North Georgia's red clay packs hard when it's dry and holds water when it's wet. Plants struggle in it not because it lacks nutrients, but because roots can't spread and water can't drain. The fix starts with the soil, not the plant.
For new beds, loosen the ground well beyond the root ball and mix in compost or soil conditioner. Planting in a small hole in hard clay creates a bowl that holds water and drowns the roots. Slightly raised beds help even more on flat, poorly drained spots.
For lawns, sod gives you an instant yard, but it needs good contact with loosened, graded soil and steady watering for the first few weeks. Bermuda and zoysia handle full sun here; shadier yards under hardwoods do better with fescue or with planting beds instead of grass.
Finish beds with two to three inches of mulch or pine straw. It keeps moisture in, keeps clay from crusting, and gives a clean edge along a new fence line. If you're adding a fence, plan the landscaping at the same time so the crew clears and restores the ground in one pass.