Maybe some people come home from their full time jobs and put in a couple hours of gardening before dinner. I am not one of them. I have to hope for a weekend window where I can – as quickly as possible – put out the fires, fill in the gaps, and address the most egregious chronic problems in my urban landscape, which includes damp shade beds, dry shade beds, part-sun beds, a pond and lots of containers.
As quickly as possible, because I don’t really want to spend the whole weekend scrabbling around in the dirt either. Large shrubs are helpful and I have quite a number. But I love the color the container plantings provide. I also use them for bulbs in spring and summer; they serve as a type of cutting garden that remains attractive even with the removals.
As for perennials, they must be vigorous and willing to compete where they are. I don’t have time to divide things and move them around.
This lack of time used to bother me. It’s helped that once every spring, we have a layer of compost/mulch added and it helps more that everything is pretty dense by this time. Aside from regularly pulling small incursions of bindweed, there’s not room for major weed attacks.
And now climate change has stepped in. This week, in the middle of June, in Buffalo, it will actually be too hot to do very much. I never thought that would happen here and I suppose Texas or Arizona gardeners will scoff at my calling temps in the ‘90s too hot to work outside – for very long, anyway.
This is when working in a climate-controlled office is a boon. And I always have plenty of shade, so when I get home, I can sit with an ice-cold whatever and enjoy whatever happens to be looking halfway decent that day.
Right now I am enjoying explosions of clematis and rodgersia, variegated foliage geraniums, and oakleaf hydrangeas. Last week was all about roses, an unknown red climber and David Austin Lady of Shalott, mainly. Both seemed early.
Manic Saturday nursery runs and 2-3 hours spent over Sat-Sun to plant, pull, amend and rearrange seem enough to keep all this in order. Thankfully, my retired husband has also stepped in.
Never having been able to give much time to the garden, I do wonder what will happen when I have more time available. Somehow, I think old habits will prevail. More than 25 years of thinking of a garden as a place to hang out will have set a strong precedent.
Which is fine by me.
All sounds very sensible, Elizabeth. When designing a garden, one should always take into account the amount of time, energy and money they are willing to invest in its maintenance. I’m not exactly “old” (48), but already find myself trying to simplify things. I won’t create any more flowerbeds and I no longer plant plants which are highly likely to get eaten by deer and slugs and get me all riled up. I’ve come to appreciate my workhorse, minimal maintenance plants and adore them for their ease of care. I’ve worked hard on my garden for the past ten years and so I’ve got some nice structure, but by now, I am ready to kick back and start enjoying what I’ve created.
I have been suffering from a serious illness, which has affected balance, so no gardening, leaning over to weed or plant, or else I will fall over. Thank heavens for the medial alert gizmos you can wear and call 911 if necessary. Anyway, your article made me realize even younger and not handicapped people can cut back and not feel guilty. Thank you for the post. Tomorrow a small group will come to visit, and I admit to feeling sad that the garden will not look its best. However, I can share stories about most of the plants and entertain them…also give away volunteers that appear in paths. The group knows they need to help and work a little, picking up sticks that have come down in winter and early spring storms. Fortunately, this native plant group is always helpful, so i am blessed. I had a recent birthday 85! so we will celebrate with refreshment, too.
If you listen closely you can hear me muttering “It’s supposed to be fun” That’s when I know it’s time to stop fussing and relax.
I feel you on this!
I am a software engineer living and working in the Bay Area. This means I habitually work well over 40 hours a week, and currently have a 45 minute freeway commute. It’s a beautiful climate to garden in… if you can get out there multiple times a week. Otherwise, things simply DIE from drought because we get zero (and I do mean zero) rainfall from May through September.
So, I have gotten into a rhythm of popping into the garden before or after work a few times a week to give things that need it a bit of water. I do a deep and proper watering on Fridays after work. Saturday or Sunday morning, I take on bigger tasks.
You’re right that it’s worth it, and there’s nothing like kicking back in the shade to enjoy it, scraggly bits and all!
I had to add one more thing…
Thank you for saying it’s OK to do less. I had an especially hectic springtime, and didn’t get around to starting my vegetables when I should have. I ended up getting it all done… but a full 6 weeks late. So yeah, I’ll get fewer tomatoes, etc., than usual…. but it’s OK! I am trying to not beat myself up about it, and (mostly) succeeding. Thank you for talking about how sometimes as gardeners, we can’t do as much as we want, or on the ideal schedule. It’s still worth doing!
That is gorgeous rodgersia! With the heat wave maybe the best option is going to be gardening/enjoying after dark. Might try using a head lamp.