It looks like I'm in heat zone 6 according to the map. We have a lot of direct sun exposure here with the only shade in my yard provided by the house or trees we've planted in the 25 years we've lived here.
You might try mail ordering plants that catch your eye. I buy things online with reservations. I will buy bulbs and things that are really hard to kill like daylilies, iris, or sedums. I don't usually buy any shrubs online because they are so tiny. Just a thought. You can check the green pages to find reliable suppliers.
You would likely do really well with succulents down there. I'm much more limited in my choices because of the cold winters and snow cover that stays for months. There are some really beautiful succulents that I am fated to just lust after, but you could probably grow with your more temperate climate.
Yay for your new furnace! We have an efficient heat pump and rarely burn wood at all anymore. I don't miss cutting, splitting, or stacking wood, the older we get. The small amount we burn these days, we buy split and delivered. (still have to stack it though)
