No secret formula is necessary to successfully grow toad lilies (Tricyrtis spp). I’ve grown dozens, failing only twice while attempting to find an ideal location to view a yellow-flowered variety (Tricyrtis macrantha ssp. macranthopsis). If I have a problem with new plants, it’s with small plugs with too few roots to survive a few weeks of neglect, but in this case, the spot also was too damp due to limited options in the crowded rear garden.

Knowing that I was at fault, there was no reason not to try again, this time in the recently expanded front border. The area is gently sloped and partially shaded. Toad lilies are suggested for light to heavy shade, but I’ve found they flower poorly as shade increases and they’ll thrive in a good bit of direct sunlight. Here, they get just enough, so a late spring planting is off to a good start.

The tubular form of the yellow flower is not typical and the color is unusual for toad lilies, so I’m quite pleased after two losses. While it’s flowered, the plant is a bit scraggily. I’m sure it will be happier next year.

I’ve recently purchased a tall, thin Franklinia (Franklinia alatamaha). Tall for a one gallon pot at nearly five feet tall, with a very straight trunk and a cluster of leaves at the top. It wasn’t cheap, but I’m happy to have a good sized starter tree to replace one that died several years ago as its location became increasingly more damp.

I will often try again after losing a plant, sometimes several times, though if I plant a tree into an area that is questionably too shaded or too damp, it’s likely I won’t give it another try. But for the Franklinia, it’s going in a different area, a bit more shaded than the last spot, and in drier soil. I’m confident that it will thrive.