I have lived in my home for 13 years and every year I have beautiful Ostrich Ferns that come up around my porch. They spread so much that they come up through the floor boards of the porch and outside of the bed in the yard. Everything was business as usual last year, but this spring approx 20 mounds are completely dead. The insides are hollow and some of them are not even attached to the group and are just lying there. I've never had one die before and now so many of them at once... I'm wondering what could have caused this much devastation in one year? The winter was the mildest it has been in years. The only other thing I can think that is different is that the HOA installed a french drain on the neighboring property which is only about 15 feet away. Could this be what has killed all of my ferns?