I'm 67 and need to take out the bushes around two sides of my small ranch home. I want to replace them with something slow growing that won't take much maintenance. I need several dwarf, green pointed-type bushes and a very low green ground cover. As you can see, I don't know much about plants. I need plants that will do okay in sun in the summer and snow (in Michigan) in the winter. I also have lots of rabbits, woodchucks, and other critters that like to eat things like burning bushes, etc.
The pointed bushes would be cedar or arborvitae, maybe a dwarf norway spruce. For a flat bush, a trailing juniper might be of interest to you.
I want to plant some flowers and bushes on my river bank, but the tide sometimes covers the land. Can you recommend plants that would survive these conditions?
This article will help with that: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/wet-soil-trees.htm
The flowers in this article will work for wet areas: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/spaces/rain-garden-design.htm
I want to plant some bushes to stop noise. Can you recommend a fast-growing, noise reducing bush?
This article will help you:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/spaces/plant-a-privacy-screen-plants-that-grow-fast-for-privacy.htm
I just bought a new house. The backyard tends to collect a lot of water and stays damp to soggy most of the time. I am close to a flood zone. Is there a plant or tree that I can put in that will take lots of water and help to dry up my yard a bit? I live on the coast in Mississippi.
This article will help you:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/wet-soil-trees.htm
I have a spot on the north side of my house under a large maple tree where I want to plant shrubs. I had a Kieria japonica in there for three years and it's barely alive. What else will work?
This article will help you:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/shgen/shade-loving-shrubs.htm
I'm in Zone 7 and I'm looking for some shade flowering perennials to plant along a 6-foot-high wooden fence, facing west with shade all day until 5 p. m. Can you recommend some tall or climbing flowering perennials that bloom all summer?
You might like a trumpet vine for that area:
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/trumpet_creeper.htm
Most places have it listed as partial shade, but I have seen it grow fine in full shade. It will not grow as fast, but this is not a bad thing with trumpet vines.
I live in southern California, beach city Zone 10-11. I have a sunny, but narrow, area (approx 3-4 ft in depth x 22 ft long) along my fence line on the side of my driveway. It is also an unintentioned focal point from our backyard patio. I
The plants in this article can also be grown in pots:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/spaces/plant-a-privacy-screen-plants-that-grow-fast-for-privacy.htm
From that list arborvitae is likely your best bet in terms of height and privacy.
Since you are in zone 10/11, I would recommend looking at brugmansias as well. They will stay green year round where you are and have truly breath taking flowers and scents. Plus, they do well in pots.
I will also let you know for the size you want these trees to get to, you will need rather large pots. You will likely need to buy them from a specialty shop.