Good afternoon Linda and thank you for reaching out to ask2.extension.

There is always something going on in the garden.  It’s never ending!

I’m not sure how you water or when, but early morning watering is the best.  The plants have a chance to dry out before the night.

Spiderworts are susceptible to leaf spot, and plants start to decline once they get it. This generally won't kill the plants; as long as foliage is removed, the next re-sprouting should be clean. It looks like the patch is pretty dense.  If so, maybe consider thinning the plants out and starting more somewhere else or give them away.

The daisies have something eating on them.  It doesn’t look too bad, so if it gets no worse I wouldn’t worry too much.  If you are worried, you could  apply a natural spray of dish soap and water in the cooler part of the day.  Insecticides may also work.  I can’t tell you to use them, but if you do be sure to read the labe carefully, follow the instructions and be sure to check how it will affect the pollinators.

My lilies are doing this same thing.  I believe the reason is they need to be thinned out and they may not be getting enough water.  With mine, by the end of July I can pull a lot of the bottom leaves off as they are done and brown.  It doesn’t seem to hurt them.  I know I need to thin mine out.  Give them away or plant somewhere else.

The watering goes for almost everything.  Soaker hoses are ideal depending on how much you have to water.  The same goes for thinning.  If something is struggling, maybe it needs to be thinned.

Enjoy the rest of the summer.

It’s probably not going to get much worse at least not now, but it also won’t get better.  I think if you thin it out, it may quit.   As far as contagious, that kind of depends on plants that maybe susceptible to the same fungus. 

Maybe if your going to thin it out now, just leave the ones you don’t move until fall and then clean up everything.  If you aren’t to dry you could cut it back, but if things are stressed, don’t cut back now.

If you transplant thinned out plants, use a root starter to give them a boost.  That wouldn’t hurt in the fall either.