Cistus Snowfire

Here is pic of young Cistus 'Snowfire' I bought and planted early May.  Soil is clay, acidic to neutral with garden compost added month or so before planting.   Also put grit in planting hole when planting.

Question is - is it  unhappy/dormant, as it doesn't look any different from the day it was planted.  No new growth and the little brown hairy bobbly bits you see where I thought there were buds seem to be soft and are falling off.   I wondered if the brown bits are protecting the real buds or is it just falling apart because it's not going to 'go'?  I've never seen a young Cistus before and had expected some indication of growth since it's been in the ground for a month - or is this the norm?

Sorry so many questions.  Just unsure whether it should be moved.  Is in full sun just now -  when it stops raining that is!

Any replies gratefully received.  Thanks.

Oops!  Forgot the pic.  Will try again.

... and here is close-up of bud(?) if it's any help.

I think it's going to be fine - it's very early days yet and it'll spend most of it's first year developing a strong root system.  I think you'll get some flowers too in a while - there are plenty of green buds left.  It will eventually grow to more than a meter across, but that could take up to 10 years - this year it's still a baby.

 It does enjoy the sunshine so when we get some it'll put on a bit of growth this year - possibly put a mulch of compost around it and, if you want to take extra care of it, if we get a forecast of very cold weather next winter I'd make a wigwam of sticks around it and make a tent of fleece just to make sure it doesn't get nipped back by icy conditions.  But don't let it get all damp and fuggy inside the fleece or it'll not like that either. But don't think that it's a complicated plant to grow - it's not and it'll cope with most things except very very cold weather.

 I bought a cistus for my very elderly parents some years ago and planted it where they could see it from the house, within a couple of years it gave them much joy for long weeks every summer

Hi Dovefromabove.  Many thanks for the really informative and reassuring response.  I've planted it where it will have plenty room in coming years to spread nicely down to the edge of a small path.   It's planted, as you did for your parents, where we will see it from the window and I  can well imagine the pleasure it gave them during it's summer spell. 

Particularly appreciate the wigwam fleece tent tip and the reminder of the consequences of damp when tented-in.  It's really useful (especially for me as a beginner) to be reminded of these things and try and be prepared with our unpredictable weather the past few years.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how this little (at the moment) plant progresses.  It's a little character all on its own in its spot just now.

Thanks again.

My pleasure - I hope it grows well and gives you much joy! 

Hi Dovefromabove:  first flower appeared in the rain this morning.

Oh, that's pretty.