14 Sep 2007 Friday

It is 77 degrees, partly cloudy, 14 mph winds, 73% humid. It's pleasantly warm, very humid, annoyingly windy, and mostly cloudy.

Worked in the front garden bed. Under the windows are three japonica bushes that are doing modertly well. Cut a bit of dead wood out.

Took the camillia out. It had not grown roots outside its rootball. The soil/clay was saturated with water. Camillia's don't like that much moisture. I have not irrigated that spot because there is just too much ground water.

The bush crepe myrtle that is next to it is in bloom. It seems to be doing okay at the moment. Not growing as virgoursly as I would like. Again, I think it is the ground water that is hampering its grouth.

I the middle of the bed is a deciduous magnolia. It is a sickly looking green. About a half dozen leaves had mold on them--too much moisture. I took my water meter to the root ball and it was bone dry. However, the soil outside the root ball was too moist. Gave the plant about 4 litres of water from the watering can.

The barberry is also dropping its leaves. The moisture of the root ball was about average. Again, I think it is the wrong plant for the spot.

I have lavender in there, one plant died. The rest are not doing well. The day lilies are also bloom some but not a vigorous as I would like. The only thing doing well is the lobelia.

I have boggy clay soil in that area and need to rethink the landscaping in that spot.