The soil has sunk, so it is hardly above ground level now, and some things I did when building it are showing through in a bad way. (I noticed I planted some plants too low, and my soil has way to much organic matter).
I lost some of my most established plants.
![Idea :idea:](./images/smilies/icon_frown.gif)
2 Echinocereus coccineus or triglochidiatus, my large clump and my small clump. (Both had ant hills beneath them. I don't know if that is related but that was common underneatht he dying ones) I think they died from a combination of things, but the recent wet winter was a contributing factor.
1 Coryphantha sulcata - died from effects of the heat and sun during last summer
1 Escobaria missouriensis - Too much sun during summer
1 Echinocactus horizonthalonius - Last fall, I have not the slightest idea why this one died. It was growing great, then it just died.
1 Echinocactus texensis - Also a mystery, it died during last summer
1 Echinocereus dasyacanthus - Don't know, it died during last summer as well.
Also 1 Trithrinax campestris - during summer (Desert palm tree. I think it died from getting hit by the sprinkler too much when it was malfunctioning.
Needless to say my garden is pretty sad looking right now.
![Neutral :|](./images/smilies/icon_neutral.gif)
![Image](http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z329/jtheman9/P1160559-1-1.jpg)
For reference here it is last year at the end of march:
![Image](http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z329/jtheman9/P1030072.jpg)
Looking back at the pictures I see how perfect everything looked. Most of the plants had been there for a couple years and were well established. I'm pretty disappointed about it, but I guess I will take it as a time to rework the garden. Since many plants are gone, there is less I have to disturb so it is the perfect time. My plan is to raise the border again so it is significantly above soil level, then to get a lot of soil with little to no organic materials in it and mix some in with the current soil then just put the new soil on top. Then re-plant the few plants I will dig up to accomplish this, then start over. It won't be the same this year without all of those awesome specimens flowering, but I guess it will be better this way in the long run.