There's just too much!

When we first moved in, this house was in major disrepair! It had been in the family for many years. The most recent 8-10 years, no one had taken care of it. We had lots to replace inside, including walls, floors, ceilings etc. The yard consisted of 4 foot high grass and weeds and lots of debris. I spent the first year just cleaning it up!

I had a brown thumb at the time, but thought I'd take the yard on! After lots of research and trial and error, I managed to create a beautiful landscape. {or so I think!} We have just under an acre, and I was tired of mowing. I created 7 different gardens, with one being a veggie garden. Well, after 14+ years of pulling weeds to maintain each garden, I quit! It is so much more work to maintain gardens versus just simple mowing!

I have replanted and/or given away most of my plants from my perennial garden. It is now grass again. It's funny though. As I was replanting grass there, my neighbor stopped by to ask why I was doing that. He thought I should plant a nice Xeriscape garden. Hey! That's what I had, but YOUR tree{that you don't trim} is sending SO MANY seeds here and I'm tired of picking the plants from them. No, I didn't say that. I just thought it instead! he he

Instead of re mulching around my shrubs and hedges, I'm letting the grass grow back, it wants to anyway! I'll just mow around them. {a reel mower will be next on the list}

I removed a small Chinese Elm hedge. When I plated them, I didn't know they were classified as a weed! There is so much involved in keeping these alive! And lots of trimming! They grow very fast!

We are currently trimming trees WAY back! The fruit trees are over producing and I spend so much time picking up what falls off. Also, the trees are too big for the fruit to get big enough to use! The tree uses all of it's energy to grow each piece of fruit, so they all stay small and bitter.

I'm slowly deciding that simple is best. I want to have some relaxation time this summer! It seems that I spend all sunlight hours pulling weeds, trimming hedges or trees, cleaning fruit that fell off of trees and so on...

I will keep my veggie garden, as that is beneficial! I have a few more established gardens that will stay, but no more annual gardens. I will plant a few things in a large pot near the door.

I am looking forward to a day of rest! {and shorter to-do lists!}