----- Original Message -----

From: l*@hotmail.com

To: p*@hort.net

Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2012 2:18 PM

Subject: RE: Anemones

And isn't it the perennial hope of gardeners..."It'll be better next year!" Interesting that we had the same experience, except my garden is reversed from yours -  front is shade with trees, back is full sun.
Lil T
Georgetown ON
z5

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Date: Sat, 29 Sep 2012 09:19:23 -0400
To: p*@hort.net
From: a*@northnet.org
Subject: RE: Anemones

Lil, here in northern New York, Zone 4, I had much the same experience as you.  I believe I may have lost some astilbes, I have several varieties.  I cut the most affected ones to the ground because they had turned brown.  Other astilbes seem to be fine.  My Japanese painted ferns wilted in some gardens as did some hostas!  My Jack Frost brunnera is OK.  I was going to divide it this year but now I will wait since I only have the one.

I, too, watered daily but it seemed impossible to catch up with the drought.  I wonder if the ground all around our gardens was so parched that it drew much of the water away from the soil in the gardens?  It's been interesting to see which plants have soldiered through and which have tried to defect.  Unfortunately I'm afraid some defectors have succeeded.

And, as with you, plants in the back of my house fared better than those in the front.  I've been assuming that it's because the back gardens are surrounded by woods, and the front gardens are surrounded by meadows. 

Here's hoping your failing plants show up just fine next spring.

Alyce Elliott
Oxbow NY
PS  Your previous post's poetic alliterations left me laughing loudly!

At 08:31 AM 9/29/2012, you wrote:

Hi Barb - We sure did get the heat and drought. However, because my gardens are so small I was able to keep both front and back well watered. Have never before been as diligent about watering as I was this year. Spend a lot of time cursing as I watch things wither away,
Lil T
Georgetown ON
z5

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Sent: Friday, September 28, 2012 4:05 PM

Subject: RE: Anemones

Ferns flopping face first flat. Failing fronds are frustrating. Likely lousy Linden leaching liquid from loam.

(I couldn't help it either, but its true. Only thing that has thrived in that garden is a coleus - the only annual in the whole garden)

Lil T