Carole, my flower planning is mainly knowing which kind of plants I can put in the ground and then ignore, because I do not do much fussing over them! We do have nice beds that the previous owners put in so that helps. And from growing up in upstate SC, I am familiar with that red clay! Derby is always the first Saturday in May, and festivities are already underway for the Derby Festival. Big doin's!
Donnelle, I am in Louisville, Kentucky -- Derby City -- so we are pretty much midwest as far as climate, being right across the river from Indiana. I do have a nice shady bed by the front door that is great for impatiens as long as the chipmunks stay out of them. The other bed is right by the street and gets full sun.
I just carried DH to the airport this morning -- he is off to Phoenix, Arizona, for a conference this week. He hates cold weather and is looking forward to 90-degree temps out there! And baseball -- the Diamondbacks are in town so he is planning to go to the game on Saturday.