For those farther north, the Huntsville Botanical Garden Spring Plant Sale is also this weekend. It started today for members and tomorrow through Sunday for the public. For those in between, it might be nice if the B'Ham sale was held the weekend before. Here is a link that might be useful: HSV Plant Sale

I live in Slidell, Louisiana. On some maps we are zone 9a, others 8b. I would say we are most years 9a with occasional 8b years. The past 4 or 5 years I don't think it's gone below 23, this last winter the lowest temp I saw in my yard was 27. I find the Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow is hardy here. I have one in the ground in my yard. It looks healthy but has hardly grown. I think it might be too close to the crape myrtle, and the crape is hogging most of the water and fertilizer. I bought one for my grandmother at the same time, and hers has done beautifully. It is now about 3-4 feet tall after about 3 years and is literally COVERED in blooms at this time that are highly scented. Hers is in a bed at the corner of her brick house, lucky for her without competition from tree roots. I would say if you are near the Gulf in that 8b/9a twilight zone, go ahead and put it in the ground, especially if you have a spot on the south side of your house. 9 out of 10 years you should see no damage, and those rare years it dares to act like an 8b winter for 2 or 3 nights, cover it.

I purchased these heirloom tomato plugs 2 years ago, and they gave me one incredible season. I didn't purchase them during the plant sale. They had some leftovers a few weeks later, so these were pretty huge plants. And for $1

Ouch. I broke the land speed record for plant acquisition today. From Asarum to Stewartia, a car load in about 5 minutes.