Failures of the Gardening Year

While the successes outweigh the failures, we had a few duds in our garden:

Annuals
We purchased salvia for the first time this summer and, while they added a splash of red to our flower island, they did not attract any insects at all.

Perennials/Shrubs
A spicebush had been on our wish list for years. This year we finally found one at a local nursery and planted it in our backyard. Here it receives shade in the morning and then full sun. Its leaves are now black around the tips and edges and the whole shrub looks sickly. We don't know whether it is getting too much sun in this location and are considering to replant it in a shadier spot. Or perhaps it needs some nutrients and a dose of fertilizer would help. Or--it has just been too dry this summer to support a newly planted shrub.