I can appreciate your comment Lyn - my OH has taken over various heavier jobs giving me more time to not only concentrate on the plants, deadheading and designing various projects like a new fence, new hedge, new wild flower areas but also to take time to enjoy the garden too. I was only too happy to see him gradually take on the heavy jobs.
In our old garden, I mowed the grass and OH did edging. In this garden, OH does 95% of the mowing which I didn't like at first as trundling round on the mower gave me the opportunity to see all the bits I don't visit every day and think about what and how to do things in the future to make this plot a garden. Other than the contant disagreement about mowing heights (he cuts it shorter than I would) it does mean he isn't messing in my flower beds which is better for them.
He also does heavier jobs I can't do any more cos of arthritic bits and has said he'll be chief weeder in the veggie plot. That saves me time to sow, pot on, plant out, plot and plan.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
My BH (better half when working) removed the greenhouse glass on number 2 so we didn’t have to water the veg in there. Most plants are well protected (carrot fly) and seedlings are not ravaged by slugs. They come on very quickly. Glass will be replaced when we need it. Val
Something else that's made a difference is recognising when plan A isn't going to work and adpating to a plan B or C or D. Flexibility is the key to saving time and resources.
The reasons can be as varied as discovering the soil in a particular area of the garden isn't suitable for what I wanted to do to finding that the site of an intended new flower bed is a dumping ground for roof tiles from a building that's been levelled. Can't dig that ourselves so do we get a man with a bulldozer or find a new site? Still working on that one.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Recognising weed seedlings from plant seedlings.......this year I have loads of self seeded plants, which are more hardy and longer lasting than pot grown plants.
I agree that giving up on certain plants and choosing ones you really love / that really work, it's very liberating. It feels a bit radical. Last year I took a lot of plants I inherited with the house - floppy roses I dislike, berberis, lonicera, wisteria. This year things look a bit sparse as shrubs new in will take a while to get going. But hopefully I will start to reap the rewards in the next few years. Six deep red roses have gone in. I am getting faster at knowing whether I like a new plant and passing it on if it doesn't work.
Putting in an irrigation system is top of my list for the spring. Liberation indeed. I didn't realise until recently quite how much I dislike watering every day. I picked up a system for half price this summer and have just plumbed in a better garden tap that actually works properly, has real water pressure and doesn't leak.
Posts
He also does heavier jobs I can't do any more cos of arthritic bits and has said he'll be chief weeder in the veggie plot. That saves me time to sow, pot on, plant out, plot and plan.
The reasons can be as varied as discovering the soil in a particular area of the garden isn't suitable for what I wanted to do to finding that the site of an intended new flower bed is a dumping ground for roof tiles from a building that's been levelled. Can't dig that ourselves so do we get a man with a bulldozer or find a new site? Still working on that one.