A raised area is best , they do not like wet feet.
I add sand to improve the drainage.
They are light feeders , I feed only a handful of bonemeal around the plant once a season this increases blooms.
I try not to let plug sized plants flower their first season.
Even on larger plants I do not let flower their first year after the start of Aug.
And I try not to plant any after the beginning of July unless I get a great buy.
If you give them the time to develop a good root system the first year instead of top growth you will have a much better chance of success.
I have noticed many times that the small plant that did not flower looks better year two then the big one covered with flowers its first year.
My best success has come from AB cultivars selections. And you can get a great selection of colors from the seed variety Cheyenne Spirit which are cheaper then the tissue culture selections and can be found at Home Depots and Lowe's around here.
Hope this helps.
