I'm not familiar enough with conditions in your part of the country to
recommend a specific tree. However, perhaps you could inquire at your local
nursery about water loving trees and trees that tolerate clay. In this part
of the country, willows, poplars, service berry (my favorite and seems to
grow under almost all conditions), and cottonwood come to mind. There are
probably others.


wrote in message
...
I live in a small rental house with a small garden in Sunset zone 22-23. I
hae filled all the beds with flowers. I usually have no problem growing
anything but now am stumped. The ground here is heavy clay. I am on teh
side
of a hill so it tends to be wet clay from people higher on the hill
watering. In the raised beds and planters no problem, but I have been
trying
for years now to grow a small tree.

For the first tree, I dug a decent hole about 2-3 feet deep and 3 feet
wide.
I used compost and mulch and all. It (a Meyer Lemon) drowned. The second
tree I dug the hole deeper and used more compost. It drowned. The 3rd
tree -
a Mimosa seems to be officially dead. The hole has standing water. It
smells
sour and mildewy. Did I mention this is Los Angeles? The desert? I know
there is no issue of underground wells, broken pipes, etc just there is
an orchard up the hill from me and all the water drains down and puddles
in
my back yard. Plus I water a lot as I have roses, jasmine, fucshias,
begonias, impatiens and all kinds of water looving flowers.

So if I dig another hole - like 6 feet deep and fill it with gravel?
compost? planting soil? what? Can I then plant another mimosa and hope it
won't jsut drown as I have improved the drainage?

Any ideas?
Hilda