Without seeing the roots I would suggest they were dead when you planted them.

I am sure I answered this query once before, in September.

Very likely...

Hi, these are usually tuberous rooted, sometimes looking like fleshy rhizomes, if they looked like shoe strings, I would say they were dead when you got them, get in touch with your supplier.
The time to plant these btw, is late summer or early autumn, not early in the year, and should be planted 8 inches deep.
Can you tell us who your supplier was, although I wouldn't mind taking a guess that they're based in the channel islands, Derek.

Hi Derek… think you've got handle on it!

Hi Mg, yes I think so, I think we all know who I'm referring to, Derek.

Derek something that really concerns me is that younger gardeners seem to think to 'right' time to plant perennials is spring/summer when reality is the best time is late summer early autumn when the ground is still warm so the plant can get established but does not have to deal with a lot of leaf growth.

Sometimes I almost curse the GCs for their obsessions with selling everything in flower!

And, yes, we know whom you are referring to - wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot barge pole!

Hi Mg, I think that quite apart from garden centres selling everything whilst it's in flower, this is the time of year when they come out of hibernation, when it's nice and warm, they seem to think there are only 2 seasons to the gardening year, and that's when they're ready to do something in the garden, quite regardless of when things should be done, Derek.

And, of course, by now they are focussing on selling Christmas decorations!

Hi Mg, yes I think plants come way down the list, when it comes to ways for them them to make money, apart from them selling you half hardy bedding plants,in early april, then a second lot when the first ones get killed off by a late frost, and they convince you it's your fault, Derek.

Hi Derek I've seen half hardy bedding plants in our local GC at the end of March - okay we have a reasonably mild climate for Scotland but no bedding should be planted out until June as there is always the risk of frost, well to be honest there can be frost at any time of year up here!
Sorry we've hijacked your question John it is a pet peeve of mine :)

:-):-):-):-)