I have never had trouble with it not opening, the bloom might get a little wilty in extreme heat, and I don't always pay attention to bud count so I can't answer that one. It hasn't seemed to mind Ohio weather for the past two years I have had it at my house (in a semi sheltered area) or my Dad's house in a field of mostly sandy soil. Spacecoast Behavior Pattern is a little bit showier, but does get the same wilting in extreme heat.

Thanks for your evaluation, Lisa. Given the variable weather patterns of the past two years, it is getting hard to say just what is "Ohio weather."

I've found that it didn't always open well for me in the beginning of the blooming period. Of course my garden is wide open. I looked back over the past couple of years and it typically started blooming here in early July.
I sold off a huge clump of it this spring and put another smaller clump in the backyard garden which has a more southern exposure but still out in the open. No bloom pics this year.
I will say it did give me plenty of scapes and buds. Increases reasonably well. Here is a pic from last year.

Julia

Well, as I have only had it two years, take that into account as Ohio weather. lol

Here is a pic from 2010 which shows how some would not open fully. As I indicated, it does grow/increase great, lots of buds but perhaps too top heavy in buds and therefore blooms tend to hang-up a bit.

Julia