This was planted last year and survived. I read up on it and was surprised that it's supposed to be an evergreen plant because it turned brown and icky looking last winter, so I cut it way down and it came back ok. I noticed it has a few yellow buds, it didn't last year. But now it's turning brown, didn't do that until winter last year.

I didn't think anything would phase this plant. I have it a ground cover in a perennial bed and routinely just grab handfuls of it and yank. That leaves enough roots for it to regenerate itself and not smother all the other plants. Maybe try that and see what happens.