Madgardener, a gardener probably adapts BETTER to new places than others do.
There's the excitement of seeing new plants, of seeing how old friend plants
do in a new environment, of experimenting, of meeting gardeners in
nurseries and making friends that way. New Mexico is famous for the quality
of its light and skies - hence all the artists who have settled there. The
extremes of climate are more than you get in the smokies - but the humidity
is much less all year round. The mountains would never be obscured by rain,
fog, mist, or haze. All sorts of prairie wildflowers would do brilliantly
there - cosmos, rudbeckia, echinacea, mexican hat, poppies, evening
primrose, etc. Perennial such as peonies, and lilacs would do great. Roses
would thrive forever with no black spot or powdered mildew. You would
probably need to create a little sheltered microclimate area in your garden
to grow juicy leaved plants that need a lot of moisture. Some may not grow
there happily no matter what you do. Most bulbs would do very well there -
they'd love to dry out in summer, as long as they got winter rain and snow
(or the equivalent out of the garden hose) .
All that being said, there is a heartbreak in leaving the canvas you
have painted on for 11 years - but if it comes to pass, take a lot of
pictures and video so that you can go back there in your dreams whenever you
want.....Good luck to you in a difficult terrifying decision time
"Madgardener" wrote in message
...
I need to know what Albuquerque, New Mexico is like. Climate. Cost of
living. Cost of houses. Sizes of yards. Restrictions. Crime. What zone
it's
considered. A good site that is idiot proof that might take me to these
questions. What groceries average. This is extremely important to me and
before ya'll tell me to go to a website. ..... the ones I've found are
extensive, it takes forever to download these sites of some of them (I
have
dial up connection and I need a dead ringer site that would be simple with
answers to these questions) unless there is someone out there in the
newsgroup that can answer me because they live there.................
madgardener serious about these inquiries (don't ask, just help me,
please)