Handyman,

A good source of gardening information should be your Ag. Extension Office. They should be able to get you information on what varieties of certain plants to plant and when to plant them, fertilize them and protect them from pests. Try and track down their "Master Gardener" program. This is a deal where people can take free classes in all sorts of gardening stuff and in return they have to volunteer a certian number of hours answering questions other people may have about gardening.

Another good resource is the book Joy of Gardening by Dick Raymond.

Hopefully Sue will chime in with her seed-seller reccomendations.

-Blast