Garden changes and phases

4 days ago

last modified: 4 days ago

I have noticed myself wanting to replace more and more perennials with shrubs the last year or two. Shrubs have always had a place in my borders, but lately as things needs replacing or culling, shrubs quickly pop into mind as a replacement rather than a different perennial, especially this year.

I hate to admit it, but I've lost a lot of motivation and desire to do much outside. I still want to be outside and I always want to look at things outside, I just don't want to put so much work into things outside, I want to plant things that have more permanence and less tending, I guess. Plus, I've got a lot of bare spots in winter, I told myself I'm going to start focusing more on smaller (non-broadleaf) evergreens where I can that I can enjoy out the window when the perennials are down for the winter. I enjoy my winterberries, so I planted a few more of those this summer right in view out the bedroom window, and I have shrubs with interesting winter bark or features of some sort or another.

I can still physically do a lot, but not as much as I used to be able to, and if I do too much at one my wrists ache terribly and my hip screams at me for the next couple of days so digging or anything too strenous should be limited to just a couple of hours now. The biggest problem with that is I have a tendency to want to keep pushing myself when I want to get something done so I don't follow my own advice even though I know better. Case in point -- transplanting/planted four trees last weekend....

I also just feel tapped out regarding design. While certainly not at the level of professionals, this is something I used to really sink my teeth into. I did a pretty good job of things here with what I had to work with so all that mental energy and yearly tinkering (er...rampaging...) paid off, but this year I just feel...tired. Oh, there's still things I find that need improvement, I don't think I'll ever be a person who can look at something and not see a possibility to make it better, but I no longer go digging into resources for inspiration or specific plant ideas. I do miss the learning though -- used to loving poring over information and just learning about plants and gardening and technique. I guess that's what 30 years of experience does -- there really isn't much to learn anymore {shrug}.

So I guess this a post about how gardens and gardeners' take on them change over time along with changing priorities, interests, and capacities.

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maackia

3 days ago

Interesting topic and one I can certainly identify with. I turn 70 in just over two months, so adjusting garden desires to physical abilities has definitely come into play. I've lived at my current residence for 15 years and was a planting fool the first half of that time. I still plant new stock, but it is much less and I'm more discerning on what I plant.

My spouse, who is about the same age, has always been the perennial gardener, while my interest was with trees & shrubs. What's interesting is that over the last seven years (since I retired) our interests have started to overlap. I have learned the value of herbaceous plants in the garden, and she has become more interested in trees & shrubs. This past weekend we went to a restaurant where there was a beautiful blue conifer near the entrance. As we got closer she said, "It's a Concolor fir!" What a good feeling that was. :)

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Comments (6)

zephyrgal pacific nw
3 days ago
last modified: 3 days ago
Gee Porkchop, I could have said the same! I transitioned from perennials to shrubs and trees and find it very satisfactory. Like you, I don't seem to have the desire to spend hours fussing over my plantings and I tend to think more about what I could or need to do than actually getting it done! I've become very fond of conifers, especially cryptomerias, and broadleaf evergreens. Now, in my early 70's, I'm enjoying watching my trees and shrubs mature and contemplating which will be need to be culled before I no longer have view from inside my house or for that matter a view of my house from the outside!
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Marie Tulin Boston burbs z 6a
3 days ago
I can so relate to these posts. yesterday my thoughts turned, once again, to losing more lawn and my increasing disinterest in perennials. I enjoy the scale, textures and permanence of trees and shrubs more and more. Ive always incorporated woodies into my garden but now i want them to be foreground, not background. yesterday i had a brainstorm to remove the 15 or so June hostas from under the fringe tree and replace with …..what? Something with fall color, rabbit, deer resistant, shade tolerant- low grow sumac? This will keep me up at night for weeks. Or just bedding impatients? The cost of a new tree could keep me in annuals for a decade.

It is good to ruminate about these things with gardening companions (of long standing)instead of reading prescriptive magazine articles. I too am in my 7th decade.

marie
diggerdee zone 6 CT
2 days ago
porkchop, yes! This! It's why I have about 8 potted shrubs sitting in my yard as I decide what and where to put them!

My issue is time. I've always been short of enough time to really do what I'd like in the garden, and since my little girlies arrived 4 years ago, I have so much childcare duty that my time is even tighter. Then this year I had a knee issue and lost over two months in the garden! Yikes, it's a jungle out there! Literally lol.

So I am putting in evergreens and flowering shrubs. Or at least I plan to lol. First step is to finally decide WHAT, then WHERE, and then - the hardest part - a) restrain myself from buying too many more perennials and b) stop sowing 100 jugs of annuals! I guess I can cut down on my dahlias too.

Anyway, no time at the moment (haha of course not!) to fully read this thread but hope to come back and read it all and commiserate and join in again. But when I saw your post I HAD to respond because this has been my plan for the last few years!

:)

Dee
roxanna
2 days ago
This thread is an echo chamber for me, lol! Everything you each wrote describes me well, except for turning more to tree/shrub installation. My 3 acres have far too many mature oaks, maples and pines to warrant any more big trees. Then there's the huge river birch I planted 25 years ago, and the crabapple and Japanese maple ditto. Bridal Wreath, lilacs, roses, High bush blueberries, a hedge fo inkberry. And others...

Since I became an octogenarian a couple of months ago, I am also struggling with my growing lack of interest anad strength, generally, and my inability to attack my gardens the way I once did. Most frustrating! But I am trying to deal with aging and to not overdo things which always end up in pain. Silly woman, it's time to be more mindful before I do myself an injury!

This year I allowed the front lawn to become the start of a "meadow" by not mowing a large section of it and letting Mother Nature have her way: Black-eyed Susan, Queen Anne's Lace, forget-me-nots, taller grass growth, some native asters -- none planted by me. And the result was decently pleasing - to me AND to many, many more bees & butterflies than I have seen for several years. Just what I'd hoped would happen. =) I'm not lazy, just trying to help the environment here!
Still trailing
2 days ago
Interesting thread as I started seeking out more shrubs 2 yrs ago. I have had mostly a good response. I can't get Fothergillas to do anything for me so I threw out the last one.

I have a deer problem and horrible issues with squirrels and a groundhog digging up all the perennial beds and dislodging the plants. I have tried crushed peppers, ammonia and wire nothing stops them.

I am almost 76 and still have plenty of energy and strength and desire it's just the animals that are wearing me out.

What flowering shrubs and interesting barks are you planting? Nothing very big as I have limited spaces although I guess I can always find room for something special.

Zone 7a Shenandoah Valley Lexington VA ( Winters keep getting colder and Summers hotter and drier ) c

Garden changes and phases

maackia

Comments (6)

zephyrgal pacific nw

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Marie Tulin Boston burbs z 6a

diggerdee zone 6 CT

roxanna

Still trailing

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