Beautiful, Lindsey! Wow, 17! Those Crape Myrtles will be fantastic!! Can't wait to see them in bloom.

What a job and they will be beautiful!

Wish I could grow those!!! Just wonderful!

And to think I just planted five 3-gallon cycads yesterday and my back hurts!

Jim

It does help to have a 23 year old helping his Dad!

Here's the cut down garden today.


It used to look like this!

And other gardens. Now...and then....

That's quite a nice juxtaposition of before and after, Kathy! Or seasonal variations, we could say.

Nooooooooooooo!

Are you okay Ursula???

This is the part about fall that I dislike so much.

I actually like when there's no sign of the plants and next spring they pop up out of nowhere. Just like our hopes and dreams!

Kathy, ! I didn't want to get on a rant, but you folks that get real seasons have a winter wonderland of snowy landscape to look forward to! Here, we just look at our ratty, overgrown gardens and wait till Jan. to cut things back. Our annuals often survive, but don't thrive. Our perenials often rot in the ground during our cold, wet winter, and don't get enough dormancy to put on a show in the spring. Our tropicals are always iffy. At least, you have a good idea what to expect! The only reason we wait till Jan. to cut back the roses is to give them a rest and give the spring bulbs some sun. I don't envy you the snow problems, but I do envy your gardens.

Kathy, I am ok. "Noooo" because your blooming gardens are so pretty!! But yes, there is something to be said for changing seasons. A first Crocus and Snowdrops are something to look forwards to after a long cold Winter....

Yep. So, Carol, it sounds like I shouldn't move to So Cal!

Not until you're too old to keep up your beautiful property.

nice before and after kathy - hope to get most of mine done this weekend and next. had been waiting for all the leaves to fall.

Boojum, I hope you are joking. But if you aren't , when is the yard sale?

I started our garden when I went to a yard sale and after finding very little, I asked the owner if she would sell me some of her big lavender plants. She said, " Why not" as she was divorcing her husband and moving. So I went home and got the truck and a couple of pals and we dug up everything she had that we could. Instant garden. We dug Lavenders, lambs ears , box, hollyhocks, thyme, sage, day lilies, and tons of other stuff. That was in 1983 and those early plants were the start of our flower and herb garden. Many of them are happily still growing where I planted them. Patti

Wow! Patti, I think your gardens have surpassed mine!!! Just gorgeous! And a great story which I didn't know till now! You are full of surprises, girl!

Breathtaking, Patti!