Sent you an email.

Hi Brit, When I want to move a plant, but am afraid of it getting scorched in the hot sun, I create a temporary sun shade for it. Sometimes I've created mini burlap tents/tarps attached to stakes or I've even simply propped a shovel up infront of the plant to protect it from the harshest rays of the sun. Someday I'll get smart and remember to save those old broken umbrellas! ;) I keep the shade up for a week or two. But, my best advice for moving plants in hot sunny times is to cut back as much foliage as possible, especially with Russian Sage. That way the plant can concentrate on restoring/repairing it's root system until it's adequate enough to support the foliage and foliage growth. Think of it as balancing the photosynthesis process between water uptake ability and sun processing. I hope this helps!

Iam in zone 5 in Indana. It sounds like we have about the same lay of the land. Check my list and see if you see anything that interest you. I want to get a pond going here and would be interested in some of your water plants. Let me know if you are interested. Susan

I think your information may be a little faulty :-) Most sources list Perovskia hardy to only zone 5, possibly 4. And I would not consider it much of a groundcover. It is considered a subshrub in my area and doesn't really spread - a mature plant might reach 24-30" across, but that's it. Nepeta, cat mint, may be a better choice - hardier, long bloom season, likes similar growing conditions and much more appropriate used as a groundcover. It spreads!