Drat. I posted a long reply a few days to this and for some reason it didn't save. Argh! It even had pictures! I was wondering why I hadn't gotten any responses... Here are answers to your questions: -They were potted. -Bought and planted in mid/late May. -The nursery guarantees plants for one year--50% rebate in store credit (pretty pitiful, right?!). We were a few DAYS past that deadline, so they're offering nothing. I'm trying to decide the approximate probability that this is my fault versus their fault before I post some negative reviews. I want to know how angry I should be. -We're in Western NY state, so it's real winter, but this one was not especially cold. Nor dry. Nor wet. -We're very good about watering. We planted a lot of other perennials last year in the same area, and I believe 100% of them came back and are thriving (possibly lost one--can't remember exactly how many penstemon I planted). We watered the trees more than the rest of the bed, with good soakings at least 1/2 times a week, more or less depending on rain and temps. -Yes, they were mulched. -No idea about the %. I fixed it--thanks! -Planting hole (and entire bed) heavily amended with compost. Both home-grown and store bought. -I believe the two dead ones never showed any new growth this spring (the living one has lots of buds). So I think you're right they died some time ago. Here are some photos: This one is much browner in person than it looks in the photo. I do recognize that it's a bit crowded now. That's new--the plants around it really exploded this spring (which tells you something about the watering and soil quality). For what it's worth, I generally have very good luck with not killing plants. It's rare for me to lose them, and I usually assume it's a poor fit of plant and soil/climate. I would do that with these, except that they were about $100 each (!!! We used this nursery because of gift certificates.), and the owner assured us they were both good choices for our area.

Yes, it might be pathogenic but your description is not nearly adequate to make a diagnosis.

Suzanne - are you using a tell to monitor moisture levels deep in the pot instead of a finger stuck in the top inch or so of the medium? Did you flush the soil to 'reset' the level of dissolved solids (salts) in the medium? Are you fertilizing regularly, based on the number of times you've watered to beyond the point of complete soil saturation? We should have some idea of where you live, as that will be taken into consideration when giving advice, and you'll get advice less general. Important to plants is their LCP, 'light compensation point'. Plants are at their LCP when they are creating as much food (plants make their own food during photosynthesis) as they are using/ burning during respiration. A plant can only grow when it is making more food than it is using. If they are incapable of functioning well enough to reach their LCP, the trend is toward loss of viability, so the trend must be turned around before it exhausts all energy reserves and dies. If your plant is not growing, it is very near it's LCP or on the wrong side of it. Giving it more light and favorable temps, monitoring moisture levels to avoid over-watering, and fertilizing on a regular basis with an appropriate fertilizer is where you'll gain the most traction, but sometimes a pathogen or insect herbivory undoes your good work. More later. I'll wait to see what your reply is, or if you reply. Looks like the weatherman was wrong today and I have some weather-related chores I need to attend to. Al

Hardwood cuttings take a whole year, really. I no longer grow them straight in the ground, but in big pots, which can hold 4 or so cuttings. I stash them under the bigger roses, in shade. Apart from r.californicae, they have all had a couple of blooms by now, but I won't be doing anything until autumn, when I will separate and replant. I have not ever covered the pots (unlike with semi-ripes when I cloche them). I find I have around 50% success but by now, it is usually fairly obvious that any dark canes are not going to survive. I am afraid to say I do meddle, giving mine a very gentle tug to see if there is any obvious sign of roots...and any which are blackened, I remove from the pots as they have no sign of callous or root initiation.