popular What have you done today in the Garden?

I got as much done as I intended.
All the wisterias have had their winter prune.

The big acer in the front garden still needs its annual trim and shape. But I can do that any time whilst its dormant, with my Barnel telescopic pruner and my Fiskars telescopic lopper. No need for a ladder, which will please my wife.



I mowed the front lawn, got quite a bit off it.There's the usual bare patches under the azaleas, it gets little or no sun there, but it will recover with a bit of seed, by the middle of the summer.




I collected a lot more leaves, mostly from the azaleas, still a few more yellowed ones to fall.

I'll give the back garden a tidy tomorrow while it's staying dry.

 

That's what I am doing too. It's a challenge at first. Then it becomes easier and goes faster.

I watch episodes of "Hoarders" for inspiration. My yard isn't even close to what is shown there, but if it's hard to manage, it's better to make choices and prioritize what produces better or is less work.

 

Down sizing at first is difficult for the ‘Plantor’ in the long run it’s healthier for the ‘Plantee’.
I agree on your theory on downsizing. I never wudda imagined how developing an open minded outlook could be so rewarding . It’s a feeing of inner belief system thru a lifetime of experience has become the resolution of peace and better self awareness of our surroundings. Not only has adding sunlight improved openness in my garden but in my heart to let go. A uplift for the garden and a down shift for maintenance. It’s all relative.

 

I guess I could downsize my collection of bits and bats in the garage and shed. But you never know when you'll need something. But as it stays tidy, it doesn't bother me.
There's quite a bit of stuff in the loft, including a 1960s valve guitar amplifier. But it'll all stay there until after we're gone and the kids have sold the house.

 

Down sizeing stuff… I’ve already given the kids what they want. They have had the opportunity to pic and choose what they want which I have wrapped up and placed in a storage area when the time comes . No searching thru stuff is necessary. They don’t have to search thru an entire home full of our stuff to find what’s important to them. What keepsakes we’re important to us are not always as meaningful to others. I don’t want to leave a huge burden on them to sort thru all my stuff. After all they have their own precious time and space for what is important to them. They have their own tastes and memories to cherish to pass along too. Freeing up precious time for family memories keeping a life time of family heirlooms in one place for them to later cherish in one large chest containing 5 generations of family history keeps it simple. As they too will pass this family history chest on to their children. My family history is also collected on CD’s. Keeping it organized simple and straightforward is what helps to evaluate what we all call memories for generations yet to come . While sharing memories we can never forget where we came from. Our past is important and I am lucky that past family members started a tradition that future generations can remember those from many generations gone by , to keep family history alive.

 

Ta Pac

Some folk forget that mods are usually volunteers who get the blame when things go wrong

 

Today, I ave been mostly covering the Rhubarb to force some of it

 

My feelings too, @Pacnorwest. Taking care of too much, can be a burden. It's better to let in the sunshine joy.

Even letting things go, I will still have a lot. Yesterday when I was looking at the dwarf and semidwarf orchard, I had to remind myself how much I had already culled.

I've chosen what will go. I wanted to work on it today but just had energy to start removing a nonproductive fig tree. Super tasty figs, but only made about ten in 15 years. Time to let go.

This is a good time of year for me to do that. Not hot, and other garden tasks are not competing for my efforts.

 

I uploaded mine onto Ancestry.com. Also used that site to expand my search. Some lines go back to the 1600s in UK and what is now Germany. No kings, no criminals, no politicians (same thing?) that I could find. Mostly farmers and soldiers including Civil war and Revolutionary war. I added photos of each person in my lineage as far back as I had them. Lots of gardeners. I grow a few of the same plants and foods, flowers and trees, as some of my ancestors did.

 

I've just sent my DNA off to be tested Daniel, results due back at the end of January

 

Dan… I guess I had the Luck of the Irish. Didn’t need Ancestry dot com… all the pics , info , narration was all in a huge cedar chest with 5 generations of info. And documents. Heck I still grow the iris handed down when my great great grandparents came to the US from Northern Ireland. Even rifles and swords , & clothing from wars past . Coins and stamps from around the world & to much stuff to mention. It’s not worth much to anyone else . However it’s our family story and history of families finding their way for hope and a better way of life . It’s a nice way to pass family history down to the next generations.

Zigs we are all waiting on pins and needles to hear more about your family history.

 

I have not had time to do much outdoors except to clean up doggy-do.

I did get my Baker's Creek catalog the other day. I have been circling items I am interested in getting maybe.

The other garden forum that I was in closed down. It was nice enough.

Happy New Year everyone!

 

AAnightowl, post: 451197, member: 12342"]I have not had time to do much outdoors except to clean up doggy-do.

I did get my Baker's Creek catalog the other day. I have been circling items I am interested in getting maybe.

The other garden forum that I was in closed down. It was nice enough.

Happy New Year everyone![/QUOTE]

Happy New year to you and your family. Nightowl .

Be careful circling stuff in that catalog it can be a hazard that cannot be ignored. Next thing I know when looking thru catalogues online I want to order so many different plants I know that can be way more than I could ever plant .
It’s a case of PUA plant use addiction . It’s time to see my addiction group again before I end up buried while planting next spring.

 

I had intended to do a bit of clearing of some leaves in the back garden this afternoon, after I came back from shopping. but on my way back at 1.00pm. my car decided it was dark enough for headlights, the temperature was only +4c. So I decided not to bother.

 

. Too cold outside. I'm hibernating.