It could be the heat. I'm not sure if I'm going to plant any even next year. I have to totally re arrange the perennial bed! A huge task, and I'm still not sure where everything will go at this point.

I was outside weeding and deadheading yesterday and it occured to me that it was time for a redo. this will be a huge undertaking so thinking it through before hand will be the only way to accomplish it and do it right. lots of stellas to move. eleven plants and some could be divided. I'm giving a fan of Barbara Mitchell to a friend in the fall. maybe some Wineberry Candy as well. she has to do everything in containers and day lilies adapt well. Dahlias are off the list as I've had nothing but problems with them. the only tubers that did well came from Longfield Gardens here in NJ. maybe it's a zone thing-dunno. the next area is the raised bed, which is about 3ft up and retained by stacked stone and rail road ties in back. every year even though I try to gain ground in this bed, it turns into an uncontrolled meadow. it's gotta get under control. joe pye weed, valerian,boltonia, obediant plant, queen anns lace, filipendula, bee balm, russian sage-all crammed into half of the space. it's a weed patch. but the pollenators love it. just gotta rethink the lay out and act accordingly. wind walker red salvia is doing great. at least that didn't disappoint.

Brenda, I think there is something to getting online plants from a nursery with similar conditions to your own. I've done this for years.I try to buy plants from Southern located nurseries…. They consistently do better. A lot of plants that online companies have are field grown, which means exactly what it says, out in rows in huge fields.

Totally agree with this. NJ weather is hottter and more humid than my northern suppliers. this could be why the dahlias from Michigan,Vermont and Conn are having growing pains.

For any salvia fans. Almost Eden has reduced prices on many. I thought I was done buying for the year and this happens.

oh really? thats dangerous..hee, hee. between. hot lips, wind walker, amstad and lobelia{cardinal flower} the hummer has a veritable banquet. glad i used tomato cages to support ww. they need it.

My Amistad died during the horrible week of winter weather in February. Hot lips came through just fine.

Here's a wonderful video for Salvia junkies. Oolala, fantastic photos! It's just over an hour long BUT the speaker talks slowly. I played it at 1.5x speed with no apparent loss of quality. Might be fine faster, too. I'd love to see his garden in Northern Cal. 💜 The introductory speaker doesn't last too long.
https://youtu.be/WWgqqk0WjpU

nice! thanks Zoe for the tip. just beautiful. I want them all.

Took a ride out to the nursery and today's find was blue arrow leaf sage.

I have seedlings coming up from one of my recently planted salvia nemerosas. I didn't get around to deadheading it and it seeded itself. I couldn't believe it did this in the extreme heat and dry conditions we've been having. This is definitely a salvia I will add more of to my garden for next year.

Somehow my new salvia was placed by the roof over hang so it pretty much got flattened by the water from rain falling on it.