I am in zone 7 (not zone 8 as you are) and I have grown Honorine Jobert, Pamina and September Charm anemones for several years. They are not evergreen for me. I do not water them much except when we have really hot dry spells. They are really nice plants and I like that they bloom later when few other perennials are blooming. Honorine Jobert has white blooms and Pamina and September Charm both have pink blooms. If they are happy in the soil where you have planted them they will spread a lot from the seeds produced after flowering. Deadhead them if you do not want them to spread.

I have robustissima and I love mine. Not evergreen here in Huntsville. I have mine in mostly shade. It flowers well in Aug. mine never lasts until the autumn though. My clump is huge as it has been in the same spot for 10 yrs. I plan on ordering some more. The white ones to go with my pink one. Since it dies back to the ground, care must be taken in the spring when working in beds.

thanks for the feedback, folks.
i guess i will be deadheading them, bob. i think i will like them but not to the point of having the woods full of them. ;-)
anaturelover, they came from "petals from the past" nursery in jemison so, if you are withing driving distance, that would save some costs for mailorder. these are healthy looking clumps in one-gallons.