I’ve nearly succeeded (again) in killing off the indestructible Tatarian daisy (Aster tataricus ‘Jindai’). Last gasp efforts will be made to salvage it, to find a sunnier spot where it can grow shoulder high and spread like the coarsely textured weed that it is. The typically vigorous aster has grown only a foot tall and has only a few flowers (below), obviously because it is far too shaded, the second time this clump has suffered as neighboring plants have spread.

The first clump almost disappeared beneath and between a wide spreading Tardiva hydrangea and a paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) that spread triple its expected width, but a tiny bit was transplanted to a marginal spot with barely enough sun. This was the only place I could find at the time, probably thinking this would give a few more years before I had to figure it out, or lose the aster forever. ‘Jindai’ survived, but now it’s on the downhill slide again.

Today, after much of the lower end of the garden had to be replanted following thirty-five additional inches of rain a year ago, I think there’s a better spot that will work for at least a few more years, and possibly forever. But, I must move immediately, or risk never thinking about it again since the clump is pretty well hidden behind taller neighbors. After thirty years, I’m delighted to have a mature garden, but there are occasional casualties. Hopefully, ‘Jindai’ will not be another.