My dahlias are doing great on my deck, lots of shade. I’ve tried twice growing hydrangeas in my lilie garden, and both times they failed. May have been technique, but the didn’t root, I just grabbed the plant and pulled it out like it was potted during spring cleanup.
Maybe not enough water? They like it pretty wet and also pretty cold. Probably a better idea to plant them in fall.
It’s probably the water, it’s full sun south side of the house full exposure after the sun crests, but it’s in the “window well” area , so any “standing” water would go down the weeping tile system.
Idk about your code where you are, but foundations have filtered corrugated pipe around its perimeter and they have risers that go up by each window that may have a well, so it doesn’t fill with water, and into the house if it can’t drain down to the foundation perimeter one fast enough.
Looks great other than as you said a few dramatic plants, I don’t think I’ve seen one that perky and and deflated at the same time.
My dahlias, they aren’t perennial, and I think I’ve given up on ones that need their tubers pulled to winterize them in general. Unless there’s a few particular prize expensive ones or something I want to challange myself with, but dahlias are cheap.
