Question
Hi.  I am new to gardening and I ordered a few different perennials through the mail.  One is called "golden sundrops" I don't know which side is up!  One side of the plant is "hairy" are these the roots, to be planted downward, or is this the top of the plant to be planted above the soil.  I would appreciate any advice you can give me.

Answer
Yes, plant the sundrops in the ground to the same depth as they are in the planter that you bought them in.  If the roots are "bound"-very thick and growing around the bottom of the planter, it is OK to tear them away at the bottom then plant into soil.

Here is a site that I found for info on the sundrops:

http://www.directgardening.com/detail.asp?nav=per&pid=6566

Here is my recipe for good gardening soil:
Good Soil Mixture:

  If you do this when you begin your garden area you won't have to add stuff every year. In the established garden areas, I  use a shovel to turn the clear areas around the plants  each year and some of the mix.  Work it into the soil around all your established plants.
 
For new garden beds:
 For every 10' x 10' area add:

4 bags of good topsoil
4 bags of horse/cow/chicken manure-not raw
Any amount of your own compost
2 bags sand-play sand is OK(depending on your soil type)
1 bag Millorganite -organic fertilizer usually at nurseries
2 bags cedar mulch-smallest chips you can find
2 bags pellet gypsum (for aeration)-if your soil has lots of clay
1 bag powdered/granulated sulphur

Rototill this mixture into the ground and rototill about 1 foot in depth or more if you can.

This mixture is the best I have formulated and I have GREAT success with it.  I always have a bunch of it premixed so when I transplant I can have that area primed!  This stuff is like butter if you till it enough and put in the right stuff!

I also use this in and around already established plants.  The mixture can be lightly turned to mix with existing dirt with a shovel.  I do this yearly.  I usually have a big mound of dirt ready to go anytime in back of my shed (covered, of course).

MILLORGANITE can be purchased at all the nurseries in town, about $10 a bag.  It is organic and will not harm pets or you!  You can put it on the lawn in the spring and again in the fall with a spreader ( I put it on quite heavily) and all your flowers.

Have fun in your garden-it's great therapy!
Sijka