Great article and beautiful photos! Thinking ahead when you plan your garden is great advice, I wish I had considered that. I am one of those that planned my gardens when I was younger and stronger and didn't consider that wouldn't last forever and now have a hard time keeping up with everything. But I love every plant and every bed so it is very hard to decide where to start cutting back.

I hate to admit it Susie, but every passing year seems a little more challenging! I have cut back considerably with the help of some 'creaky joints' and a few odd pains here and there. But, I'll never stop what seems like a way of life.

Over-plant? Who? Me??

Excellent article, Leon - Every year I plan, plan, and plan some more (that's what winter is for here)... and then end up cramming "just a few more" things into the allotted space (We have 14 acres, but fortunately most of it is cedar swamp so I do have some limitations.) And I so agree, every year it takes me longer to get things done than it did the year before. I also have a bit of a problem with fearing a major crop failure, so I tend to plant about twice as much of the main things (tomatoes, peppers, beans, onions, squash) as I should....

I hate to think of the time when I just cannot garden anymore!! (in the meantime, I'll keep planting more than I need to and making extra work for myself...)

Leon

Great article! Beautiful gardens and pics.

Thank you, Leon, for this article. I guess we're all guilty of the foolish vanity of youth with no thought of aging backs and
aching joints. If I thought at all, I thought I would still be me, just an older version. Never did I dream of knee pain or hip
replacement!

I'm in the midst of rejuvenating a long-neglected garden we purchased last year and it has been a tremendous amount of
hard work. I'm finally realizing that if I want to have this project finished before I die, I'll need some help, so I'm meeting with
a landscaper this morning to get some advice. Hope the estimate doesn't send me into cardiac arrest!

Excellent article! And we are all getting older, although I firmly believe that gardening helps us stay active and young at heart.

Sandy,
I have about the same problem with "fear of crop failure", especially with tomatoes, potatoes & sweet onions! I'm beginning to wonder if it's an "illness", something like our parents enduring the great depression. I order onions from Dixondale in Texas, and I find myself adding just "one more bunch" to the order! This year I wound up with over 600 onion plants! We gave over half of them to neighbors.

LOL, Leon -- you need to start your own onion plants from seed, then you can REALLY have lots of them! I think my "FOCF" (Fear of Crop Failure) stems (so to speak) largely from one year when I really DIDN'T get enough tomatoes to make any salsa, and then couldn't even find any canning tomatoes to buy... Good thing I don't depend on gardening/farming to make my living

Thanks Marilyn, Glad you liked it!
Angie, Those knee & hip pains seem to come and go, but lately "come" and stay longer! I suppose it is a normal part of the aging process. Some do not like to think about it, but I find it a worthwhile challenge to "keep on going"! And there's nothing wrong with calling in a landscaper. That could save time and money in the long haul.
Jeanie, Good morning in Minnesota! You are so right: Gardening keeps us active both mentally and physically! That is so important.
Thanks to everyone for the comments!

Leon, you photo's are so beautiful. I always enjoy all the photo's you post.

We too, are heading into our twilight years much faster than we would like. We cut back on our veggie gardens every year.

vic said:Leon, you photo's are so beautiful. I always enjoy all the photo's you post.
We too, are heading into our twilight years much faster than we would like. We cut back on our veggie gardens every year.

Thank you Vicki! I've noticed the time goes much too fast. I can remember as a child when I would start counting the days to Christmas in October. That seemed like eternity!

And the night before Christmas was never-ending!!

Excellent article, Leon. Some people will plant something in the middle of the lawn whereas incorporating it into their current gardens would make much more sense.

When my husband was the prime mower he hated one area where he had to back up repeatedly to get the grass cut so we both designed the obelisk garden and he no longer had that problem and neither do the current mowing guys.

Thanks Arlene,
Always makes sense to eliminate obstacles. I still have a couple that I'm working on (after all these years).

Each time I solve and issue and feel it's the last one, I'm wrong!

Arlene: your garden is lovely! Inspiring me to add an obelisk when I get the big bed in my front yard
installed.

Hemophobic said:Arlene: your garden is lovely! Inspiring me to add an obelisk when I get the big bed in my front yard
installed.

I'm thinking of tackling the job of completely re-doing my perennial bed and would love to add an obelisk (or 2)...

Thanks, Angie and Sandy. I'd rent out Jack to help out but he has worked hard enough here, and at 85 he enjoys the rest.

I hear you on the rest. I enjoy it every chance I get!

BTW, what are the two clems on those obelisks?

The dark pink is Dr. Ruppel and the blue is HF Young.