First, you must understand my life cycle. I am a perennial plant, but I am also notoriously slow to establish. If you recently planted me, especially if I am a young division from a nursery, I am simply not ready. My priority in the first year, and sometimes the second, is to develop a strong, extensive root system. Blooming requires an enormous amount of energy, and I will not divert resources to flowers until I am confident my roots can support me. Please be patient with me; I am building my foundation for many years of spectacular blooms to come.
How you planted me is critical. If you set my crown (the point where my roots meet my stems) too deep in the soil, I will struggle immensely. A deep burial suffocates my emerging flower buds and can lead to rot. I prefer to be planted with my crown just at or slightly above the soil surface. Furthermore, my location might be wrong. While I am tolerant of shade, I need dappled sunlight or a few hours of morning sun to produce the energy for flowers. If I am in deep, full shade, I may only produce lush foliage. Conversely, if I am baking in the hot afternoon sun, I will become stressed and conserve my energy, refusing to bloom.
Your fertilization habits might be the issue. You may think you are helping me by feeding me a high-nitrogen fertilizer, but this is counterproductive. That type of food tells me to focus all my energy on producing large, beautiful leaves at the expense of flowers. I need a fertilizer that is balanced or one that is higher in phosphorus (the middle number on the fertilizer package) to encourage blooming. Alternatively, a top-dressing of well-rotted compost in the fall provides me with a gentle, balanced meal that I truly appreciate.
Your shears might be my biggest enemy. My flower buds for the following spring are formed in the late summer and early fall. If you got overzealous and cut back my old foliage in the autumn, you likely sheared off all of my nascent flower buds. I know my evergreen leaves can look tattered by late winter, but they protect my precious buds. The best practice is to leave my old foliage until you see my new flower stalks and growth emerging in late winter or early spring. Then you can carefully remove the damaged old leaves.
Sometimes, forces beyond your control affect me. A particularly late, hard frost after my flower buds have emerged can damage or kill them, causing them to abort. An unusually dry fall or winter can also cause stress, as this is when I am developing those buds. A lack of water during this critical period can lead to a lack of flowers. While I am drought-tolerant once established, consistent moisture during bud formation is key. A sudden, extreme heatwave in early spring can also cause my buds to blast (wither and die without opening).
