Alas It's Dead, My 'Husker's Red'

Every gardener experiences loss. In fact some gardeners experience more loss than others but eventually no matter what kind of gardener you are (experienced or not) you will lose a plant. Sometimes the plant fades away and you don't even notice it disappeared until later when you think "Didn't I have a [insert whatever plant name you like] here?" Often you will forget about it over the winter and in the spring they just don't come back and then sometimes they fade so fast that they leave a gaping hole in the garden. Prepare yourself, if you've never lost a plant either you're blessed, lucky, or you raise plastic plants!

Recently one of my 'Husker's Red' Penstemons took a turn for the worse. It tanked. It was all very sudden. I don't think it felt any pain but its loss will be felt in the Japanese maple garden. So what caused my penstemon's sudden spontaneous decline? I suspect the culprit is a fungus caused by all the rain we had. The crown of the roots where the stems emerge from appears to have rotted away. I have two thoughts now.  One, the garden is too wet for drought tolerant plants; and two I had better move my other Penstemon before it goes the way of the proverbial dinosaur!

My other penstemon is doing fine as you can see, at least for now.

Recently I was able to find more 'Husker's Red' Penstemon on sale for less than $3 a plant. I picked up two and planted them this weekend in a new location. So tell me, what plants have died in your garden lately? And how are you coping with your loss?