Year 4...

This is year 4 for the front garden. Everything is new here except the boxwood at the foundation. Lily beetles nearly destroyed on stand of lilies. They seem to be more under control now. This is the first year the hollyhocks have reseeded and come back. Petunias should start to fill in now that weather has turned warmed. The irises were magnificent this year (weak last year).

Scarlet lily beetle
The scarlet lily beetle, red lily beetle, or lily leaf beetle, is a leaf beetle that eats the leaves, stem, buds, and flower, of lilies, fritillaries and other members of the family Liliaceae. Wikipedia
Scientific name: Lilioceris lilii
Rank: Species
Higher classification: Lilioceris

Wow Don, 4 years in and looking GOOD!

Your garden is gorgeous! You must have been working really hard to get such great results in such a short time!

I use Captain Jack's Deadbug, which contains Spinosad, to control the lily beetles. It has to be re- applied regularly as it is organic and breaks down quickly. They suggest using it at dusk when the bees are gone for the day, as it doesn't harm them once it's dry.

We are weekenders, so I use it when we arrive and before we leave. It's made all the difference.

Good luck!

Got any more pictures to share?

Absolutely stunning, gracious, lovely. Wonderful scale, proportionality, site use.

Very inspiring as I contemplate the eventual look when we retire to our little Ohio bungalow fulltime!

Four years eh. Hm......

~Susan

Getting older and having to change up things is a challenge. I am working to reduce maintenance time by changing some flower beds etc, it's hard! Pool, what do you have planned for your retirement home?

I hear ya. My back especially hears ya. I started a thread where I hope to post plans as they shape up.... One thing I know is that the patio outside my kitchen door will have to have some raised container gardening going on. I'm trying to get it thru my head that small is ok. Slow is ok. Planning for less able-bodied work as years go on is ok. Even despite a more normal metabolism than I've had since 4th grade, there may be energy but the bones are the bones. I will have to remember that gardening will be PT probably for the duration.

What's your biggest challenge in keeping it do-able? I mean you can reduce maint TIME but how are you making the work itself less wearing?

I'm making sweeping curves in the back yard so I can get it with the riding mower. I eliminated the front yard, and I'm putting almost all of into gravel for parking. those kind of changes.

Will the planting area now in work be big enough? Will you do containers on the gravel?

It was a compromise. The island will be a bit of maneuvering hindrance but I NEEDED a flower bed I could see. No, containers on gravel. I have the flower bed against the house. I wish for the sake of impact the island could have been bigger but it can't and really have the "semi-circle drive" work. I have a lot of work to do and right now the "quest room" has to be the priority.