Well, I am just awed by all you all do. I've never been a gardener.

Years ago I decided I was going to plant the flower bed in front of a rental house. I got the hoe to loosen the dirt and within seconds had ants crawling all over my entire body. I think I was half stripped before I got in the front door as I ran to the shower to hose them all off. Apparently there was a massive ant colony in the bed. That was my last attempt at gardening for years.

I've been enjoying gardening to an extent now but know to keep things as low maintenance as possible so I don't get carried away. I also keep my front yard nicer than the backyard. The planting is much more planned out in front. With the backyard, I have just planted as I go. I've had more failures in the backyard because of that.

I've been limiting my choices to plants that are little to no maintenance. In the dry season, I water once every two weeks (more often for the few container plants). In the front I don't get as many weeds so I hand pull for the most part and have my handiman weed eater the edges. The backyard is more difficult as the weeds are far more prolific. I also get privet shoots coming up constantly and have to deal with them. And then there's the mulberry tree and all the fruit dropping (which brings the flies because there is no way to pick up the fallen fruit). And the neighbor's oak tree that drops catkins all spring. So the backyard gets pretty messy.

T-Don't stress. I'd say everyone deals with garden messes. My neighbor has a big magnolia tree planted on the fence line. Wrong place for a tree let alone a beautiful tree like this magnolia-however it is a sloppy tree. This the time of the year it drops its leaves-they turn yellow and brown. They're all over my dog run, plus the pollen, plus the oak fringe. It's a hot mess but in a week or so it'll be gone and just a messy memory. Messes come with the territory. When you garden-at least with me-dirt and debris have a way of collecting around my area. 10 mins or less and it's somewhat neater and I feel a bit more accomplished.

@jnicholes

Way cool. When I heard about SS AR3664, I figured we would be getting some intense CMEs from it, but I didn't think even this intense. If we can catch that geomagnetic storm without clouds ruining it, that would be awesome.

I have a 60+ year old saucer magnolia in front of my house. There's no fighting Mother Nature, when the flowers are done, they're going to fall and turn brown and yes, it's not looking its best (although when the lawn is covered in fresh pink petals it looks beautiful). There's no way to keep it clean unless you want to go out every 15 minutes for a week or two to rake up more petals dropping and that's just ridiculous. I use my pretty quiet leaf blower to get the dried petals off the sidewalk and driveway and onto the grass, and then just mow them all up as I cut the grass. Easy clean up and no stress about how it looks.

Johannian said: @jnicholes

Way cool. When I heard about SS AR3664, I figured we would be getting some intense CMEs from it, but I didn't think even this intense. If we can catch that geomagnetic storm without clouds ruining it, that would be awesome.

It hit. G4 class storm in progress.

Keep your eyes peeled for auroras, everyone.

Toedtoes - I agree with Brenda that we probably all have messes in our gardens (some of us more than others, of course )

Here's a not very well-kept secret -- take photos right after you finish cleaning up an area (like, a small area), then post it -- and we will all be amazed at how neat your garden is!

Right about now is the sweet spot when the perennials have lush new growth, but not too floppy, the winter weeds have mostly dried up, the summer weeds aren't up yet.. and I start to think I'm a good gardener

breith95 said: T-Don't stress. I'd say everyone deals with garden messes. My neighbor has a big magnolia tree planted on the fence line. Wrong place for a tree let alone a beautiful tree like this magnolia-however it is a sloppy tree. This the time of the year it drops its leaves-they turn yellow and brown. They're all over my dog run, plus the pollen, plus the oak fringe. It's a hot mess but in a week or so it'll be gone and just a messy memory. Messes come with the territory. When you garden-at least with me-dirt and debris have a way of collecting around my area. 10 mins or less and it's somewhat neater and I feel a bit more accomplished.

Thanks. That's how I've been trying to think about it. Until it comes to the pool - I REALLY hate having to clean all that stuff out of it. In the fall with just the leaves, it's no biggie. But those catkins are the worst.

For the most part, I just let it all mulch and go back to ground. Less work on my part and it helps the environment and plants.

But, I WILL be cutting down that mulberry. It's too big too close to the house (and my neighbor's house) and I worry every winter. Right now I just have to wait for the trees I planted on the other side of the yard to grow. That mulberry is a favorite spot for the finches and sparrows - all day every day they are there. So I don't want to cut it down until they have something else. Right now I have a western redbud, slim bottlebrush and honey granite crepe myrtle there. And tomorrow I'm getting a cane's hybrid bottlebrush to add over there. I've got them fairly close so they should create a nice spot for the birds without being a massive tree.

I also planted a pineapple guava near the mulberry where I took out a small privet. So that will give them something there. I'll end up replacing the mulberry with something.

Then there is the plum tree right next to the mulberry on the other side. It's growing right up at the fence. Currently, it fruits but they all grow out of reach. It's also too tall and right between our houses and I can hear it creak in the wind...

The second plum tree is in the side yard, also growing right at the fence and too tall and between our houses. So I will have to make a decision on it.

This fall, I think I'll just have them pruned and cut down in height. And then make decisions in a couple years.

Fortunately, none of that affects the front yard. I get more flyaway trash after garbage pickup than garden debris.

On the positive side, the blooms are coming to the front yard. All the catmints are blooming or with buds. The hummingbird sages are all in bloom. Two of the seven poker plants are in bloom, the others should be starting to come up soon. The three bottlebrush are blooming. The two older lion's tails are starting their bud balls - I suspect the two new ones will start in a bit later this summer.






(Yeah this sage looks sad, but I've decided they are just top heavy. I need to cage it but am currently using all the fencing in the backyard to keep the dogs from bulldozing over the newest plants.)

The fuchsias should be starting in next month. The coral yucca's are unknown as they didn't bloom last year but I hope to see them bloom.





And the bear's breech is magnificent this year.





The pineapple guava (have one in the backyard and one in the front) is doing great. I have 5 iceplants there also - they are little and scraggly looking right now but should fill in nicely. They are the Red Mountain Flame variety so should make a nice contrast against the pink and white blooms of the tree.

Weedwhacker said: Toedtoes - I agree with Brenda that we probably all have messes in our gardens (some of us more than others, of course )

Here's a not very well-kept secret -- take photos right after you finish cleaning up an area (like, a small area), then post it -- and we will all be amazed at how neat your garden is!

I need to put my 28-75mm lens on the camera and take serious photos of each plant after clean up. Currently I've been using the phone for the plant photos and camera with 200-500mm lens to capture the hummers.

I planted my snowball bush today:

Snowball and snowy bunny!

I LOVE snowball bushes! Old family tradition: every Easter my dad's family had a huge family reunion. And every year, someone brought garbage bags filled with the snowballs for a huge family snowball fight.

All the family were in the Sacramento valley area and only a very few family members were able to successfully grow the bushes. But those that could were very good at it and there were always plenty of snowballs for a good fight.

I have 2 Snowball bushes. I should do that for tomorrow to take to my grandson's graduation for a 2 year college party, but I don't think I have time to get them cut and ready. I have a lot to do in the morning before we have to drive 2 1/2 hours to get there. Thanks for the great idea. I will have to remember it for future get togethers.

gardenglassgems said: I can relate to all you said. The amount of weeds this year is ridiculous I suppose I can blame it on all the rain we are getting. With my bad hip, I can't get as much done as quickly as I once could so all I can do is hit it a little at a time. So far there are about 5 beds that look terrible cause I haven't done much with them the last couple of years. But they are in the back yard so no one sees them but me and friends when they stop over if they walk around the yard.

I have been fighting these sprawling weeds that are actually pretty with purple flowers and just thick everywhere, worse than the wild strawberry weeds.

So cool Jared.

Freedombelle said: I have been fighting these sprawling weeds that are actually pretty with purple flowers and just thick everywhere, worse than the wild strawberry weeds.

maybe Glechoma aka creeping charlie
Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea)

Linda, I don't even try to fight them, I consider them (a major) part of my lawn. They're green, can walk and mow over them, and they are rather pretty. That qualifies as lawn for me.