Saxifrage brown in middle?

Hi, this is my first post, I'm a gardening novice - very keen but lacking in knowledge! Thought these forums would be a big help...

A couple of years ago I planted a mossy saxifrage (Peter Pan), it's now spread to a clump about 12 by 6 inches. It looked really pretty last year but this year it looks like its gone brown and bare in the middle but the edges of the clump looks healthy. Can anyone tell me what's happened and what I need to do to get it looking good again?

Anyone?

Hi Rachael, I have read your post,but I don't know the answer. 

I think I have had the same problem with a plant but I'm not sure it was even a Saxifrage.It was a sort of Alpine that I got very cheap,doing very well but then it went brown but the ends remained green

http://www.saxifraga.org/default.asp

Maybe replant the green& healthy bits?

Hi Rachael, exactly the same has hapened to em this year, every single clump has died back inthe middle. I think it may be due to the very damp conditions this year and the lack of air in the centre of the clump has lead to rotting. I'm hoping they will recover next year.

If not then mossy Saxifragaes are dead easy to propagate. Any piece with roots will soon grow into a healthy clump. Once the centre has gone like that it rarely fills up again, the natural habit is to grow outwards from the centre.

I have just removed a clump of Peter Pan, it was over a metre wide and a bit more long. They can get very big.

Oh and they also dislike midday sun.

I bought one of these in the spring and it's been really pretty.  I assume spring would be the best time to try propagating it, would that be right?

Yes.

Thanks!

Saxifrages tend to do this - like most perennials they grow old and woody in the centre and the younger stronger growth is around the outside.  It just needs lifting and dividing every few years like most perennials do. Discard the old woody centre