It takes a lot of time, money and, especially in this town, determination to have a healthy lawn, gorgeous flowers and mouth-watering vegetables.

First, you have to deal with our rock-hard clay. Don't plant anything without amending the soil.

But perhaps even more of a challenge is Georgia's ongoing drought. Watering restrictions mandated by cities and counties can be tough to work around. Know not only when you can water but also how to water in the most efficient manner.

The good news for newcomers to Georgia gardening is that you have plenty of help.

For starters, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Soil: Much of Middle and North Georgia is clay, so densely packed it holds moisture like a sponge. The only way to work around it is either to build raised beds and fill them with good soil or to break up and amend the clay. For the latter, dig out about 10 inches of the clay, add amendments such as Nature's Helper or mushroom compost, and work the old soil back into the bed.

Climate: Our mild climate affords most residents as much as 10 months of gardening time. Nurseries often label plants according to their cold-hardiness and heat tolerance.

Georgia is divided into two hardiness zones based on their minimum winter temperatures. From metro Atlanta north is zone 7; the rest of the state is zone 8. Steer clear of plants labeled for lower-numbered zones.

In the South, heat can be more of a problem than cold. Some plants are labeled with a heat-zone number, based on the number of days per year temperatures top 86 degrees in a particular area. Georgia falls into four zones, with metro Atlanta in zone 7.

Drought: The metro area remains under outdoor watering restrictions because of the ongoing drought. Check restrictions in your county or municipality before grabbing that hose.

Natives: The drought has forced many Georgians to turn to less fussy plants. Some of the most reliable are native species, which have adapted to conditions. Most, therefore, can tolerate drought. For plant suggestions and other information, contact the Georgia Native Plant Society at 770-343-6000 or visit its Web site, www.gnps.org.

Nurseries: The metro area brims with garden centers, and the Athens area in particular is home to a number of small specialty plant retailers.

WHERE TO GET HELP

Need some inspiration on designing your landscape? Have a gardening problem you just can't figure out? Here's where to turn:

Gardens and shows: Tour the Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Ave. N.E.; the State Botanical Garden in Athens; or Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain. Shows and tours include Atlanta's Southeastern Flower Show and the Atlanta Garden & Patio Show, both held in February; Douglas County's Foxhall Flower Show, held in April; and the Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour, in May.

In the media: Georgia gardening guru Walter Reeves hosts "Gardening in Georgia" at noon and 7 p.m. Saturdays on Georgia Public Television (GPTV). He also fields questions on his "Lawn and Garden Show" on WSB-AM (750) from 6 to 10 a.m. Saturdays and in the Journal-Constitution's Home & Garden section on Thursdays (visit www.ajc.com/living). HGTV, the Home and Garden Television cable network, offers many shows with advice for gardeners in the Southeast.

Books: A few to consider are "The Southern Living Garden Book" (Oxmoor House, $34.95), "Georgia Gardeners" by Laura Martin (Taylor Publishing, $19.95), "The Peachtree Garden Book" by the Peachtree Garden Club (Peachtree Publishers, $7.95), "The American Horticultural Society Great Plant Guide" (DK Publishing, $16.95), "Georgia Gardener's Guide" by Walter Reeves and Erica Glasener (Cool Springs Press, $18.95) and "Gardening 'Round Atlanta" by Avis Aronovitz and Brencie Werner (Eldorado, $18).

On the Web: Sites to visit include the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service, www.ces.uga.edu, and the Weather Channel's regional information on gardening, events, tips and forecasts, www.weather.com

/activities/homeandgarden.