Having read in a list of the most stressful things we can do I now firmly believe that the inclusion of moving is more than justified. Despite, I thought, clearly marking everything and putting like with like in the packing boxes how can things become so mixed up?

For once my garden didn’t help with the stress factor. How could it when I was having to decide what to take and what to leave? Not easy when you have nurtured plants and watched them grow into mature trees and shrubs. But it was a time for discipline. I made a list of those plants that would best survive the move and would be right for my new, much smaller, garden. Obviously I would have to leave my beautiful magnolia, only about 70cms when I planted it seventeen years ago, and now a magnificent tree about 4 metres high. Also reluctantly left was the Sambucca ‘Black Lace’, now reaching nearly 3 metres high and a vision of frothy pink flower heads in the summer sharply set against the black leaves.

I decided to take anything already in a pot, no matter how large. This took care of the bay tree, two gorgeous camellias and a thriving fig. More difficult was the Elaeagnus commutata. Planted in the ground and about 2 metres high I decided to take the risk and transfer it into a pot. I didn’t have time to wait until it went into dormancy so, with the help of a strong friend, it was carefully dug out preserving as much of the rootball as possible and gently resettled. I now have to wait until next spring to find out if it has survived.

On the plus side of course I am looking forward to enjoying a new range of plants and with winter not too far away I intend to spend some pleasant evenings making plans.