Sonia, I think you've just lucked out at a few selects who have replied to your post, please don't leave - I'm a newbie here and have received so much warm and positive advice. Please don't let this get to you.
Whenever I see nasty comments online I always think back to a TV series called 'What We Do in the Shadows'. There's a character called Colin Robinson. He's a day vampire who lives and breathes by sucking the emotion and life out of others. There's an episode where he's an internet troll and it's hilarious. Whenever I see cruel or unnecessary comments online I just think of him and laugh 😂
I have several outdoor hibiscus and a couple of tender ones I keep indoors in the cold months. The indoor one is a gross feeder and needs lots of water.
The outside ones get nothing except an occasional handful of pelleted chicken manure scattered around the base in spring. They don't get watered and have to cope with heat and drought. They all flower with no intervention from me. I also grew them in my last garden in Belgium and there they were affected by cold, wet winters but that just meant they were late to get going in spring and the fancier ones failed while Buebird thrived and seeded about.
You really do need to answer the question about soil, aspect, climate before anyone can offer sensible advice.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Did you have that prolonged dry spell in May and June @soniabutler1 ? We've had dry springs/early summers for the last several years so if you've had the same, that could be the problem (I don't think you said where you are). Dropping some leaves and flower buds is often a coping mechanism by plants that aren't getting enough water at the roots to maintain all their top growth.
The grass is close enough to be competing for moisture too (particularly as it's quite brown - that says dry soil to me), so you could maybe try making a bigger clear space around the hibiscus (maybe lose the bits of lawn between the hibiscus and the rockery and an equal amount on the other two sides). Then you could make sure it gets plenty of moisture next spring, and give it a good organic mulch which will do more good than concentrated fertiliser. Also, the fine feeding roots of shrubs/trees are generally around the outside edge of the rootball so they'll be under the grass, not under the little square bed around the trunk.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
We have a large organic garden, with foxes,aquarelle, hedgehogs many variety of birds including kestrel and sparrow hawk, we are 500 metres from shoreline on the south coast. As I say my neighbour only about 200 metres away does nothing to her hibiscus and it is fine. Its my favourite plant so have researchen other gardening organisations in depth and tried everything on the Internet to no avail, thought some one might have helped didn't expect such hostility. wish I hadn't bothered but do love my hibiscus. spray used soapy water
I didn't think my post was at all hostile, and neither were @Papi Jo 's or @Obelixx 's or most of the others (one notable exception who is often blunt to the point of rudeness - not sure he/she realises how rude some of their comments are).
If none of our suggestions are helpful for you, then the only other option is wait and see how it does next year.
Is the neighbour's hibiscus in a similar position to yours for light, exposure to wind etc, competition from other plants and so on?
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Is it a hibiscus syriacus? Cut open a fallen bud and check for midges. If no midges, it could be overfeeding. They do quite well without any interventions. In my area, they are frequently left mostly unattended in commercial settings. They do need consistent deep watering, though. The overall plant will be fine but bud drop is common in drought. If your soil is quite sandy that may be at issue. Has it ever bloomed well?
Posts
Whenever I see nasty comments online I always think back to a TV series called 'What We Do in the Shadows'. There's a character called Colin Robinson. He's a day vampire who lives and breathes by sucking the emotion and life out of others. There's an episode where he's an internet troll and it's hilarious. Whenever I see cruel or unnecessary comments online I just think of him and laugh 😂
The outside ones get nothing except an occasional handful of pelleted chicken manure scattered around the base in spring. They don't get watered and have to cope with heat and drought. They all flower with no intervention from me. I also grew them in my last garden in Belgium and there they were affected by cold, wet winters but that just meant they were late to get going in spring and the fancier ones failed while Buebird thrived and seeded about.
You really do need to answer the question about soil, aspect, climate before anyone can offer sensible advice.