It's not a sin. You gotta do what ya gotta do right? There's no fun in gardening if you can't enjoy it :D

Vera

That's right. It's been a crummy year for me too. I think most will bounce back, but I certainly don't blame you for downsizing.

Hey, I HEAR YOU! While I do have a lot of borders (and as someone here so wise put it "a lot of maintenance"..), and we even cut down more trees which left me another huge border for flowers, I have changed a lot of what I am planting.

I just bought 8 spireas real cheap and decided to incorporate more shrubs into my cottage gardens. It's less I have to fill (with seedlings) and it gives the border a bit of substance in the summer. (Too bad they are bare during the winter)...

Carrie

I am not downsizing. I have no grass to speak of.
I covered my entire garden with thick mulch. We were rather dry this spring and the mulch helped. Last month we had a LOT of rain.

I am replacing some plants in the front border with more Ornamental grass. It does not need a lot of water. Finally planted out my Panicum virgatum and Briza media last weekend. I WS them but couldn't figure out where to plant them earlier.

Carrie, I started to add shrubs to my borders years ago. They are the structure and give winter interest.

I have some miniature conifers, Redtwig Dogwood, Winterflame Dogwood, Coral Embers Willow. Hydrangea 'Annabelle' & Yucca. Ornamental grass and Sedum 'Autumn Joy' also are very pretty in winter. I have something to look at year round

Oh, I also planted 3 'Little King' birch in the same hole. They are about 7ft tall now. The barks are very pretty in winter.

I sinned too.
I ripped out all my mini gardens and garden path in my teeny backyard to put down grass so the little man can run about safely. Front lawn won't work, not fully fenced, neighbor's dogs, etc.
Whatever was worth saving got pulled.

It's not a sin, it's a blessing! Last year I had smothered some areas to create new beds, I decided to return them to grass and seeded them with lawn mix. Every year I put in more bushes which takes away from the space I was growing annuals--the bushes are great to look at, they do require some pruning, but they're not waterhogs and don't need to be deadheaded as frequently as annuals or perennials...pruning them does it all.

T

I just gotta squeeze this in here - pitimpinai, you are my gardening hero! I am always amazed at what you do with your small(ish) yard. I have almost an acre (lots of woods and shade) and I am always hesitant - well, let's be honest - I'm *afraid* to overplant, or plant big shrubs, etc. You always inspire me. Now if I could only put that inspiration into actual action!

danaoh, it's not a sin! Vera hit the nail on the head - you need to do what you need for yourself, and if you don't enjoy it, it's not fun! So downsize, do what you need to do, and enjoy it next year!

:)
Dee

pitimpinai - I have lots of caryopteris shrubs in my borders, but adding more spireas is really going to help cut down on having to sow seeds just to fill in the empty spaces. I only wish both of those shrubs were evergreen during the winter. The only "evergreens" I have are my loropetalums - which are gorgeous with pink fringed flowers in the spring - but they are more like the back of my borders rather than incorporated in the garden.

Does anyone have a nice, flowering evergreen shrub for their cottage gardens?

Carrie

Oh - I just thought of something - I could put some gardenias in the garden - we have plenty of those in my yard. ( I don't want azaleas)...

Carrie

Don't see it as a sin either. Your gardens are supposed to be for pleasure, enjoyment and beauty. If it becomes a chore, then it defeats everything gardens are supposed to be.

Gardens are also supposed to be a "work in progress", never finished, never ending. That's why only parts of my flower beds have stayed the same over the past 27 years. The rest of the beds are "the work in progress".

The past 2 years have been difficult years for me to garden. Ortho problems and spinal surgery have given me some limitations.
Based on that, my garden beds have had dramatic changes. I've WS tons of plants, and put a lot of the annuals in pots to place in the beds and all the perennials in the beds. Grouped together those pots look great, need more water, but easier to water when grouped together.

Hubby has helped dig out plants and move them so that more and more of them are together, like with like, water needs with water needs.
Besides, so little water falling from the sky has created big time drought this year. So looking at more and more drought tolerant plants as well.

The big project for the fall is a new lasagna bed where the oak tree used to be. In the spring all the iris that have given me a great deal of difficulty watering the past 2 years will be moved into it. Will give me a "naked" side of the house but no one will see it but us and the major beds will be all in one location.

Sounds like more beds, but it really is consolidating them into one big area, but keeping them separate. It works for me and that's what gardening is all about. What ever works for you.

Fran

I agree, too. Our drought status has moved from "severe" to "extreme", with the rain deficit now one FOOT, almost 50 days now have been over 90 degrees. This makes gardening more of a chore than a pleasurable hobby.

Is this a weather trend? Who knows. I will try to go on as before for one more year. But if next year is the same, my new lasagna beds will also be planted with grass again. Going on like this would be stupid, I think. I'm also planting more drought resistant varieties.

We supposedly have a chance of scattered showers in the next few days, with temps cooling to highs of upper 70s by late week. Trying to remain hopeful, but I will be turning sprinklers on as soon as the sun comes up.

Karen

have no grass to speak of either, after several years of WS every spare inch seems to be double and triple planted. It is somewhat depressing that I won't be able to do my usual 200+ containers for WS- will have to be very careful with my seed selection since there is no space left ...
at same time I am downsizing as well but not in flowerbed size. Shrubs and conifers that grow through my beds are getting bigger and taking more space. I have lots of viburniums, hydrangeas, fothergilla, physocarpus diablo and darts gold, sambucus, japanese maples etc.
Am removing plants that are not showy enough or way too high in maitanence. Have been steadily enlarging my hosta collection and that is bringing me desired low maitanence plants, hosta needs are quite simple and they enjoy growing under my oaks. Less staking, deadheading and quite a lot of foliage show for loooong time- some of them are really stunning and many change their colors throughout the summer so it is not static.

Carrie, I love osmanthus.

I...on the other hand...laid out edges today for an expanded bed in front. Less grass, more room for other plants. I have had a pretty good year in my garden. Guess I'm not quite ready to cut back just yet.