried it yet. I have lots of deciduous trees in my yard, and I use the raked leaves to make my own mulch. Six years later, and I've turned what was nothing but a sand pile into something I can be proud of. Nothing like what the REAL experts and pros here have going on, but we plant and learn! ;-)) Plant acid-loving plants if your soil is acid (it probably is, but you may want to test it). My azaleas grow like crazy and they're beautiful every year. Crape Myrtle loves it here. Purple Heart grows well, as does lantana. If you've got shade and large containers or raised beds, impatiens will give you breathtaking color from April to November. My mom loves to say, "stick a dollar plant into a five-dollar hole." I do that whenever I plant a new shrub, tree or perennial! I've also discovered the joys of container gardening... I love to use huge to small sized containers of everything from annuals to evergreens. (There's a container gardening forum on GW, too.) In the winter I can move the evergreens around so there's always something going on in the garden. Containers can also be almost anything! I love to haunt thrift stores and yard sales for "finds". I've got some that I love and paid way too much for, and I have other that I love just as much and got - or made - for free. I work at USC in Columbia, and the campus has beautiful landscaping. If you have a chance, talk a stroll around it and take your camera. If you don't know what you're looking at, visit the Name that Plant forum here on GW and post a picture or link to a photo-sharing website. (I use PhotoBucket.) I don't know what those guys over there do, but I've never failed to get an answer almost immediately on anything I've posted... once someone in Australia identified my Cabbage Tree! Best advice of all - visit this forum often! There's are folks here who can answer any question you can possible dream up... even though I'm not one of them! Welcome to SC - smiles and hugs to you! Claudia

I had originally lived here from winter '89 to 95, then moved back to Arkansas. Snow followed me from up north to Brunswick. When I arrived in town, I had to drive the rest of the way to my house with my windshield down because my wipers had frozen, as had my windshield. That was the big record setter regarding snow. Then I moved back to Arkansas. I moved back to Brunswick again about 3 years ago, and it got down to 20* once that first winter. Then the next winter it got to 18* 2 different times very briefly, and all the television stations were going on an on about how that was the coldest it had been here in 100 years, blah, blah. So, their expertise is what I'm basing that on. I've documented every temp while I've lived here, but can't speak for prior times personally. It dipped to 26* once last winter, but that was the size of it. I'm praying for a miracle this winter because I planted several hundred more tender succulents and palms in my yard this year thinking that I would have no trouble covering them (I already cover a zillion things as it is). However, an unexpected career change a few weeks ago has ended my previous schedule of having all my days free to frolic about in the garden. So, don't know what I'll do this year. Regarding the dypsis, yes I'll cover them. The place I bought them from had them listed as 2-3 foot planted height. If they're even one foot tall, I'd be surprised. So, I'll protect them until they get bigger. Hoping to eventually phase out my majesty palms and replace with the dypsis. Majesties are such work. I got 3 of the 'silver queen' palms this spring, so we'll see how they do. I have a number of golden palms that I'm really anxious to get big and purty. The Lincoln dealership is here in Brunswick. There's one in Savannah, too, with queens? I rarely ever get to Savannah; however, I may be going there more often come the first of the year. Does anyone know where the old Sheraton would be in Savannah? I play the piano for a living, and a contractor friend recently bought it and is redoing it into some kind of club/resort kind of thing that I might play at maybe 3 times a week. When I'm heading north and get off 95 at the Savannah exit (the one right past that old outlet mall......I'm not sure what exit that is)and hook a right, I always notice that hotel on the left that has the queen palms. Been there quite a while now, I guess. Surprising because they're out in the open with no protection. Whatever exit that is, that highway then turns into Abercorn. And I remember seeing the sign for the Bamboo Farm several miles further down, but never visited. Speaking of, I have ended up spraying most of my bamboo with brush killer to kill it because it was spreading so rapidly. The black bamboo, sasa palmata 'nebulosa', sasa veitchii 'kima zasa', and the variegated pleioblastus auricomis is the only ones I mess with now, and may soon kill the veitchii, also. I'm also growing 3 of the everglades palms (acoelorraphe wrightii). Supposedly hardy to 20* maybe. We'll see!

Deee- I like the idea of combining both the harbor ride and Ft. Sumter. I’ll have to see if the one I was looking at stops by the fort. Golf is not in my blood but DH plays charity tournaments (after which he inevitably says he’s so terrible he’ll never play again but does). I did take a peek at the Ryder Cup bar and it looks amazing. I agree the lunch menu is reasonable and the more I hear about Kiawah Island the more I think it’ll be added to our itinerary. Savannah is only on my list because I thought it was a must-see city. I’ll be in Statesboro for a wedding and figured I would stop by on my way to Charleston or HHI. Between your comment and Tina’s I think I might skip it. Bumble - A couple of “low key” days are exactly what we’re looking for on this trip. As for the plantations, I can only imagine my husband will be patient enough for one. I’ve seen Magnolia Manor recommended, as well as Middleton. I guess I’ll have to investigate just how long the tours are because I don’t want to spend an entire day there. I certainly won’t visit Drayton Hall - I heard it’s not decorated. Isn’t that part of the fun? April101 - Wow, the French Quarter Inn looks luxurious. I bet your DD had a great birthday there. I would love to stay there but unfortunately it’s out of my price range. And, yes, I agree that TripAdvisor has been a great resource. I don’t know how I ever traveled without it. And thanks for the Venue Inn tip. For some reason it’s just fun to eat or drink at a rooftop restaurant. Pammyfay - Thanks for such a great list! I’ve heard of the Hominy Grill and had planned to stop by there. I expect to enjoy my food and not worry about calories but I still don’t think I could order from a place called the Larder. oh, oops, I just realized a larder is a cellar! I was thinking of lard. I’ve saved this list as my grumbling tummy reference. Tina, I’m so glad you popped in. When I searched GW for Charleston advice you seemed to be the resident expert. Thanks for the tip about Shem Creek. We’ll be eating our share of fresh seafood so it’s nice to go to a reputable area. Last time I was in FL, one of the seafood restaurants I went to was admittedly serving frozen or flown in seafood. Ft. Moultrie and Patriots Point? Now I have too many choices - I think I’ll let DH decide on this one but I suspect my ex-squid will pick Patriots Point. It looks like Harbor Island is near Beaufort, which was a recommended stop for us. I’ll have to check it out and see if that’s more up our alley vs HHI because neither of us are that into golf and I wonder if hotel prices are higher due to that amenity. Hhireno - Oh, true Outlets?! So tempting. I like to shop but I’ve already blown my budget on this trip. That may not stop me, though. I like to purchase a sweatshirt when I’m in a beachy location. I don it whenever it starts to snow here in KS. Hmm, so you highly recommend HHI? Where to go on the GA/SC coast has turned out more complicated than I thought. It all sounds great. Thanks for the feedback on your lovely island. Legomom - Sounds like you’ve put in the 2nd vote for staying on one of the islands and driving into Charleston. I must admit it’s nice to wake up to the ocean vs. city life. It wouldn’t bother me a bit to have my morning coffee ocean side and drive into Charleston later. And some of my favorite places have been dives so the Wreck sounds like fun to me. Thanks so much to everyone. Now I need to find a good book, Jennifer

You're nestled between two historic (coastal) cities - Charleston and Savannah, which are full of traditional furniture. No need to part with your pieces. Changes in upholstery/textiles/paint may be in order. If you're unsure, look to a designer to help you.