Well you could make an automated irrigation system for yourself. They're fairly easy to make and all the parts are available at Home Depot.

But that being said, I think it would take away from your quality time with your plants.

Another good arguement to make a nice sitting area next to your favorite bed.

Cheers!

I'd love to have a irrigation system but as you said it would take away my quality time with my plants, I do tend to talk to them and such and I'm afraid they would miss me (I tend the plants as I water them and deadhead etc...). *wink* I have 12 gardens, I don't think I need that many sitting areas to be honest and besides I couldn't pick a favorite because I love them all! Both ideas are good though, I'll mull them around in my melon! Thanks!

That 20% chance of rain we had in our area seems to have gone to pot today...*pout*

I too enjoy personal time with my plants. Can't say I talk to them, but I'm like a mother hen picking off bad plant parts and providing general encouragement.

I'll say one thing, and I'm sure that there are people who will fall on either side of the "fence" with this.

But I think "attention" to plants is just as important, if not more so, than fertilizer, in general terms.

Let's face it, our plants have no brains. But they are alive and I think they can sense the "positive vibes" of a good gardener.....

Tea is good for you :)
I do talk to my plants even in the front yard. The neighbors know I'm from California so they probably expected that I'd be a bit strange. I have embarrassed myself getting "caught" threatening to "shovel prune" a plant that wasn't behaving. I'm in my own little world when I garden. It's a great de-stresser. PJ

I talk to my plants, and birds, and insects, and frogs --- you name it, if it's in my garden, I talk to it. PJ, you don't have to be from California for people to think you are strange. But, hey, if it works for us --- let's go for it !!!

I talk to everything - bugs, birds, lizards, the cats. If there isn't anything around, I talk to myself. Trouble is when there are other people around and you're talking to yourself. Gets embarrassing.

I was talking to this little green lizard on Monday. He was sitting on a wall in front of my office building. I saw him turn his head and look at me so I told him he was really cute and I was glad he was there because we have a hill of fire ants nearby and I hoped he'd help to control them. He just kept looking at me with that one little green eye. Then one of the guys in my office came out and heard me talking and he looked at the lizard too, and said, "Hi," and walked on by. Really. I think he could have been a little more sociable than that. Cheryl

ROFL!!!!

Lol, I talk to stuff too. I am always muttering something and my husband is saying what did you say? Oh nothing I was just talking to the plant, lol. I mostly curse at the bugs and chewed up foliage but I hope nobody hears that, lol. I do sweet talk my geckos and tell them to eat up. I was talking to a lady bug at our shop and one of the customers thought I was crazy. I said oh I was just telling him what plant he needed to go get on and have a snack.

Well I'm glad to know I'm in good company talking to plants/frogs/etc...*lol* I saw a beautiful dragonfly the other day and I just had to tell it how pretty it was, I know my neighbors think I'm a crazy lady. *giggle*

I talk to frogs & toads and taunt the mockingbird who wants my tomatoes! lol

Oh, Marti, I even talk to my mocking birds --- they love to sing for me if I show them a little attention.

Somehow I've gotten in the habit of saying "Grow, Everybody, Grow! Except you, Pittosporum." My husband thinks I'm nuts. I also issue threats out loud to those plants that aren't behaving properly...it even works sometimes. My agapanthus shaped right up and put out 7 blooms after I told them what an embarassment they were to me since everyone else's had bloomed weeks earlier. They were threatened with a trip to the garbage can and they did as they were told.

I do the same thing, talk to plants and all the critters around. In fact just the other day I wanted to slip out front just to see about watering the front lawn and there were birds and a squirrel at the fountain getting a drink, I slip back inside but before doing so I told them to go back to drinking and I'll leave them alone for now.

When I see one of my baby anoles I try to catch it to show DH how cute they are. I nearly caught one and I told him I just wanted to show him off, didn't work he got away.

If one of my plants isn't doing well I tell it fine be that way, I'll just whack you down and replace you.

Sometimes I tell them if you live fine if not OH WELL, I did my part.

How did we get from Lazy gardener to talking gardener LOL.

Well from Lazy Gardener to Talking Gardener is fine too, I'm enjoying the stories!!! *lol*

I'm actually getting to be a Lazy Gardener again today, we got a good piece of that storm that blew (and I mean BLEW) in yesterday afternoon so I don't have to water today! After the storm I had to fetch my lawn chairs/bent flag poles/plants/etc...from all over the yard. 60-70mph winds lashed my place pretty good during that storm I tell ya! *whew* I need a break after getting my yard back in order yesterday!

I'm so lazy I have soaker hoses everywhere.

I'm so lazy I use a 1x4 in front of my garden brick to kill the grass so I don't have to weedeat.

I'm so lazy I plant ground covers so I don't have to replace mulch every year.

I think I need soaker hoses too!

I got to be lazy again today as God did my watering for me this morning when a slow but steady rain fell for almost 2 hours!

I think I need more ground cover too...