Chances are that if it got so wet to rot your bulbs, it would have also rotted your irises. As Al said, it can take lyrcoris a few years to settle in and bloom after they have been freshly planted (or transplanted). Watch this fall (late) for green strappy foliage coming up among your irises. It will look similar to daffodil foliage, though wider or narrower depending on which Naked Lady you have. If it comes up, leave it alone. The bulbs are fine. They should bloom for you in another year or two. Thereafter, they will come up and bloom without any leaves each year and then put up leaves as the bloom stalks die. You must always leave the leaves alone. They will stand throughout the winter and then die back to the ground in the spring.

I don't want to clear the slope of vegetation; I want to get rid of the rotted trees and invasive species. I would like to terrace the slope so that we don't have an erosion problem and plant effective and attractive ground cover. Part of the hill has been terraced, but it is so overgrown, I can't tell what the topography truly is. It used to be literally impenetrable, with scores of volunteer trees 20'-30' high and enormous blackberry stands. Ivy and blackberries are considered invasive in our town, and my yard is a great illustration of why. I don't mind the ferns, but I don't want hundreds of them on a tiny lot. Thanks for your input.

Seeing the "free Tansy plants, u dig?" comment made me snicker, it just might have worked. Several years ago we drove past a house that had just been sold, it had been vacant for several years and the front yard, a BIG front yard, well, the whole yard was a solid stand of bamboo. In front of it was this sign "FREE BAMBOO U DIG". We drove by a day or two later and you'd think there was the garage sale to end all garage sales going on but the people had buckets, containers, sacks, you name it they were in there digging and prying and pulling. Two weeks later the ground was bare, driving past nowadays all you see is a green lawn. I wonder how many of those energetic souls are regretting the day they dug the freebies. Annette

First mistake is leaving your garbage outside and unsecured. You wouldn't do that in bear country and be surprised that you've got bears hanging around the house? Having smelly food garbage out attracts all sorts of animals. If you live in an urban or suburban area, you're going to have raccoons around. That they were living in the neighbors shed is not really the problem...there will be others nearby regardless. Yes, raccoons enjoy corn. Short of building a complete enclosure around your corn, you are going to have an issue with them. They also have good memories and learn from each other. So, unless you plan to take a multi-year hiatus from growing corn, you will have issues. After a few years, you may have success unless a raccoon stumbles by chance into your yard (the cycle will then start over).