Texan Gardener and Traveler: Lantana and a lesson in patience

It’s spring fever. That is what the
name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want — oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

Click on picture for larger
This is an example of patience. The front flower bed has

two low growing lantana plants. The tiny picture is proof
that you have to wait, and wait, and wait....
I was tempted to pull out this "dead" plant but thought I'd
just wait and see. This is all there is so far.
The plant below, planted at the same time. Same care and
and same weather conditions.
Why one is bursting out of the ground 18 inches next to
the tiny plant is nature doing her thing.

These were planted last spring and did very well. They were actually the same size by fall.
Winter was cold and wetter than years past.
I am going to leave the small plant to its own growth time table and will water and feed both the same.
We will see.

Another view of plant above. Note tag.

In June as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day. No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them. ~Aldo Leopold

This is the oldest lantana in my yard. It was 4' tall and 5' wide last fall. Managed on no extra food or water. Just what nature gave it. Impressive to say the least.

I left this plant alone this spring. Only tried to clear leaf piles caught in the stick looking plant. It was difficult not to cut back the "dead" sticks. Patience won.
What a fascinating lesson in same.
The green stems are all coming out of the "dead" sticks. They actually snapped off when tested. Still, I waited.