I have a skimmia rubella japonica, about a foot high in an eight-inch pot, which I put on my wife's grave to give some live colour through the winter (temperate climate - Southern England). For the past two years it has given red 'flowers' through to May, when they turn white and die away till about now.

I was assured that it would stand anything except prolonged drought with no attention. I am not a gardener and that's my kind of plant. However, this year it's looking decidedly weary and the flowers aren't coming as they should. Some seem to have started and died.

All I've ever done is water when dry and stick a few indoor plant feed tablets in from time to time. I think the poor thing needs something more now. What do you recommend? Renew the compost in the pot? Feed a good meal? Or plant it in the garden to take its chances and get another for the grave?

It sounds like you may need to repot it. transplant it into a ten inch pot. When you take it out of its old pot loosen the roots growing on the outside edge to make sure they are not girdling the plant.

Many thanks, Jerry. I feel sorry for the poor plant, giving its best and suffering from my ignorance! I hope I'm able to save it.