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.
Including: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.
For reference here it is last year at the end of march:
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.
The Pedio. simpsonsii that I got last Oct., I "wisely" decided to leave in clay pot & brought it in this Winter, is definitely budding! So as they taught us in Vet school: 70% of them will get better, in Spite of what we do"! 
