What Kills a Plant??

Quite puzzled after a wander down the garden this afternoon, it has rained so much the last few days so I have been busy inside.
Anyway I found this...... quite flabbergasted, this was a healthy green the other day, lovely pink flowers with bees a buzzing. So what has happened

right next door to the above shrub is my clematis, which is also dieing?

I have no idea what is going on or even why? We had a discussion and I will dig out both, the clematis was getting a bit unruly, so it gives me an opportunity to re secure the archway and plant some new climbers. Although I may hold off planting till I am certain there is nothing untoward in the soil which is killing the plants.

On the plus side I got some cracking pics of my Agave today

not the usual view, what really fascinated me was how fat the central spike was

ad the markings.........

then add the colourful thorns and you have a beautiful plant.

Don't let anyone tell you there is no colour in an Arid bed..................

I love this bed so much, need to do some work to the outside of it, replacing the wood with something before it totally collapses, add more gravel, maybe make it a little bigger. I still have lots of Agave in pots that are looking for a more permanent home. Well that is for another post on another day.