It was a really rotten winter in Portland. If you struggle with poorly drained soil, one tactic is to plant high and mound soil/bark/compost up around the rootball. This has worked wonders for me in the clay soil of the Willamette Valley. I have planted over 100 new plants this way over the last three years.

you are right. question is how much high it should be ? depends on the individual plants

Finally a single leaf of the fern has appeared two weeks ago. I still have no idea what type it is and the young stem is still too tiny.

One of the two bananas have come back. The one that was planted on a slope. The other lost banana was not planted on slope, likely lost due to by drainage problem in winter.

For me definitely mound planting is only option for new plants in the garden . Can the bananas be planted in a mound ? Also the lost one was planted too deep for winter protection.:{

Thanks,

I've been struggling with ferns too, and I've never had a problem with them before starting this garden. In addition to the bad winter whacking almost all of the evergreen types down to the ground, now we're getting strong, dry winds every day. I don't think my ferns are able to stay hydrated here, and they continue to look pale and weak.

I overwintered a Chinese Red Banana in the garage. When I brought it out for the summer I planted it mounded above grade. So far it's happy.

Do your mounds flatten over time ? How long have you been using mounds.

Thanks

2nd Banana finally appeared on 1st of June. Unbelievable that it can winterize that long.

Here is the fern photo that finally appeared out of the ground 1st week of May. Plant ID says Polystichum munitum (Fern). I do not have the tag any more but it managed to survive winter logging deluge. I am wondering I should dig it up and mound it this fall.