Downsizing your Landscaping

hearlady

hearlady

Basic Member
Location
N Carolina
It's that time of year for working in the yard and getting ready for spring.
Once I get out there I enjoy doing it but I realize that we will never be able to keep this up as we get older and there are no plans to move.
So, I'm broaching the subject of downsizing some garden beds.
Has anyone else had to do this?
Has it made life easier?
 

I have several dead plants and small trees that the 9 degree weather killed back in January and I do not plan on replacing them, I'll do good just to keep the grass mowed.
 

22 years ago the front lawn was replaced with perennial flower beds. (with a SMALL circle of grass for the lawn chair.) The beds are planted with "blue" blooms and it is a bee magnet. Now, I see many homeowners have converted their lawns into beds for flowers and vegetables. Mulch (grass clippings, shredded leaves, fine bark mulch) keeps the weeds down and keep the beds looking "tidy".
 
@hearlady Me! No more perennials unless it just happens that something I pick up is a perennial. I thought I'd be doing DD a favor by planting a lot of perennials, but the older I get, the harder it is to care for them, even the bulb plants. If it's a lot of work for me, it's going to be a lot of work for her, too.

The bulb plants are pretty much easy care, but the others? I get tired just thinking about the work that goes into maintaining them...
 
When hubby would be sawing a large tree into firewood,, the saw would make thin, curly chips.
Local tree service grinds limbs or stumps dumps them at out wood lot.

I've used the wood chips as mulch,, then gather the saw dust to put over the wood chips.

Learned that the combinntion makes a more compack mulch ,,keeps the weeds down.
 
Georgiagranny said:
@hearlady Me! No more perennials unless it just happens that something I pick up is a perennial. I thought I'd be doing DD a favor by planting a lot of perennials, but the older I get, the harder it is to care for them, even the bulb plants. If it's a lot of work for me, it's going to be a lot of work for her, too.

The bulb plants are pretty much easy care, but the others? I get tired just thinking about the work that goes into maintaining them...
Click to expand...
I know! I have to divide some irises. My sister in New Hampshire gave them to me many years ago so they're sentimental. I moved some to a better location and I need to get rid of the older bed altogether. But think after they bloom I'll dig them up and pass them on. Then hubby can mow that spot.
 
Sliverfox said:
When hubby would be sawing a large tree into firewood,, the saw would make thin, curly chips.
Local tree service grinds limbs or stumps dumps them at out wood lot.

I've used the wood chips as mulch,, then gather the saw dust to put over the wood chips.

Learned that the combinntion makes a more compack mulch ,,keeps the weeds down.
Click to expand...
Weeds! We have so many weeds! I've started using a salt, vinegar solution around the bed borders.
We don't spray Roundup because of birds and bees. We have a veggie garden and need the bees!
We do have some big logs that need sawing up.
 
A disabled friend told me about his raised garden. No kneeling, minimal bending. Apparently there are pros and cons, and certain things to consider, so I guess you have to study up first. Something like this.

ba60341ade8cbb67cb54202cb5939110.jpg

DIY-raised-garden-beds-43.jpg
 
Nathan said:
Here in the High Desert most people have multi acre lots, some have farm animals, most don't have any kind of lawn. The coming spring means weeds, lots of weeds as we've had an enormously wet(rain & snow) Winter. I knock down the weeds by towing this behind my truck:

View attachment 271920
View attachment 271921
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Sounds good! Building flower beds and landscape is wonderful when you're young but it has to be kept up.
I advise young people to look ahead to the future before planting anything.
 

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