Sped, aren't the hens and chicks hardy there? I assume you're talking about Sempervivum and not Echeveria which are pot plants here in New England. I have Sempervivums outdoors here in zone 6 of course, but I have seen lots of places online selling them as hardy to zone 4, or even zone 3. But I do know that all of the hardy succulents, including the sempervivums, sedums and even cacti, need a location where water drains away from them and not puddles. They can survive the cold as long as they aren't wet.

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They probably would be winter hardy here, Bill, although I'm not sure. We're supposed to be zone 4 but, because we are in a colder pocket at a high elevation, I think sometimes we verge on zone 3.

The primary problem is that my soil is rich and not especially well drained in the particular garden where I want the hen and chicks to dwell, so it makes more sense to leave them in their pot with sandy soil. They seem to be happy there, although probably I should move their pot to the front of the garden where there is less shade. They do like full sun, do they not?

They do like full sun for sure. Rich soil in itself isn't so much a problem if you plant them on a slightly raised mound, or even a slight slope, so long as water doesn't pool around them. I do have stone mulch in my xeric garden, and it helps to keep them off the soil, and probably retains a little heat as well. Maybe next spring you could try planting out a few of the "chicks" since they're free plants anyway. Meanwhile, a winter project might be to research online the varieties you have to see if they are the hardiest types. I have seen some listed to zone 3, so you may have some of those.

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