Brugs can handle being in the ground year round in zone 8. Just mulch them and make sure they are in an area where the soil has good drainage. They will die down to the ground every winter but with proper feeding, watering and exposure will easily reach a mature blooming size during the growing season. I wish I could keep mine in ground year round.

If they are in pots you want to put them in a cool dark space and allow them to go dormant over the winter as there's not a lot of time left for them to develop a good root system before the cold sets in. Plant them in the yard in the spring. If they are already in ground just mulch when the temps drop and forget about them until spring.

I'm actually in 7b, my thingy is having a hard time updating it seems.

7b should be fine too as long as it's in a well draining area and gets a good mulching. I'm 7a and just a half zone too cold.