Hello Gardener,
Welcome to Emerald Gardens Newsletter  Evergreen perennials
 Perennial plants are most often thought of as dormant in the winter and showy in the spring and summer.Austin's climate allows us to grow many perennials through the winter with a number sporting vigorous green winter rosettes, A green mat like foliage that hugs the ground as it clumps. Penstemons are a very good example and most all varieties flourish as they mound over winter. Others include most true daisies, Perennial dianthus, Taller sedums, Guara, Some salvias, Coral bells, Goldenrod, Yarrow, and Columbine to name a few. These plants build energy with foliage all winter and can be some of the showiest spring and summer flowers.
Easily multiplied just dig and divide mature rosettes in Winter and replant with a good compost and bone meal.
 Dig and Divide
November and December are the months to dig up divide and transplant all your root and bulb type plants. Clumping plants such as Agapanthus will benefit from being divided occasionally and any plant that multiplies will do better.
Replant your divisions with amended soil that will drain well and use plenty of bone meal or bulb fertilizer. After dormancy divide root clumping perennials such as Hostas or Daylilies.
Also good to plant are Ground Orchid, Crinums, Spider Lily, Liriope, Monkey grass, Rain Lily, Society Garlic, Ferns and ground covers.
After the FreezeIf you chose your plantings carefully freezing weather is only a nuisance that can be dealt with by covering only the most cherished plants with a floating grow cover.  Zone 8 plants are all very used to temperatures in the mid to low 20's and with a cover some perennials can be kept looking fresh most of the winter. After a hard freeze there will always be a little bit of accepted damage.
Wood plants and shrubs should wait for spring to prune away damage. Heavily damaged perennials can be cut to the ground for better looks, and some will just need the tops cut off because the are rosetting for spring. Very few should be left untrimmed but some are protected from further damage by a layer of previous damage, this includes Bananas, Agapanthus and a few other clumping grasses and lily like plants. Clean up dead foliage on these when new growth should start after the last chance for frost. Plants damaged by winter will need much less water, So hold back water unless you're sure the plant is dry.
Emerald Garden
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