What's Wrong With My Cone Flower?

I have two kinds of cone flower by my front yard utility boxes, one is thriving and the other is on the struggle bus. My 'Prairie Splendor' is doing something weird, it looks like some of the flowers are blooming without pedals and the stems are dark. In contrast, my 'PowWow Wild Berry' keeps pushing out more and more lovely magenta flowers.

I noticed white fuzzy caterpillars on my 'Prairie Splendor' - that could be part of the problem. I also read that this kind likes dry to medium soil so it could be affected by our record-setting rainfall. Not sure!

Echinacea purpurea 'Prairie Splendor' not looking so splendid

This one flower turned out right, but what's wrong with the rest of them?

My utility box bed is looking much better this year. The Russian sage is doing great. I'm wishing I had a taller variety of cone flower to cover these two cylindrical utility boxes.

Echinacea prpureua 'PowWow Wild Berry'

Echinacea prpureua 'PowWow Wild Berry'

Perovskia atriplicifolia 'Little Spire' Russian sage

Expecting Blooms on Bloom Day

The 15th of every month is Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, and it looks like I'll have some new blooms next week to mark the occasion! Here are my Annabelle hydrangea just about to pop white, and my Echinacea prpureua 'PowWow Wild Berry' coneflower already starting to put out pedals.

Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' blooming and will turn white in the next few days

Echinacea prpureua 'PowWow Wild Berry' coneflower just about to bloom out in the next day or so

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - April 2015

It's been a big month for my yard and since my Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day post in March. It's time for a monthly check-in! A month ago I was still awaiting my first crocus blooms. Now in April, they've come and gone, and other much bigger perennials are waking up and taking off quickly. I only have a couple plants blooming - and they are both new additions that were already in bloom at the store, so that's kinda cheating.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, April 2015 - Phlox subulata 'Drummond's Pink'

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, April 2015 - Armeria maritima 'Dusseldorf Pride'

Other than blooms, I have a lot of progress with other plants emerging. Not just a tiny sprout here and there, but actual growth and some real movement! My much anticipated Hosta 'Sum and Substance' are finally waking up too - I guess the bigger varieties sleep a little longer because 'Patriot' has been emerging for a while now.

Now emerging - Hosta 'Patriot'

A little slow to start - Hosta 'Sum and Substance'

Moving on up - Siberian Iris

Finally awake - Echinacea prpureua 'PowWow Wild Berry'

Really accelerating now, woohoo! -  Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'