With such a huge variance in climate I can imagine that it would require almost a difference in mindset. I hope that you'll find some welcome surprises, such as beautiful spring flowers and bulbs that wouldn't thrive in a much warmer climate.

I too, brought some plants from Alaska when I moved South. I have rebought others. Others I loved are harder to find now. I am happily surprised at how well my Alaskan favorites have done here.

I echo Digging Dog and Geraniacea being great sources.

Ingrid, I am planting lots of bulbs, especially the so-called minor bulbs. Many of them do wel here. And I have long liked the once blooming European old garden roses. California lacked the winter chill many of them prefer, and I can certainly offer that here!

Sheila, it is often a surprise to see how plants we are used to think of as belonging in a certain climate may also do well elsewhere.

A confession, so go easy on me but I have to admit to what seems to be a grave dereliction of gardening duty.

I would, I think, be mostly annoyed at having to start over in a new garden, just because of the cost of filling a new space, so would be keen to dig up as much as I could. What does baffle me, a little, is the desire to grow certain named varieties. I consider myself to be a plantswoman but not a collector. A semi-double pink rose is...well a rose and when we get into the realm of named varieties of perennials, I am not really bothered. Possibly because nearly all of my garden plants are basically straight species, raised by me from seed, my take on starting over is completely different and mostly involves time as the deciding factor.

A baptisia is a baptisia but takes 4-5 years to look decent when grown from seed, and it would be that which would prompt me to get the spades out. I don't honestly care what type of baptisia I end up with. But I am also amazed at the efforts people go to to source a certain named plant (even risking dodgy suppliers because that, and only that specific flower will do). I don't care if something is out of commerce cos there are loads of stuff still available, 99.9% I have not got around to growing yet. I mostly died of boredom at the annual 'show me your orders' time on the rose forums...and as for named hostas or daylilies or salvias, well, nope, I just don't get it. Obviously, I did what everyone does, and looked at catalogues and nursery sources when I bought this or that rose (because I have been in that club) but I am not really bothered if I couldn't get , say, Crepuscule, because there are literally dozens (thousands) of other new, different and interesting varieties to replace a lost one.

I mean, I love my plants but they are not my children or pets... plus, I have murdered literally hundreds of innocent plantlets over my gardening trajectory so I guess I have become hardened and ruthless.

I moved 4 years ago, only 4 miles away, from the sandiest soil ever to the heaviest clay ever. I did move many plants, but some didn't make it, others struggled, and some did fine, Baptisia 'Purple Smoke' being one of the latter. Lycoris sprengeri, one of my favorite bulbs, is mostly gone; though I get foliage yearly, they never flower. Galanthus also are really struggling. Colchicums, at least some of them, are doing OK, though they multiply now very slowly. The daffs are mostly OK, though again, multiplying very slowly.

Other perennials that have done well include Veronicastrum, Silphium gracile, Brunnera, some Epimediums though not all, Liriope, Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip', Siberian iris, Rudbeckia maxima, Silene regia, Nepeta 'Walkers Low'.

I have found that purchased plants take a full season to acclimate to the heavy clay, then they either take off or give up.

I feel I am somewhat glossing over the really, really tedious bit - digging out the old stuff. Grief, I swear I have spent many blood-bespattered hours just to move one rose so the prospect of a whole bed (much less a garden) is a bit horrifying. I don't mind doing the odd division or transplant but I honestly hate digging out plants to move them around...and on more than one occasion, have lost patience and hacked and tugged and chopped through the rootball in a sweaty and sweary rage.. Kudos and admiration towards those who go to such efforts to preserve a beloved set of plants.

I guess we are all different Suzy. I get really attached to my plants. William III, I am looking at you.

My husband weed wacked off half of my Perle d Azur clematis that was just ready to open a bloom. I'm still grieving.