DECK GARDENING – HOW TO GARDEN USING LESS TIME & ENERGY

I haven’t always enjoyed deck gardening. It took ten years for me to adjust to gardening in the south, and I still forget how fast things grow! The New York gardening season, where I discovered my love of this pastime, was far shorter. You didn’t dare trim anything more than a snip for fear of a five-year wait for it to return to size. Not so in the sunny south where shrubs must be pruned several times a season.  The heat makes many of these chores an increasing challenge for me.

NEW HOUSE – NEW POSSIBILITIES!

When we moved into our house 22 years ago, the yard was a diamond in the rough. I went to work on it with gusto. I raked and dug and planted, creating gardens everywhere. The soil was rich and easy to work (not true everywhere in NC) and I adored every minute of the process.  I kept up even in the heat (pre-global warming heat) and each spring delighted to see the growth that had taken place and the limitless possibilities of more.

Ten years later, my gardens were beautiful though the endless possibilities I saw loomed endlessly on the horizon.  The creative drive was beginning to weigh me down.  I could not enjoy the fruits of my labor.  I saw only what needed to be done. Financial difficulties slowed the buying of new plants, so I began working with what I had, which was plenty! I split lilies, and hostas, and decorative grasses.  Locating shoots of hydrangea, camellia and others was easy to do, while dogwood and magnolia seedlings popped up everywhere.

GARDENS UNDONE

Then my personal life began to unravel. My kids left home, my father died, our business hit a wall after 9/11, my mother required care, and the final straw, an accident sidelined me for more than two years. When I came to five years later our yard was an overgrown disaster. Life had worn me down and I couldn’t bring myself to even think about gardening, let alone do it. My husband kept the grass cut and went through gallons of Round Up trying to keep things under control. Little by little all my hard work began to disintegrate and disappear.

There came a time, however, not all that long ago, when the sun began to shine again inside and out.  I venturing forth little by little, but only

after I decided to move all of my gardening to our deck. One by one, I potted my favorite plants from the yard. Each year now, I enjoy day lilies, hostas, and many other perennials within a few feet from the kitchen. I’ve been deck gardening for five years now. My thought was that it would be temporary, but I’ve grown to love and prefer it. This year, we are taming what is left in my yard and doing what we can to make it self-sufficient.

My favorite thing about deck gardening is that I can see and enjoy everything up close and personal from inside the house. It also is much  easier to trim, water and tend plants even in the heat! Last year, I planted two Knockout rose bushes in large pots placed in each corner of the deck.  They were beautiful all summer long and I’m happy to say they are doing great again this spring.

DON’T GIVE UP DOING WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO – SIMPLIFY!

There’s no reason for those of us who love gardening to give it up because we don’t have the energy we used to have. We simply need to do the things a little smarter. Deck gardening is less expensive, less time-consuming and requires less energy than keeping up a big garden.  An added bonus, and a great incentive for me, is that the wild life doesn’t eat what you grow! In recent years the deer have taken to devouring even my hydrangea and day lilies.

There are limitations for some, but most can be overcome. For example, if you have a deck or patio that doesn’t get much sun, you can always find beautiful plants that thrive in the shade.  If you are in an apartment without a deck, window gardens may be your best option. Violets, prayer plants, and all sorts of greenery does nicely in shaded parts of your home, while sunny windows are perfect for geraniums and begonias.  Bright areas without direct sun will support orchids.  We are only limited by our imaginations!

AGING ABUNDANTLY

There will always be some who continue gardening in their yards and are comfortable doing so. My sister, now nearing her 71st birthday, spends most of her days tending to her flowers and gardens, and they are beautiful! It a big part of her life. I don’t have the drive and determination to do what she does, and honestly never have! But, I admire her energy and tenacity and definitely enjoy spending time walking in hers and seeing and enjoying what she’s created. I like taking pictures which requires a whole lot less energy!

We are all different. The important thing is that we each continue to do the things we love, whatever they may be and remain open to modifying how we do it. Aging abundantly does not require unlimited energy, it just requires an open mind and a willingness to try new things.

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