Back from the dead -- by Irene Shonle

This summer, I conducted some inadvertent experiments in how far you can push plants to the brink of death, and still have them bounce back.

I had posted earlier about  how the wind whipped back all the top foliage off a newly-planted bleeding heart. I am happy to report that it has made a great recovery:

Bleeding heart has returned from the dead

I had planted a Verbena and a Pentas in a planter, and then went away for a few days.  Because they were so newly planted, they strongly resented the heat and lack of water, and took it harder than the more established container plantings.  This is what I came home to:

I figured they might be goners, but with some extra TLC, light fertilizing, and clipping back the dead foliage,  they also bounced back from the dead.  The verbena has even started flowering since I took the picture a couple days ago, and the hummers have been delighting in the Pentas.

I guess the moral of the story is not to give up too soon?