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We first started planting four weeks ago. Everything we have planted is perennial. We won’t plant annuals until after the last frost date in our area which is between May 21 and May 27.
In some cases–the coneflowers for example–we planted some four weeks ago and then planted some more a week ago. Since I had already seen our first coneflowers go to a black leaved crispy premature death, I have been out there covering the new plants conscientiously every cold night. That is why some of the coneflowers are still alive. I did notice one green leaf on one of the coneflowers I had thought was completely dead. I don’t know if it put out that new leaf during the couple days of warm weather that we had this past week, or if that leaf had never blackened. The other dead coneflowers are giving no such signals worthy of hope.
Like the coneflower, the lavender in the driveway bed has one or two leaves at the bottom that are green. I don’t know if it sent those out in the past day or two, or if it had never fully blackened, but that could mean that the lavender intends to recover (though it sure looks terrible). However, the lavender in Renata’s sidewalk bed seems dead as dead as dead can be.
I ordered some of these plants from High Country Gardens in New Mexico. They offer a 100% guarantee on their plants. However, there is a severe weather exception. The literature that came with the plants suggests that they should be safe down to 25 degrees. Unfortunately, we have had a couple of 20 degree nights. I am afraid that this may make me ineligible for their guarantee. I will have to call and see what they say.
I bought the rest of the plants at our local nursery which offers only a 50% guarantee. I imagine they probably also have a severe weather exception.
I don’t want to be too hasty and pull the plug on something that may be planning on regenerating from its roots, but _if_ (a big if) I am eligible for the guarantees, I have to request my replacement plants before the end of the season.
Unbelievably, it will soon be too hot to plant these perennials, so I will probably end up giving most of the apparently dead plants until autumn before I yank and replace.
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