you can replant right away, and maybe it's safer to get them in the ground instead of trying to store them properly over the summer.

I pretty much garden according to the 1/3, 2/3 rule that you cite, although I've never counted up the plants on both sides. LOL. My zone is so much colder that I don't know if I can give you enough specifics to be helpful for you. My garden goal has always been to get the absolute most out of my rather short growing season. I aim for a seven month garden starting about mid-March and going to mid-October (that probably seems pretty short to you in zone 8, but it is really stretching the season here). I also try to keep the long dreary winter months from being too stark as well, setting up a couple of spots of sedum, grasses, & evergreens that I can see from my windows during winter. I think I have accomplished my goal quite well, with a well-balanced garden that looks quite lovely through seven months and often beyond. Books that have been helpful to me include Ann Lovejoy's The American Mixed Border: Gardens for All Seasons (and many of her other books as well) and Pamela Harper's Designing with Perennials. Both of these author's are from warmer climates so you would be able to use a lot more of their plant selections in your garden design than I can. I rely heavily on the mixed shrub border approach. My season starts with as many bulbs as I can squeeze in (in specially created spaces) on my inhospitable soil (very dense wet clay) and a nice variety of spring blooming shrubs. I also use a small variety of spring &/or woodland ephemerals, such as Virginia Bluebells & Bleeding Hearts. The main spring perennial that I use with bulbs is Sweet Kate Tradescantia (spiderwort) for its chartreuse color. These are followed by a few bearded Iris and lots of Siberian Iris (long lasting spiky foliage) and Lady's Mantle (wonderful spring chartreuse flowers and interesting all season foliage). I also have a small raised gravel garden with spring alpine and various small trailing plants and a small woodland type garden with May Apples, trilliums, gingers, foam flowers, shooting stars, lots of minor bulbs, and columbines, which are later overtaken by large hostas. Evergreen shrubs are quite limited here in zone 5 compared to what you have available to you in zone 8, but I use what I can of them in my small yard, varying colors from dark & light greens, mixing shiny and dull textures, and addding spots of golds & blues. I also fill in with shrub size perennial grasses which stay up through the winter. I also try to use only shrubs that have multiple seasons of interest (one exception is Miss Kim Lilac). I'm talking about shrubs that have spring blooms and good fall color or berries, such as viburnums & aronias. I also use quite a few summer blooming shrubs as well, such as Itea (glorious long-lasting fall color) and Clethra (sweet flowers and likes wet soil), as well as Cotinus and Physocarpus with all-season lovely colored foliage. I garden on a rather small scale, a small suburban lot with more house than yard, but I use all sorts of perennials (my Excel chart lists around 275 individual types of plants, not counting 125 daylilies, 25 clematis & 50 hosta). Most are in the bays between shrubs and around and in front of them as well, along with two beds that are primarly perennial, with just a shrub or two. With this many plants in such a small amount of space, you can imagine that my garden is very heavily layered and that I depend on spring ephemerals to fade away to make room for bulging summer plants & that I cut back many perennials and shrubs quickly and heavily to show off the plants that are just coming on. I rely heavily on plants with a long season such as coreopsis, sedums, catmints & grasses and have a long list of late blooming plants (see my recent postings to the strings on fall plants for some of them). I still have rebloom on some phloxes (5 varieties, all blooming at slightly different times), catmints, sedums, some clematis & a couple of daylilies, along with one helianthus (First Light) which has not yet bloomed. Sweet Caroline Hibiscus moscheutos is still in bloom (started in August) and most of my grasses are in bloom with the exception of Miscanthus sinensis Strictus, which sometimes doesn't make it to bloom before hard frost, but is colorful enough by itself, as is the tiny Sedum sieboldii (October Daphne) which seldom blooms for me either (only in long warm falls). In summer the garden is mostly full of daylilies of every color size and shape. My daughter says it looks like Disneyland then. A wee bit overdone, I think, but I love it. The late bloomers take over next, accompanied by things that never quit like Rozanne geranium and Knockout Roses. I cheat a bit too on the daylilies that start looking shabby late in the season, by planting a big, always good looking, Baptisia in the center front of the main daylily bed. That, with a couple nice container plants and two large Sweet Autumn Clems in their full glory along the nearby fence, blinds you to any garden messes. P.S. If you are interested in pictures, please check my postings &/or homepage. Best of luck to you. Leslie

thanks plant guy...the instructions on your web site were very detailed and seem easy enough...I'll give it a shot. I didnt think ammaryllus could be planted outdoors in ohio and I probably would have left it in the cheap plastic pot that came with the kit forever. when I bring it in next fall I will be sure to put it in a good pot with drainage etc. I will also pass this info on to my Grandma and hopefully hers will bloom again too. Thanks again.....Chanda

Ok...here is what I have so far... I WILL EMAIL THIS TO YOU PLEASE DO NOT CCP THERE MAY BE MORE QUESTIONS ADDED OTHERS WANT ON HERE BEFORE WE ARE FINAL. I will ask you to answers all questions...Please take time to think about what your answers might be. IF you want to save this one to help you answer them later then please go ahead and do that, HOWEVER, if something gets added be sure to answer it on the one emailed to you. Personal Info: Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Email address: What type of movies do you like? Favorites? What are your least favorite movies? What type of books do you read? What are your least favorite books? What are your favorite types of music? What are your least favorite types of music? What are your favorite colors? What is you shoe size? What is your hat size? What is your belt size? Are you allergic to: Smells? (Perfumes, Lotions, Cologne) Do you have a favorite scent? Do you have a favorite lotion or shaving cream or after shave? Do you have any allergic triggers? (Clorox, detergents, soaps) Do you wear finger nail polish? What colors are you favorite? Would you prefer not to receive finger nail polishes? Would you like to receive manicure items? (clippers, emery board) Do you have long hair? Would you like to receive barrettes or ponytail holders? Do you have pierce ears? Can you were costume jewelry? Would you prefer not to receive any jewelry adornment items? Do you collect household indoor items? (ex: candles, tins, soaps) If so what types? Scents? What would you NOT want to receive for indoor décor? What type of theme do you have indoors? Kitchen? Bath? Do you have children? What are their ages? Would you want something including for them? If so what type of items? (coloring books, children books) Do you like novelty items? (pens, pencils, notepads, stickers, stamps and ink pads) Food Are you allergic to any foods? Do you like cooking? What are you favorite types of food? What types of foods do you dislike? Do you like chocolate? If you dont like chocolate what is your favorite candy(ies)? What is your favorite snack food? Would you want to receive homemade goodies? (cookies, brownies) What is your favorite types drink non-alcoholic? Coffee, Tea List your favorite flavors: Please list as many as you like: Teas: List your favorite flavors: Please list as many as you like: Coffees: Drinks others: Do you do alcoholic drinks? If so what are your favorite types? Garden Info: What zone are you in: Tell us a little about your specific growing conditions, for your yard: (sunny, hot/dry, wet, shady, hilly, flat) Are you allergic to any plants? Do you enjoy houseplants; Specific types? What if any do you prefer NOT to receive? What is you glove size? Would you like to receive garden tools? If so what types? Do you have a specific color you would like to receive if possible? Do you collect seeds? Would you want homemade seed packs or would you prefer plastic or paper envelopes? Would you like paint markers or sticks? Would you want plants makers? Purchased or homemade? What plants do you have too many of and do not want any more of? What plants would you like to receive more of? Is there any color plants you would like to receive? What themes/ color schemes do you have going on in your garden, if any? Do you plan on starting any themes or color schemes? Would you prefer plants or seeds of the above items? Do you have a pond in your yard? Are you planning a pond in the future? Do you need pond related items, if so what would you be wishing for? Do you want pond plants? Do you grow vegetables? Would you like to receive seeds for veggies? If so what types would you want? Do you grow herbs, or want to start? What types of plants do you have? Or would you want to receive? Would you care to receive herb seeds? Do you enjoy bulb type plants? What is your favorite bulb plant? What is your least favorite bulb plant? Would you want to receive onions sets and type? (Red, sweet) Would want to receive garlic? (Types) Would you want to receive potato seed? Is there any specialty plant or seeds you would just LOVE to have? Would you prefer NOT to receive seeds of ANY kind? Please list at least 10 favorite plants you would like to receive. Please list at least 10 seeds types you would like to receive. List types you DO NOT want to receive either plants or seeds wise. What are 3 plants you would hurt someone to get your hands on you just havent been able to find yet. Decorations: Do you enjoy yard art/decorations/ornaments? (if not say so, hey if you think it is trashy tell us) Do you collect any specific yard art/decorations/ornaments if so? Would you like to receive wind chimes? Would you like to receive outside flags? Is there any specific outside theme you would just not want? Do you decorate for holidays? If so which ones? Would you want to receive these appropriate decorations? Which holiday would you least likely wish to receive items for? What is you favorite Holiday? Do you have a least favorite holiday? What is your most favorite season or time of year? What is you least favorite season or time of year? Hobbies: Besides gardening what are your hobbies if any? Would you like items related to your favorite other hobbies? What would you enjoy receiving most relating to your other hobbies? What would least like to receive relating to your other hobbies? Do you scrapbook? Would you want items related to scrap booking? (ink pads, stamps, papers, déco scissors) Do you enjoy animals? Do you have any animals? (dog, cat, bird) Would you want something included for them? If so what? Toys? Biscuits? Do you have a specific color you prefer to receive if included? What is the least favorite item you would want to receive for your pet(s)? What is you favorite animal? What is your least favorite animal? Would you enjoy receiving animal related items? (notepads, stickers etc.) I KNOW it is long, BUT this will help us all to decide what everyone will want...I think it is pretty much all you could want to know, but maybe I over looked something I am sleepy and can't think of any thing esle right now. Ok, night everyone. :) Fran