• Carpet Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans). This “Multicolor” cultivar was a late summer transplant to a location behind the bench in the northeast corner of the garden. In early July, when there was still no evidence any of the four ajuga had survived, I planted several Verbena bonariensis, an annual I was hoping might successfully self-seed in this location. Much to my surprise, a week later the ajuga re-emerged and appears to enjoy sharing this spot with the verbena.
• Chinese Pagoda Primrose (Primula vialii). This was an impulse purchase while wandering around in an Earl May. It produced some lovely blooms for about a month, and then dried up and disappeared.
• Coreopsis Cosmic Evolution Tickseed. In May and June of 2015 I planted several varieties of coreopsis and most survived (and in case of the annual Coreopsis tinctoria profusely spread), but two coreopsis did not come back: the Cosmic Evolution and a Redshift Tickseed in the Big Bang Series.
• Gold Bar Maiden Grass (Miscanthus sinensis). This maiden grass was initially planted in a terrible location, completely overshadowed by larger plants. I moved the plant to a sunnier location in August, and it began to show new growth, but it never reawakened this spring. Fortunately, its cousin–Gold Breeze Maiden Grass–is thriving.
• Great Arrival Hosta: An August purchase planted after the rain garden was constructed. During the fall and winter, the mulch and soil surrounding the plant washed away, exposing the roots. Because of their toughness, it’s always surprising when a hosta does not come through.
• Highland Cream Creeping Thyme. Last year I planted five different varieties of thyme, including a clump of thyme transplanted from a small garden at the Field Station. While all the others have done well, the “highland cream” introduced in the rock garden is the one exception.
• Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra aureola). This was a recent Perennial Plant of the Year and looks stunning in garden magazine photos, but it has a reputation of being difficult to get started. The two non-variegated Japanese forest grasses that I planted did survive (though one of them just barely), but the two variegated Hakonechnloa were dead by the end of the summer.
• Jewel of Desert Ruby Ice Plant (Delosperma hybrid). This was my mistake, a rock garden purchase not equipped to deal with an Iowa winter. This spring it was replaced with a different ice plant cultivar, one the catalog claims can handle a Z5 winter.
• Lime Rickey Coral Bells (Heuchera sanguinea). This spring I moved several coral bells into shadier locations, but it was too late for this lovely Lime Rickey.
• New York Aster Eventide (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii Michaelmas Daisy). When I began the renewal of the Alum Garden in the spring of 2014, many areas were dominated by tall, aggressive asters. Most of those asters have been removed, and in some instances replaced by smaller, more disciplined asters that should provide a wider range of bloom options. I have no recollection of this New York aster Eventide or what it looked like, but I found the zinc label and assume that something was growing in that location last year. Another mystery is a Rose Champion Lychnis (Lychnis atrosantuinea): the plant label survives, but I have no memory of the plant it was honoring.
• Patricia Cranesbill (Geranium Endressi x G. Psilostemon). In the past two years, I have planted over a dozen different varieties of cranesbill. Most have thrived, but several ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. A small Laura Cranesbill (Geranium pretense) did re-emerge this spring, but was dead by June 1, in an area where several other flowers have died in the past year. I intend to add substantial amounts of compost this fall before attempting any further planting in that location. A Dusky Cranesbill (Geranium phaeum) and a Bloody Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum striatum) are two other small, hardy geraniums introduced in the spring of 2015 that are now history.
• Purple Horsemint (Monarda Citriodora). Though afflicted with a mild case of powdery mildew, this horsemint appeared to be a strong, healthy plant in the herb garden; however, it remained dormant this spring, the same as the horsemint in my backyard.
• Rainbow Spurge (Euphorbia x ascot). This was a lovely, variegated spurge and looked great last fall, positioned in front of a false indigo, but the remnants never showed any signs of life this spring. Fortunately, our other spurges (most of them are, I think, E. polychroma) are thriving.
• Samurai Toad Lily (Tricyrtis formosana). Four toad lilies were planted in June 2015 under the limbs of a flowering crab in the northwest corner of the garden. Last summer they all appeared to be doing okay, three of them blooming in the fall. Known for awakening late in the spring, none re-emerged and have now been replaced by a different variety of toad lily. We’ll try again.
It is painful to list so many failures. Of course, I can find excuses for my failures. For example, during a 12-week period in July. August, and September, I was gone for 8 weeks–and thus each plant was dependent on its own resources. And I yearn for plants that need minimal coddling. The perennial garden is a battleground for the survival of the fittest. As a deus ex machina I periodically enter the foray, handicapping some contestants while offering special assistance to personal favorites. It now occurs to me that I view this business as a series of auditions, trying to assemble a chorus of plants by finding out how well they can sing–with only minimal assistance from the conductor.
~Bob