Beginner Gardening: Why aren't my flowers nice and full (more so the annuals)?, 1 by NancyGroutsis

NancyGroutsis wrote:
Bonadea, you live in U.S. hardiness zone 5b, the same as me and my garden is mostly very healthy so I think I can be of particular assistance to you. Derry has about 43 inches of annual rainfall which is a few inches less than my town, but generally we have the same New England weather. Since hardly any of your plants are doing well, this is a complex problem so it would be easier if you focused on one area first. Please describe one region of your garden including the geography (slope or flat), approximately how many hours sunlight it gets, how you are watering (hose, sprinklers, etc.), and what plants are in the area and how well each one is doing.

The attached photo is of our South Garden, which was taken at the end of June. I never cover my plants so all these plants endured the brutal winter and are doing fine. This garden only gets a few hours of daylight so it's mostly hydrangeas, a Carolina Allspice (big plant on far left), and hostas. I splurged and planted an Earnest Markham clematis which is blooming for the second time this year and the Quickfire hydrangea is beginning to bloom this week. - Nancy G.