Thanks all for your thoughts and suggestions. The more I thought about it last night, I agree that fall planting would be better. They are taking care of the removal of stuff, and they are planning to mulch the week of the celebration to make sure it looks fresh.
One of the first questions on the rhodie was "How often does it need water?" I had printed the information from the web site and tucked in amongst the branches, so I was ready for them!
As far as hiding the 'has beens', daffs are GREAT when mixed with hosta and fern. The same with bleeding heart, hyacinth and tulips. As the foliage from the bulbs is dying down, the hosta and fern come up to hide the old foliage. We use the technique in several areas of the yard.
