QUESTION: I have a gardenia that has not done well. It is in full sun, and does not have much protection in winter months, as it is out away from other trees in our side yard.It did not bloom at all last spring (3 years old). The first year it bloomed beautifully, and this year, it just started to bloom this week. One of the branches is dead. I want to move it this fall to a better location. Would a bed where it gets partial sun work well for it?ANSWER: I think another move for that gardenia would be counter-productive. Since it once bloomed beautifully, it sounds like you have a good-sized plant, rather than a baby. A move, even one done carefully, would send the plant back into root development at the expense of top growth that produces the flowers.Moving it closer to trees would reduce the amount of sun it gets, increase the competition from nearby roots for water and probably not protect it during the winter. What you describe as partial sun may be sufficient light. Protection for broad-leaf evergreens in winter comes from walls that block drying, cold winds and a position or evergreen shade that protect them from early morning sun on very cold mornings.If you decide to move your plant this fall, be sure to use root-stimulating fertilizer that will encourage root development and a faster adjustment to the new spot. If you don't, I suggest fertilizer early next spring and hands off the pruning shears. Let the plant develop and you should have great blooms where it now grows. But certainly trim off any dead branches now.

QUESTION: My peonies are being devastated by a blight. Any suggestions?ANSWER: Several kinds of fungus can cause the dark blotches covering your peony plants. One, such as botrytis, affects flower buds, stems and leaves, causing brown blotches on the leaves. This is usually the reason that the flower buds on a peony do not open. You would see fuzzy gray growth on the stems and buds. The flower buds turn black and the stems get soft. Another, named Cladosporium paeoniae, starts out as red spots — it is called red spot fungus — on the leaves that eventually merge into oddly shaped purple blotches. And there are more.But what these diseases all have in common is that cool, damp weather helps them prosper. This year, we had a coolish spring, but not a wet one.I wonder if you have an irrigation system that ran regularly during these dry weeks. That may have kept the leaves damp and allowed the fungus to run wild across your plants, especially at night. Once they get going, they reach alarming proportions in mid-summer with marred leaves.This fall, cut off and get rid of all stems and foliage from your peony plants. Do not leave it on the ground. The fungus would simply overwinter on this foliage and be ready to attack next spring. Thin out the mulch if it is so dense it stays wet. Since you have such a serious problem, I would remove mulch, which may contain bits of leaf matter that may harbor the fungus.Next spring, if weather is dry, avoid wetting the foliage when you water the plants. Use a watering can to put water on the ground instead of a sprinkler from above.Various fungicides will help deter leaf-spot diseases. If you choose to do this, read the labels carefully and make sure it states that the product works against peony diseases.Nancy Brachey works at The Charlotte Observer, 600 S. Tryon St., P.O. Box 30308, Charlotte, NC 28230.