When you just run out of room..or just get older.

I sometimes feel like that Stan but then you see something you "just have to buy". It's what keeps me going.

I felt like that this year as I am 70 next month it has hit me hard that I cannot do the heavy gardening much longer. This year I have reorganised my garden and pots are one of the things I have had to drastically reduce those left are now on wheels and I have purchased an electric hedge trimmer. My biggest fear is falling over as that can be so life changing.

I know what you mean Stan but don't totally avoid buying plants. Many are low maintenance and you have many years ahead of you to enjoy your garden. You could also have the joy of buying easy plants for the grandkids to get them interested in growing.

We have reached the same "plateau", Stan. The garden is full; the greenhouse is filling up; the hedges have been cut; the compost heap demolished; the pond dealt with. What's left? Alstroemerias to be put to bed and protected until next year: the rockery area weeded. Thank Goodness we now have help in the garden!
No more plant buying, although my husband is looking out for the Acer Palmatum, "Taylor".
Thanks to Readly he compensates with reading all the garden magazines he can find.

Buying no more plants is easy to decide but much less easy to do. I have just bought two new Potentilla fruticosas, an aster and two lavenders.(Nice easy things that don't need much upkeep) It would be nice to have some help in the garden but I just tell myself that the more plants I have the less room there is for weeds. The thing I am dreading is cleaning out the pond - just don't feel up to that one!

Thanks all. It definitely feels like a plateau. Perfect word.
Unless you have an estate..you reach that state. Because I think, its a case of all the plants you have- you like. No removing or what some people do with old gardens..rejuvenate with a replanting. I'm not feeling that.
Just prune to keep healthy is all I do.
I remember - clearly- in 1992 thinking when I planted a 3 gallon Howea palm in my back yard "I want to see this one day towering over the roof". Well,its over the roof if not towering.
Not many goals left to meet. Just keep it all nice.

Don't give up the ghost Stan as Seaburngirl says get your grand children into it and teach them your wisdom of knowledge like I have.

Stan, I am older than you (a girl never tells her age) but this year my chum Barbara and I (she is 14 years older than me!!!!!) started growing veg. I think because there are two of us it is better fun. A job shared is also easier. The best bit to is we can eat the plants.
How long this will last I don't know but for the moment it is great.
I have stopped buying plants for the garden and buy veg seeds instead.

I sometimes think Linda "Maybe I should have planted a edible landscape.?" I mean,at least the plants can't be compared to plastic plants that never change unlike some living plants and tree's.
Or natives. Give the local wildlife a station.

The problem with an average home and lot. Never enough room.

At the least with temperatures trending milder as the bay area grows and grows by millions of people,my tropicalia become far more permanent. One good thing.

For some reason Stan, reading your blog brings to mind Kenny Rogers song “The Gambler” Sounds like that when it comes to your garden....you are “out of aces”.

Right,Loose. Other then a redo that I'm not interested in,its incremental acquisitions and maybe just tweaking the look of what I have- like much nicer pots for some show plants that I have in anything I could find. A tote container for a choice trunking Cycad is not flattering that plant.
Its not "What I can do if I go hard at it" like in the 1990's. Its prim what I got.
And,play the lotto. I could start over with millions!

since i commented on this blog i fell over on the patio on wednesday and have a compound fracture of the radius which had to be manipulated before the plaster was applied. i will be very careful what i write in future luckily it was my left arm and the garden is done till the spring.

Oh no poor you Drc. I hope you will be ok soon that's not a nice break!

Sending you heaps of sympathy Drc. Thank goodness it wasn't your right arm though. Did you have to wait ages in A&E?

thank you both i have oramorth to take now so pain is manageable. no i was seen straight away and they were wonderful but it took along time altogether.

Sorry to hear that Dr.C. ,but sounds like it could have been much worse.
I know that these days I have to be careful when getting up from the ground... i don't fall face forward to the cement or pavement!
You get older and the legs don't hold up the extra weight very well.
I've lost about 30 pounds the last couple of years..and 40 more to go!

well done Stan i do so admire weight loss. the new plaster went on yesterday and its much easier to manage.