Moveable gardens

     I've only taken a few small steps on the road back to gardening, but they have energized me for more.

     My husband says my gardens have wheels because I have little reservation about moving plants or trees that don't thrive where they are planted.  And I don't mean plants in pots.

 After another round of leaf raking on Saturday, I decided I would move that woebegone magnolia in the back yard east corner.  I've been keeping track of the available light there and concluded there just wasn't enough anymore to satisfy a magnolia.  I extended the western end of the garden along the fence and replanted it there.  It is near the ash tree, but the ash doesn't leaf out for another month and it's quite tall so the magnolia for now will get sun in the morning plus all afternoon.  Even when the ash is in full leaf, the canopy is not dense and there will still be dappled light early.  I soaked the magnolia roots for 24 hours and have given it a dose of Miracle-Gro Quick Start.  I'll follow up with daily watering as I did with the magnolia I planted in the front yard last year, which by the way is looking good.

     Near the new location of the magnolia is a camellia I was sure had died in the drought last fall.  I don't know why I had left it in the ground then, and I thought I would pull it out now but amazingly I discovered a few new leaves sprouting, so its demise has been reprieved.

     My task today and tomorrow is to research and find a small tree for that back corner that will thrive in the shade.  And then tackle the weeds that thrive in every type of light, soil and moisture.  Is that fair?

     More later...