I have a natural boggy area at the back of my lot. It is about the lowest point in my neighbourhood and was a natural stream in springtime before the area was developed. We are not trying to fight nature, we have made a drainage ditch though to help reduce surface water. I am embracing planting bog plants in the area.

Our problem is trees. We want to add a few to increase privacy at the back. Last year I added two ash and one red maple in the autumn ( from a nursery, all about 8 feet at the time). This spring the ash have come back strong but the buds have not opened on the maple.

Someone said that the maple may be in a dormant state but I have no idea about that. I am worried that it's dead. And if so, did we kill it because there's too much water? There are other maples (red and sugar) growing nearby.

Does anyone have any advice for knowing whether the tree is dead and whether I chalk it down to bad luck or if it's an indication that I should not plant another red maple there?

Note we have tried to plant native cedars there but they died too. Is there no hope apart from the ash?

Sugestions/ advice extremely welcome!