It's become clear to me through posts and PMs that there are some gardeners here just waiting for the chance to discuss gardening!
So, I was thinking... how do you use gardening, or how does it affect you if you need a break, need some respite, need to relax, need inspiration....how do you use it as a therapy tool in caregiving?
What are your activities: Do you go out and pull weeds, read a magazine, design new beds? Look through garden catalogues? Go to garden stores?
And what interests have you added to your gardening? Visit estate or garden displays? Do you go to garden shows?
Does anyone design and plant Knot Gardens? Raised bed planters? Assistive gardens? Pollinator gardens (and have you thought of ways to help the bees and butterflies?)
Are your gardens primarily for pleasure or food, or a mix of both? Do you grow plants for medicinal purposes? Which ones, how do you harvest and process them? Any suggestions?
Do you grow plants that can be used in crafts, such as grapevines for wreaths and lavender for lavender wands? Do you make herbal products such as creams, lotions, chapstick?
What else can you share about gardening and the means in which it nurtures your soul?
Ive taught them to stay in a yard really well.
So the cats smell, keeps the critters away.
There is an apple orchard, near buy, they use cashmere bouquet soap, hanging off the trees. It's cheap and smelly.
I know many don't agree with outdoor cats,,but it's just up to who you talk to
Golden, I lost my very favorite cedar to the antlers of a buck.
Do any of you spray deterrent? How about anything for the moles, voles, gophers, rabbits, etc? When we moved here the previous owners left 9 (9!) sprayers in the garage - all were partially filled and unlabeled. I had to pay to have them disposed of at a hazardous waste site. I do NOT want to use anything that might find its way into the water or harm the predators but I would consider safe deterrent’s if there are any that work.
As you can see, I’m making excuses for my ignorance.
Do you have these plants you speak of in containers? And do your deer come right up to your house to snack on them?
Nacy, we moved away from the snow only a couple years ago so I understand that feeling of relief at the end of the season. Seems like it never gets cold enough here in the PNW to kill the weeds. If I don’t get out with the hoe over the winter, by spring they have trunks!
Golden, if the deer don’t eat it, they stomp through it, scrape their antlers on it or lay in it and stare at me when I try to run them off.
On a non-complaining note, just looking out a window here makes me breathe a little deeper and if I can get outside for a couple hours (or 8) I am a happier person.
I love gardening, but right now I am glad that it's starting to wind down, and that I'm in the Northeast.
I'm sure when we get 12 inches of snow I won't be saying that
My garden is a blessing to me but has been a mixed blessing since DH has declined so much. Yes, it’s the very best therapy for me, physically and mentally, but I didn’t know I would be taking care of it all by myself. Still, I wouldn’t give it up for anything.
I’d give up the deer in a hot minute though. And the moles. And the mice. And the spiders.
He may even be sitting there thinking that you will be happy he cut them down. Thinking he did you a favor
R has talked about making a presentation to town council about the planned development on our side. Permissions would have been given over 20 years ago when there may not have been as much concern for keeping trees.
In the spring I grow all these flowers, and I think to myself how sad it will be when the Frost hits and they die.
Now it's almost October and I'm still watering, and very tired of it and looking forward to them dieing off.
That's the kind of people that higher landscapers and where the money is
Are neighbor was cutting a tree down, a few years ago. Oops they missed and it fell on are car.
Accidents happen, and there homeowners insurance paid for it. Really wasn't a big deal at all. I actually thought it was a tad funny.
Oh my 107 , ugh. How does anything grow?
Tree trimming incidents between neighbors could be increasing.
It's common to have disputes-one wants the trees to grow, the other objects to the overgrowth onto their property.
The tree company cut a nearby tree, and I heard yelling. Went to see, and the tree owner was yelling not at the tree trimmers, but the neighbors. Content was actually a hate incident (not a hate crime). Used profanity, told them to go back to where they came from.
Another person down the street was angry they cut her fruit tree on her own property.
Others with fruit trees were not cut.
So, in the news, a person was killed over a tree incident. First ever I have heard of this. Maybe the anger is out of hand, out of control.
We are about to get pups! (Something the plant does to reproduce itself).
Something is terribly wrong when you buy something beautiful you might like, bring it home, and find that you want to give it away to neighbors. It's been that way for awhile now.
My own garden is neglected in 107 degree heat.