@gingerw When people exclaim about our yard, we always remind them it took over 30 years to get here, and each year is a new adventure. The first 10 years were spent removing and giving away 14 tons of washed river rock and pulling out landscape fabric so I could have gardens. The next 25 have been spent designing, planting, redesigning, mulching, redesigning, edging, redesigning...

I do know I'm done expanding and ready to simplify. For example, I'm done with garden "thugs" - as soon as I figure out a plant wants to spread beyond where I want it, out it goes. If it's too much work, out it goes - so we buy our apples at the orchard now. Last week Russian sage was ruthlessly eliminated from the mailbox bed, where it wants to crowd out the lilies, daylilies and roses. Today as we relaxed and looked at the back fence line, I told my husband the large spectacular clump of one native, the Cup Plant, needs to go because it wants to be The Boss, and even the seedlings are a challenge to remove. Now I get to choose one or two showy shrubs to replace it and find someone with a strong back to dig it out.

Today another 90 coneflowers, milkweed plants and a few other natives were potted to go to my sister and her son for their gardens, which means the pond garden is nearly finished for this year...except more mulch - about 20 bags of it.

Tomorrow I tackle the 15' x 100' back garden - that one takes a solid week to get under control, and probably has another 500 seedlings to share. I don't think I'll even bother to try to get my fingernails or feet completely clean until that's done. Yesterday I even found dirt inside my bra when I went to shower - my kids used to say I really get into my work.

I would be going a lot slower except I have exactly 3 weeks until thumb surgery, then I'm out of the garden for at least 6 weeks, and not much good for the next 6. I'm going to hire the 12 year old next door or my nephew's boys down the road to keep the feeders and birdbaths cleaned and filled, pond skimmed and filters clean, since all their summer activities have been cancelled - we'll see which one wants to play in the water most.

So Ginger, give yourself a break. Set one or two goals each season, then sit back and enjoy what you've done. Let the land tell you what it wants! To me, the most important feature of any landscape is a peaceful place to sit, and comfortbale chairs to sit in.

What's your big goal for this spring?
Sue