BIG, BIG JOB

I have a very large garden in Ipswich, Queensland. We're on 2.5 acres and probably 3/4 acre around the house is a sort of garden. Over the 9 years I've lived here I have had gardeners in off and on and as recently as a year ago spent a lot of money getting the garden tidied up. I don't have time to manage it BUT don't want it paved either!! Could someone suggest how I go about dealing with this huge problem in small easy steps that will see in in the end (maybe a year's time) with an easy manageable garden. Is there such a thing?

holy cow, that is ALOT of garden to be easy and manageable (I envy you all the space !) I'm sure someone will come up with some suggestions.

plant a lot of native plants that won't require so much attention, and then have smaller areas for your "higher maintenance" plants. Just MHO...

Would you like say an orchard for growing fruit which would also add colour as it flowers, it would offer shade for some plants too, I dont mean on a huge scale, but you could divide the area up by using fruit trees etc, you could divide the area up into little manageable rooms, like divided by trellises etc so that as you meander around some paths, you come across a surprise onto a rose garden area, a herb area, a veg area etc, I would perhaps go along to your local library for some books on landscape designs to give you ideas on how to divide and separate your large area into a more manageable task, like fruit dont need as much time spent as say veg and they dont all need attention all at the same time, this becomes more seasonal than one large open garden, I have a much larger garden than you, so it is a question of adding the bones to the garden like paths, beds and all construction work with an idea of what areas will be used for what, like veg or herbs are better close to the house for ease of collecting, fruit is seasonal so you have a harvest time, it is not as complicated as you think it will be, so read up on this first so you dont make any costly mistakes, you will get there in the end AND the garden you want/can manage as we all have different time, money and experience as to how our gardens can develop. Hope this helps a bit, dont get disheartened, Rome was not built in a day, gardens take time to evolve, mature and give pleasure. WeeNel.

I have about the same size yard as you, otherday, and it was completely bare when I moved in a year ago. It's going slower than I'd like 'cus I'm doing it all myself, but I'm very carefully choosing low maintenance perennials, choosing them for color & season-long bloom time. It hasn't been real easy 'cus I have full, hot sun & very hard clay soil, but I have lung disease and know I won't be able to take care of a high maintenance garden in a few years, so I'm planning very carefully now, so I can enjoy it then. :)

Thanks for all the suggestions people.
WeeNel ... I'm off to the library straight after Christmas to embark on your suggestions.
A piece of good news ... I planted a lemon tree when I first moved in and realised after 6 months it was in the wrong spot, moved it and it's not grown much BUT this year we have fruit!
Merry Christmas everyone. Happy holidays.

Hi Otherday, we all make mistakes where we plant things when we first get started trying to make a garden, still do on occasions so don't let that put you off, just remember to move things around at the coolest time of year and prepare the ground well for the new position, good you have fruit, most trees take a while to get growing when moved as they get a wee bit of shock, but soon recover, if your tree is fruiting, then it is happy, putting energy into the fruiting season so wont grow much till the fruiting time is over, be patient. when you get to the library, look out for books that are easy for you to read and understand, some are way over the amature gardeners head and ruin what should be a wonderful learning experience for you, they are expensive to buy, so if you do buy books, have a read at them first so you know it is the right book for you. try looking at a mixture of books on planting borders with say a mixture or shrubs and flowers and some om landscaping ideas, you might not like the planting themes in the books, but it helps you understand the way to plant for the least amount of after care and landscaping is better for starting ideas flowing in your head, saves you lots of expensive mistakes too. good luck. soon you will be on your way and enjoying you gardening time. best wishes for the season, WeeNel.