Okay, yesterday I started doing a couple things I've been meaning to get to for a long time. I dug up the Fatsia Japonica 'Variegata' from the front bed and moved it to the verdant kidney bean. This may have been a fatal mistake, but I just didn't think the spot where it was living was doing it justice even though it seemed to be very happy there. :( I'm not sure it's going to make it or maybe I'll loose only all the new growth? I'll post a photo here of what it was looking like immediately after the move, but I must say this morning it's looking very pathetic - totally droopy and pathetic. When I dug it up I honestly did not seem to get much of a root ball. The soil it was planted in was nice and loamy and crumbled apart when I dug it up and there were not a lot of roots there - a few big ones but no fibrous looking roots or much of a root ball. Not sure whether I somehow missed them in spite of being very careful or what. It sure did look happy before I moved it so there must have been roots there somewhere? I will be sad to see it go if it dies. I'm planning on getting a couple more just in case.
In it's place, I planted a Leatherleaf Mahonia from Norwood Rd. Garden Center. It's looking okay in it's new home. I fertilized both of the Mahonia and the Fatsia this morning with Hollytome that I had on hand and have been keeping them watered. Let's hope w/ the time that the poor Fatsia bounces back. It really just needed a spot where it could be it's own focal point and shine! It's in a pretty good spot now, but the shining thing just isn't happening.
I also moved some hostas forward in my shade bed, planted a couple Holly Ferns I picked up at Lowe's, and put in some Irish Moss between the stepping stones. I wonder what will live and what will die?? The hostas were really looking nice before I dug them up. They were new last year so it pains me to move them, but I think I need to keep taller stuff in the back and these were too far back and would've been blocked eventually. I figure it's better to move them sooner rather than later. However, now they are in danger of someone stepping on them - mainly Mark.
As usual I lined my holes w/ gravel and put cages around everything. I have vole holes everywhere. Annoying. The moment you create nice soil, it's like sending an engraved invitation to voles.
