my poor dead helenium

[ChrisJB]

I suppose this is a general gardening question rather than a wildlife gardening question, but I bought a helenium in spring 2007 and it flowered okay last summer. This spring and summer it hasn't appeared at all and presumably died. Do they have any specific requirements for long life? I have all the usual border perennials in the same border (echinacea, verbena bonariensis, siddalcia, salvia, delphinium, etc). These all are doing fine, having been in several years. Would last year's terrible summer have played a part, or frost (it was cold up here last winter)?

Regards, Chris

[Susie]

What's your soil like, Chris?

Taking a blind guess it could be that they didn't like being stood in cold wet soil over the winter if your soil is heavy.

[ChrisJB]

On the whole it is rather light and stony. The puzzler for me is the fact that verbena bonariensis thrives next to it and has done for several years and I believe that this is traditionally a short lived plant which dislikes heavy, damp soil. I always thought they liked similar conditions. The soil overlies shale and sandstone and is therfore acidic in nature.
I really am no gardening expert and rely on trial and error more often than not!

Regards, Chris

[Susie]

I am afraid that I can't offer any advice as this is the first year I have grown Heleniums.

This site may help though, just above everything is covered!

Heleniums

[ChrisJB]

Thanks for highlighting that Susie. I'll have a shufty now.

Regards, Chris