My yard is small and I don't seem to be propagating to landscape much with hardy plants, just those that get "redone" every spring and must be saved in house or GH for winter. I've realized I don't have a long-term plan, like I've had everywhere else.

I can't even decide where to put a Hydrangea, because it might be in the way later...?

Do I need to be talked through something or is this common and can be rationalized as good exercise & having things look different ever year? Am I just not in love with this particular property yet?

Humorous &/or serious &/or empathetic, anecdotal comments welcome!

My gardening seems cyclical. Some days or even years, I get a lot done and other times I just can't get started. I've never been the type to have a big plan, so when I moved here, I had to go to a nursery and pay to have a plan drawn up for part of the yard.

It sounds like your new yard being smaller than you are used to, has thrown you off. Maybe if you could tour some gardens in your area of similar size, that would spark some ideas. Are there any garden clubs that show their gardens?

Tiffany it's going to be okay, we all want it to be perfect so we walk around pondering the best spots and then say yeah but later it will get big and change our minds. I promise it's not just you. I have 5.5 acres and still do the same thing. The good thing about Hydrangeas is they can take a good bit of shade so you can plant them under a tree and they will still grow. planting under the south facing side of the tree would give you the most light but basically anywhere will work. Also high density planting means less weeds. So cramming things together is sometimes a good thing. If something is getting too big just dig it up in fall and move it to another part of the yard.

I have 9 new plants I got in July to be planted in the back yard. Clearing adjoining lots has left some microclimate changes and old and beloved shade loving plants died leaving vacancies for sun loving plants. Having to decide what to buy was tough. I decided to plant them all in the back yard, I guess. I move the plants around and around. Like the dog in the movie UP when he sees a squirrel, I see some volunteering Lineria I thought was long gone. I decide to plant it on each side of my little shed, for a cottage look. Oops, that changes the planting I had decided on. I move the new plants some more times, and decide to put them in the front yard, but once there it's a tough decision. I ponder it a while, dragging out some blood and bone meal and steer poo amendments, killing time, when I notice a bunch of volunteer blue fescue. Squirrel......... I love this stuff. I move it all to a sort of holding spot to grow in thru the fall. Now I decide I have made enough decisions for one day, and hope there is a beer in the frig.

If anyone is interested DND is hosting another seed swap this November for more info check out http://garden.org/thread/go/56...

Hey Laurie, one thing that you could do is when your not sure if a plant is in it's permanent home, leave it in a container and sink the container into the ground. If, after a suitable amount of time, it's still in the same spot, lift it, remove the container and plant it permanently. By leaving it in a pot for a while, you won't do a lot of damage to the roots if you want to move it again. We have quite a few perennials scattered around that are still in containers.

That is excellent advice @RickM. I am pretty gentle, and love to amend, so I dig nice big holes, and do my planting right down on the ground with my hands. Oh pinch me, I believe I finished outside tonight.

Just minor clean up in the daylily patch, and a little rake work, and Winter can come! There are so many changes.