And so am I. It's our least favorite kind of late winter weather. The skies are overcast, the air is damp and it's impossible to feel anything but disgruntled and discouraged. Particularly since the weather for much of the last week has been near perfect ... sunny and just cool enough to make it possible to work outside all day.
The HG and I are also suffering from the crushing pressure of all that needs doing in the gardens here at Wit's End. We were both much younger when we started gardening on this corner of Katy ... 16 years younger, to be precise. We were bursting with ideas and enthusiasm, most of which centered around ripping out the boring suburban landscape and creating a Texas version of an English cottage garden. We knew no bounds and we certainly never once paused to contemplate how, as the years passed and we were no longer quite so young and able, we would manage to maintain the extensive gardens we were so happily creating.
We are certainly thinking of it now ... more than once in the last week, we have admitted not just to ourselves, but to the friends and neighbors who stop to admire the gardens, that we unwittingly created way more work than we can handle on our own. A full-time staff, such as must be employed by the likes of Downton Abbey, would be most welcome to us, although not to the Executive Producer. Since the budget does not run to such an item, however, we make do with occasional help from outside sources.
Today we have the welcome assistance of Rainscape owner Ricky and his stalwart minion Mario. Although irrigation systems are their main business, Ricky is always willing to help us out when time permits. Their mission is to clear the gardens of the oak leaves that are cluttering the front beds. Much as we hate to consign such valuable compost material to trash bins, we haven't the time, energy or space to devote to doing otherwise.
Once the beds are cleared of leaves, the Head Gardener and I can proceed with our efforts to bring a semblance of order to the chaotic front gardens. We're well aware that it's a matter of perception and that it's mainly in our own mind that such chaos exists. We are grateful that friends, neighbors and passers-by focus on the beauty to be found in the gardens. Still, we are growing weary of our annual descent into despair and desperation ... when we feel so overwhelmed by all that seemingly needs doing that we are unable to enjoy our time in the garden, we are in rare but total agreement that something needs to change.
The HG and I are also suffering from the crushing pressure of all that needs doing in the gardens here at Wit's End. We were both much younger when we started gardening on this corner of Katy ... 16 years younger, to be precise. We were bursting with ideas and enthusiasm, most of which centered around ripping out the boring suburban landscape and creating a Texas version of an English cottage garden. We knew no bounds and we certainly never once paused to contemplate how, as the years passed and we were no longer quite so young and able, we would manage to maintain the extensive gardens we were so happily creating.
We are certainly thinking of it now ... more than once in the last week, we have admitted not just to ourselves, but to the friends and neighbors who stop to admire the gardens, that we unwittingly created way more work than we can handle on our own. A full-time staff, such as must be employed by the likes of Downton Abbey, would be most welcome to us, although not to the Executive Producer. Since the budget does not run to such an item, however, we make do with occasional help from outside sources.
Today we have the welcome assistance of Rainscape owner Ricky and his stalwart minion Mario. Although irrigation systems are their main business, Ricky is always willing to help us out when time permits. Their mission is to clear the gardens of the oak leaves that are cluttering the front beds. Much as we hate to consign such valuable compost material to trash bins, we haven't the time, energy or space to devote to doing otherwise.
Once the beds are cleared of leaves, the Head Gardener and I can proceed with our efforts to bring a semblance of order to the chaotic front gardens. We're well aware that it's a matter of perception and that it's mainly in our own mind that such chaos exists. We are grateful that friends, neighbors and passers-by focus on the beauty to be found in the gardens. Still, we are growing weary of our annual descent into despair and desperation ... when we feel so overwhelmed by all that seemingly needs doing that we are unable to enjoy our time in the garden, we are in rare but total agreement that something needs to change.
To be continued ...
Comments
When we first moved here four years ago, I wanted to transform my entire garden immediately, but my husband (smartly) convinced me to do it in stages, so that I would have a better handle on when I would start to feel overwhelmed. I realize that advice isn't much help to you. It's not like you can reasonably move and start over, on a smaller scale.
Glad you have some help today cleaning out the oak leaves.
Erin, the best advice I can give you - since I'm not an experienced veggie gardener - is to check out the information available through the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. The Harris County and Fort Bend County Master Gardeners have all sorts of publications available online about veggie gardening here.