I have a system of "garden fork and spade. I had 2 hips replaced so no bending from the waist and only slight flexing of the knees.
I stick the fork in the ground next to where I want to plant. I have to stand over any hole I dig. No Leaning stretching or or awkward reaching,I would be flat on anything under me.
I plunge the spade in the ground ,hold onto the fork with left hand and the spade handle with the right and set my foot on the spade and push.
I have never planted anything at the required depth and yet things thrive.
The bench thing is a good idea. I had a garden cart but was cheap and didnt pay the extra 20 bucks for a stearing model. What a pain. I had to stand and position the kart in order to plant or weed a curved bed.

More of my gardens
http://picasaweb.google.com/jg...
http://picasaweb.google.com/jg...
http://picasaweb.google.com/jg...

ge1836 said:I have never planted anything at the required depth and yet things thrive.

I've had the same experience, Jo Ann. I typically go for the smallest viable rootball on plants... not for health reasons, but because digging a big hole in Louisiana soil is like creating a nice new swimming pool for your plant... even in raised beds! I also like being able to plant companion plants without having to worry about disturbing the roots of the established plants around the new ones. I think the recent push toward always purchasing larger plants is ill-advised because the plant has spent a longer time acclimating to a greenhouse or the climate where it was raised rather than adapting from an early age to the environment in which it will grow. Give me a one-gallon or smaller rose any day over a three-gallon! For most plants, I go for quart or smaller. The only exception to that has been when I plant slower-growing evergreen shrubs (like camellias) and trees.

With all that you have to go through to create your gardens, Jo Ann, they are even more of a marvel!!! I'm so impressed with what you have accomplished. =)

I have difaculty with gallon sizes too.Too cumbersome getting the plant out of the pot and into the ground without loosing soil. We have clay soil here,and lots of rocks.No wet feet in my garden.

Another garden album
http://picasaweb.google.com/jg...
http://picasaweb.google.com/jg...

What great fun starting and growing a garden...Jo Ann your moving right along. At 69 with open heart surgery 4 years ago , back surgery 7 years ago .. I know how it is. I do share your love for it all.

I think you will agree with me when I say I need the garden work hard as it is. Its a diversion from the pain of aging.
I have to choose my poisons when it comes to forums and trading plants and seeds.
I just dont dig and send plants to others I just cant. If I was 20 years younger it would be a different matter.

JoAnn you are inspiring and i can tell a very determined lady. I have had some concern lately as to how much gardening I can do. I sure don't want to quit and after reading about your gardens I feel I should just trudge? ahead.
I can't wait to see how you fill those lasagna beds. You're right though it is best to do a season ahead but sometimes we just have to do what we have to do. It does seem to take a long time but that newspaper will eventually deteriorate. Improves the soil in the process. Now I'm going to check out some of your albums
Veronica

JoAnn: You are definitely a testimony to not letting your limitations hinder you ! Bravo !

Jo Ann, this is simply an amazing amount of work! I had to laugh at your description of plants being planted 'askew' and it reminded me of my friend on Dave's Garden, Katye, who always says 'everything wants to live'. It's a saying that I remember often, and fondly. Your gardens are really coming along and are looking just beautiful! How fortunate your kids are to have you doing the 'beautification' work. Hmm. Maybe I ought to let my kids read this thread, for later reference, you know. I cannot imagine ever NOT gardening. Isn't is wonderful to know that we don't have to 'double dig' perennial borders? Who made that rule anyway? We killed off really invasive blackberries and english ivy using cardboard and a thick layer of compost. The next year, we had great soil and no nasty vines. No digging required. I'm with you on that.

I have one of those seats. They are marvelous.
What is that beautiful daylily in post 75940? It's a stunner!

I have a story about nearly everything and that DL is a great one.
It proves the theory "dont be too quick to judge and toss".
2007 I ordered Starling DL's from B&D Lilies, along with some lillium.
Spring of 2008 all bloomed but what I got wasnt Starling so I wrote and they replaced.
The red lily was the replacement and it was wrong too. It takes patience to wait a season for the truth to come out.
Anyway they made good on the replacement ,finally.
I was looking at their cat. and found the Red Lily.
It is Red Thrill( a spider) I am so over the top with this lily. I did get Starling finally and the Lillium \s never were right.
My feeling is B&D hired people who cant read. It Happens.
They are a great source and I recomend them mearly because customer service was good. ..
Red Thrill w/ echi.I love the reds and purples together

What a beautiful house, JoAnn, and the plants on the deck look fabulous!

Thanks ZuZu I live with DD and SIL. I am in charge of gardens,suits me fine.This was my old house. not much room for plants
Containers in useless driveway,that was about it.Lot 40x120.

Can't wait until this year to see your new photos Jo Ann. You have an artist's eye for color and design. The deck is so relaxing looking. I agree that the lasagna beds are the way to go. I didn't figure that out until I did the bed in my neighbor's garden. It was so much easier than what I was doing before. I'm 61 and starting to wonder if I will be able to keep up with everything by the time I retire. Sure is encouraging to hear that if there's a will, there's a way. My Mom is 87 and still enjoys her plants, but needs help with things like weeding. Only hope I will still be in my own home at that age. Super photo of the poly lily!

Susan

I have pleanty of time to figure out why I still garden. I have the emotional energy and need to put it somewhere.
I always wonder how long I have before its just impossible.
DD doesnt have the same garden philosophy that I do.
She gardens on weekends.Her garden is on a slope. I dont dare attempt anything there.

Jo Ann, your gardens are just gorgeous. I can't wait to see pictures this year and next. With some of my JIs, some of the lilies we're getting, and and some of Eveys clems.

I ordered three clems myself

Stilldew, funny you should mention JoAnn's 'artistic' eye for color and design. She is a watercolorist beyond compare. Even her photo collages are wonderful to look at and picture in my own garden. Due to her success with lasagna beds she has been my inspiration to set a few up last fall for veggies this spring. They should be JUST right in about a week when I put in peas. Thanks, JoAnn, for showing us to be persistent in our passions as we age.

South Jersey PEAS yet?
It will be ages before DD puts any seeds in the ground. Mid April we will start toms in the house.

Yep, south Jersey peas. My dad always said St. Patrick's Day to put in peas, but we are a little warmer than where he lived so I'm thinking around the 7th.

ummmmm