Hmmmmmm--I'm thinking Dr.Dave may be right, afterall!! The burns are a tip-off, and my 'Dick Ward' does do that some, too!! You're just plain GOOD at this 'I.D.-ing' Dave!! I remember when you rightly identified my 'mystery hosta' to be 'Earth Angel' a few years back, when no one else could!! I'd go with his guess!!! Here's a pic. (below) of my 'Dick Ward', last year! This year I have more eyes and more leaves but the leaves are smaller--I liked it better last year!!!

Cutworms? Do a google search for pics, habits, and preventions. They feed at night, so you would not see the culprits, but there are ways to "control" them. Nature's adaptations are amazing: From the link below: "Cutworms are caterpillars that feed on the stems and leaves of young plants and often cut them off near the soil line, hence their common name. Although there are many important species of cutworms, the black, granulate and variegated cutworms are particularly destructive to flowers. Each cutworm differs slightly from the others in details of habits and appearance, but their life histories are generally similar. Adults and larvae are nocturnal and hide during the day but become active on cloudy days. The overwintering forms of cutworms occur in the soil either as pupae or mature larvae. In the spring, the hibernating larvae pupate. Adults begin to appear in the middle of March. Females deposit eggs singly or in clusters, and each female can lay as many as 500 eggs. Under optimum conditions, the eggs hatch in 3 to 5 days, and the larvae develop in 3 to 4 weeks passing through 6 instars. Pupae mature in 2 weeks during the summer and as many as 9 weeks in the fall. Some of the cutworms can produce as many as four generations each year in the southeastern United States." BlueBars Here is a link that might be useful: http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/entomol/ncstate/cater6.htm

I had extra Scarlett Ohara seed that I had found dirt cheap and decided to plant at the base of my Jackmanii. Right now the Jack is in full flush bloom but rarely ever reblooms. By the time the blooms have faded the Morning Glory should be up there to take over. I also put some in at the base of a young Wisteria.

iris is a full sun plant... to bloom properly ... if that iris blooms properly.. then that spot should not be called shade ... also.. if there is blue sky above ... then shade is a greatly reduced variable .. so.. go for it .. btw.. in my world.. warped as it is.. i would never put draining pots on a wood deck ... yeah.. the plants might be nice.. but rebuilding the deck would not be.. if you get my drift ... after a week or two of settling in.. the transplants will be up in the sun in a flash ... dont get to fixated on one variable .. think about it and observe.. but dont fixate ... then all you will be left with is giving them something to cling onto ... to get up to the smaller piping.. for lack of a better word ... .. think about this.. tie a jute string up top ... and anchor it with a rock or brick at the soil ... and train them up it ... i like the jute twine.. because its natural... a pleasant grey color of nature ... it will blend in with your grey mulch ... there.. now you dont have to fixate on that. lol ... and at the end of the season.. get rid of it all ... and the jute decomposts like the plant debris will ... ken