Change is part of life, but change has been important to many over the past three years. The change is evident in the way you work and eat, how you dress, your routine and social life, and whether or not you travel. Maybe you have pets or hobbies that you didn't have before. The way you raise and care for your children can change, as can the people who live in your household. This may be the time to take stock of your funds.
Is your garden and yard still adjusting to your new reality?
Life is enriched by gardening, as is seeing (or eating) other people's gardens. For emotional and mental health, gardening should probably be one of the last activities people give up even as life has become busier and more demanding. Let's think about how we can adapt or simplify without sacrificing all of the "I'm going to the park" goodness.
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Gardening professionals often roll their eyes when they hear that a client wants "low-maintenance landscaping." So this client orders neatly crafted boxes and balls (pins, cakes, swirls, hedges) and sprawling lawns (with a tree or two in the middle). Or maybe a customer wants a long, sexy sweep of solid color petunias, million bells, or another annual to keep them colorful all summer long. Neither of these things are low maintenance; It only looks clean and simple when someone intensively mows, mows, weeds, cuts and waters.
One way to reduce maintenance is to hire professionals to set up and maintain the patio you are considering, after finding that person or company and communicating extensively about what you really want. But if you're reading this because you're a gardener or someone who does gardening, here are ways to make it easier and less stressful.
1. Straighter lines, bigger beds. To facilitate trimming, mowing , weeding, and watering, the ideal landscaped garden has straight lines or long, curved lines, whether the beds are islands, borders, or foundations. Wide beds can be easier to maintain if set a few feet from the house and wide enough to allow for naturally formed shrubs that don't need pruning. (Purchase or plant only looking at mature height.) Group small beds together and plant in layers, combining compatible trees, shrubs, herbs, perennials, and ground covers. Well-matched, well-spaced plants complement each other and prevent most weeds through selective mulching.
2. Fewer species and less picky plants. Depending on your strength, time, and energy, your new style of gardening may mean using more shrubs than perennials, more perennials than annuals, and more potted plants than buried flower beds. This "easy" cultivation of annuals requires a lot of trading, planting, watering, and maintenance every season; Perennials usually return in spring. However, as a longtime perennial collector, I have learned to eliminate many species that have individual needs for thinning, moving, cutting, anchoring, and pest control. I alternate between shrubs that offer year-round beauty with those that don't dominate my space.
Also, consider not using many of the few simple species (flowers, broccoli, St. John's wort, calamint, butterfly herb, or oak hydrangea) but only a few of the many. When choosing plants, don't settle for the prettiest ones or those available in the garden center. Discover species that are really easy to care for and attractive for a long season.
butterfly herb.
3. Easier hardscape and edge. Think about managing sidewalks, paths, and patios on your own or with a landscaper. Weeds will crawl through rocks, bricks, and other pathways if not well established. Mulch and gravel paths require burial and paving management. Using rocks or bricks (or synthetic rubber or plastic) to border flower beds or pathways requires pulling or removing grass or weeds. The simplest solution is to create V-shaped trenches along the edges. Or place flat rocks, rocks, or concrete just below the ground so the mowers can keep the lines clear. It's a huge subject and mistakes take a lot of work, so talk to the pros and plan with less care, not more work.
4. Eliminate distractions. I'll be the last to give up plants. I have a high tolerance for imperfection and unattractiveness, whether the plant pleases the pollinator or the bird. But there is a time to let the plants go. This winter can show you trees that have lost countless branches, endangering what lies beneath; Hire an expert to trim or shorten them. If shrubs are crushed under eaves or flattened by snow blowers, move or remove them. When the plants overrun all nearby plants every year, end the battle. If you don't like pruning certain plants, spraying mildew powder, or decorating certain plants, stay away from them. Your compost pile is waiting for you.
5. How you use your lawn and garden. Life changes can mean it's time to rethink your entire garden design. Dogs may need large fenced areas or clear paths to move between perennial beds and shrubs. Take a close look if you have plants that are poisonous to pets or children. Now you may want permanent raised beds for vegetable and flower gardens, more fruit trees, or a flat garden close to your home and water systems. It may be necessary to install sprinkler systems because pipes and sprinklers can no longer slip. If some plants wilt in the summer heat and others get too wet all spring, group together plants with similar needs. To enjoy and benefit from birds and other wildlife, exit part of the yard (20 or 30 feet) and feel relaxed and natural with slides filled with native plants and wildflowers (irrigation and bird baths). You can turn your backyard into a lawn-like sports or play area while carefully treating parts of your frontyard like paths around flower beds or the frame of your home.
Now that things have changed, think about what's important to you and your family, what you love, and how to best use and enjoy your small space.
Sally Cunningham is an author, speaker and garden consultant.
