Here near Milwaukee we had the snow disappear to bare ground in late January-early February and I think that took a toll. My Oakleaf hydrangea took a hit (lost half of it), some small conifers I planted in fall didn't make it and my Aster frikartii that lived several years didn't come back. All my huechera made it, though. One of my Russian sage plants (usually the biggest) is looking weak. I also noticed a Brunnera 'Looking Glass' that I thought was gone is just now emerging.

tj

I lost hardy plumbago but that was my fault for planting it in the fall. I also lost Scabiosa caucasia Fama but that didn't do very well for me so it won't be missed. Both were new last year. I'm actually more surprised by what survived - all my roses survived, my coreopsis Sweet Dreams, and even my two Heucheras which were planted in a spot where everything else dies.

I'm sad to hear that you lost Double Spotty. I just bought one of those and I love the blooms. I'd hate to lose all those heucheras too, they are such great plants otherwise.

After last August's floods, I had quite a few things that didn't make it through the winter. Most of them were in the same area of the yard, which was under water for a month. My Endless Summer hydrangea never leafed out (4th year, it was gorgeous); two Annabelle hydrangeas, a persicaria Red Dragon (that I made a note to separate, it was getting too big); an unnamed pulmonaria, even one of my favorite hostas "June," (3rd year, it was about to pop).

Since it's a low spot in the yard, we've made some landscaping changes, and made it into rain garden. New garden, new plants. Anyone have good ideas for hardy rain garden plants?

I lost 1 mum that I had for almost 10 yrs and 1 sedum - 'Rosy Glow'. All my plants came up late this year and bloomed at least 2 wks later too. My 'Endless Summer' hydrangea died back to the ground for the 1st time since I got it 4 yrs ago. My purple smoke bush (actually a tree) is very slow in getting leaves this year. I thought for sure I lost some branches, but things are popping out on it now. This was just a long cold winter that they weren't used too. Julie, you said the Spring was wet and cold. Well, I don't believe we got a Spring here! LOL!! It just stayed like Winter until a short while ago. Now I just wish I could get all my new plants in soon.

Kat

Tj,
If your B. 'Looking Glass' is just now emerging, maybe some of my plants may yet pop out of the ground. I guess I'll wait another week or two before thinking about replacing anything.

Athena,
I didn't lose ALL my heucheras, just about half of them (still a bummer). I guess some are hardier than others.
This is a good time to make notes of what the hardiest perennials are, and take more divisions of them for reliable keepers.

Kathy,
Sorry to hear about those Hydrangeas! And your 'June' Hosta - ouch! If you lived closer, I'd give you a division of one of my 'Junes'. I have two healthy ones.

Kat,
My Purple Smoke bush also was late leafing out, like yours.
Talk about WET - goodness, by this time last year, I would have had the sprinkler out several times already. I haven't had it out once this season! I guess I should be somewhat grateful, but on the other hand, some of those perennial roots may not like wet feet! (Hence the losses - because the roots can't breathe, maybe?)

Well, I'll wait a little while longer before making new purchases, or maybe I'll wait till fall and fill the empty spots with divisions......OR leave them empty and fill in with various annuals each year. Endless possibilities!

Julie

I didn't lose much this year, which really surprised me. It interests me that you also lost a variegated Wiegelia. I bought one last year, don't remember the the variety, but it was a smaller one with peach flowers. This spring it had a lot of winter damage, so I cut it back hard and it's growing very well now. Even though it won't flower the leaf color is nice, so I might keep it as a filler until I run out of room. The nursery that I bought the Wiegelia from isn't selling it this year, so my guess is that that particular variety is borderline hardy here.

I lost my only Hibiscus, which really didn't surprise me. I also lost a couple dwarf spireas, but they need sun and were in shade so they lasted a few years and just gave up. No surprises there either.

Everything else seemed to do fine although the Rose of Sharon is still tiny and not doing much.

Hello all,

I only lost a few plants

English daisies [only 3 alive out of 20]
Incense cedars [this really disappionts me,they were 3-4ft tall,it looks as if they will resprout but they will look ratty for a long time.still trying to come up with a good replacement]
Rose campion [it looks as if only 1 will bloom.This plant I can't seem to get it to bloom,even on a good year.any suggestions?

lpptz5b- RE Rose Campion
Although considered a short lived perennial, for me it is basically a biennial. A rosette the first year, blooms the second and its gone the third.

tj

Well now, Coreopsis, 'American Dream' surprised me after all, and is now waking up. Maybe that's one plant that loves the deluge we had last weekend (the weeds also love it!)

Julie

Just a word about Rose Campion - I can't seem to get rid of it. I have it on the edge of my garden and it travels all over the place every year. It reseeds heavily and the birds must help to move it about because I find it in all my flower beds. I really didn't lose anything over the winter. All my roses are back even without any added protection over winter. My primroses were just beautiful and are still flowering. We had another deluge on Sunday here, but it's been nice and clear for the second day now.

Let me make that question clearer.The soil where they come up is very dry by summers end.I notice them the first year,then most die of over winter.The ones that are left can't quite make it to bloom.
Last year I had one with 2 sickly looking flowers.
Two years before that I had one that bloomed just great.I saved seed from it,but I,m running out.
My thinking is either it's to dry,or it's because I don't mulch my beds before winter.
Other plants that grow in the same area that grow just fine are,
coreopsis
phlox
globe thistle
primrose
spiderwhort

Hi lpptz5b,
I really have no idea why you are having trouble growing Rose Campion. The place where the patch I have is close to a couple big evergreens (Colorado Blue Spruce), in fact the trees hang over the patch of Campion and they seem to thrive there even though I never water and I've even had to walk through the patch at times, but they pop right back up and keep on growing. I'll make sure to collect seed this year and will contact you over winter when I have time to send off things like seed, etc. I had a white Campion, but I think I weeded that one out so often it gave up because I didn't see it last year. Maybe it will show up this year. The Rose (actually a bright red violet) maybe choked out the white one. They became mixed one year and after that I didn't see the white anymore.

Rose Campion....

Hmmmmmmm. Sounds like something I'd like to try. Really like the look of the silvery leaves. If it easily reseeds, I may have enough to fill in spots where others things die.
Unless of course it reseeds as much as my Malva....

Hmmmmmm. Maybe I better rethink this.

Julie

Hello Rachel wi 5
Thank you for the offer,I sure could use the seed.
I like the fact that it reseeds easily,my perenial beds are full of oxeye daisy and coreopsis.Rose campion would be welcomed as a filler.
I used the last of my seed in new areas to see if it takes hold there,maybe the first area I tried is jinxed.
It sure is a beautiful plant to have.

lp

The only major thing I lost is a Peace rose. I don't coddle it the way they say to with covering, it had survived the previous winter but not the last one. I figure if plants can't survive the winter on their own, then they are not the plant for me! I really only got that since Menards had them almost free with rebate, and figured a Peace rose was appropriate for my Peace Garden.

I am getting really sick of the cannas and dahlias that my in-laws gave me in the past few years. I told them to stop giving me things I have to plant and unplant, I hate that. I am very frugal, but I get my gladiolas free from Menards (with rebate) and mostly pretend they are annuals. Life is too short to have to dig things up and replant them every year. I have 5 acres, so already plenty more to do than I can possibly handle.

Julie, do you want some potted cannas and dahlias? I just stuck the last darn ones in pots a few days ago, I am refusing to put them into the earth anymore. Easier to carry the pots into the basement in the fall and back out in the spring.

Marcia

Marcia,

I am refusing to put them into the earth anymore.
LOL! I got tired of digging Dahlias too, and storing them. I stopped growing them for a while, then missed them, because they really dress up the late summer garden. So I ordered a dozen new this year and gave them special spots in my gardens. Never thought to put them in pots though. I would think that would be more work, keeping those pots watered, as they dry out faster than plants in the ground.

I'll tell you what, maybe I'd be willing to take a few off your hands, ONLY if I can share something from my garden - some divisions of something you'd like.

I am off work now for the summer, so have plenty of time to work outside.

Send me an e-mail and we can set something up.

Julie