Second doesn't look too bad - drooping flower buds are pretty characteristic. But the first looks like it is suffering from a significant water issue - either too much or not nearly enough. Both can result in discoloration and extensive leaf drop.

Second is the healthy one for reference to to the first one which is ill. I don’t understand because they both get the same amount of water, whatever nature provides. After 15 years, this is the first year with this issue. Any idea how I would keep it from getting too much rain? We get less than 4” a month. June was dry but August made up for it. Otherwise nothing has changed.

Phytophthora Root Rot

Which is a result of overwatering and/or poor drainage.

Any idea how I can save this? From what I’ve read, it becomes infected with Phytophthora, but none of the other plants around this one are suffering. It is in a raised border bed that is mulched every spring and like I said, is 15 years old. It has a Camellia 5’ to to the left and a porch 4’ to the right. The healthy one is 4’ from the porch on the opposite side. For the life of me I can’t figure out how the drainage became poor after 15 years. We didn’t have an exceptionally wet summer/fall and it’s only “watered” by rain. My only concern is trying to save it.

None of the other 7 shrubs in the border bed have been affected.

As I found out, Phytophthora can be very localized. I almost lost a Pieris from it...one really rainy June and dripping eavestrough corner. Nothing else more than 18" away was affected.

Mine is alive but still recovering (it was 3 years ago). I'd have ditched it but Brouwer's Beauty is hard to come by around here.