Question: I have seen hypericum a few times, but not many people use it. Why is that? It seemed very pretty in the landscapes where I have seen it.

Answer: Try a small planting to see how you like the results. It’s a handsome little perennial sub-shrub, but it does tend to turn yellow and die away after a few years. Iron may help in alkaline soils, but you’ll probably also need to replace the plants every 5 or 10 years.