I am going to sell my house due to financial changes that will occur when I turn 65 - 2 years from now. I will no longer have the income I have now (it will be reduced significantly; it's the pits to become a true senior citizen). The following summer will be spent getting the yard "salable" so I'll be giving away a lot plants and getting rid of those that most homebuyers are not looking for, and trying to give it more "curb appeal". It's going to be a lot of work. I'll be trying to find a small apartment with a courtyard area that I can have a few butterfly/hummer plants in, so I won't be giving it up entirely, just a much smaller scale. I hate to do it, but on the other hand, I just not physically able to handle home ownership, gardening, and all that entails as I go forward. I'll probably keep up with the forum and stop in to say "hey" because I consider so many of you "friends". It's gonna be a reality check for me. But, I am single and finding it increasingly hard to maintain everything on my own, financially, physically, and to be honest, mentally. I'm a worry wart, yes, and I need to not have as much to worry about, lol! Also, since my daughter has been ill all summer, it's been especially difficult to care for all my stuff and me, and care for her and my 16 month GD. I am there from about 9 a.m. until about 5 or 6 p.m., and she challenges my energy for sure. But she's so darned cute, and it just amazes me to see her learn everything, and she expresses such wonder when she purses her lips, sucks in a bunch of air, and goes "what's that?" I found a Ladybug the other day and let it crawl on my hand til it flew off. She was just fascinated! She loves bugs! I've really had to push it to handle everything this summer. I'm home on most weekends but it's still a time crunch to get it all done. Kenna will be 10 yo next month, so she's a breeze to care for, when she's home that is! So that's the long and short of it. Susan

I build things, and I am planting groundcovers, trees and shrubs so they don't totally fry trying to establish in summer. I am in San Jose, zone 15-also without rain but all winter long. I have been nursing my frost-hit citrus tree babies, and I am still harvesting raspberries from these crazy Italian bred ever-bearers! I built lovely wood cages to support these berries, five foot long rectangular boxes with cross members to support the canes, and stuck some finials on top of the uprights. Also filled out the under planting of alpine strawberries. I am making a grape arbor next weekend to span my driveway. I am installing solar powered light strings to give nighttime enjoyment- this garden is surrounding the kitchen door entry yard where all friends and neighbors sneak in to help us eat dinner, so I may as well make it pretty :) I am planting apple trees in a cordon along the driveway- opposite the berries- and considering chamomile and creeping thyme to carpet the ground- it's all wood chips from previous owner and I have to go slow as I want to install some stone pavers but only can afford two at a time . I am trying to make the garden areas look established and formal, my house turns 100 this year and is in a very visible urban neighborhood on a busy street so I can't have a tangle of dead tomatoes or blue tarp shade structure showing . My potager surrounds my driveway and side entrance and is very visible from the street. Hundreds of people walk by daily and I gotta show off! Anyhow, that's my winter, happy to read of others actions for more inspiration! Pea

I never brought perennials indoors but I DID start some bare-root perennials purchased from Costco in paper bags (so sue me--I gave in to temptation in January). I did actually plant some things in containers when I first moved here since I hadn't finished designing the garden beds at that point. I "heeled" them in and labeled them (use a paint pen--it never fades) so when warmer weather allowed me to move them I knew WHAT I was digging up which let me know WHERE I needed to move it. I have an acre of garden so there was plenty of room for everything. You can take it to the bank perennials will do better when they're in the ground than when they're in containers. They KNOW what to do in soil and generally will survive whatever conditions they're exposed to. Where I am we're in a severe drought. So far ALL my 50+ hostas are looking fine despite the dry conditions + devastation of the oak tree canopy that normally shades them due to gypsy moth caterpillar damage. Go forth and plant.

I wrap my little lilacs, that are the same size as your plants, in Jobes tree wrap, and then I close-pin burlap around each one, tightly. Neither voles, nor rabbits have gotten through. And hopefully neither will turkeys. :/ I really like what you've done. It's impressive. I wish I was handy like you and could do something like that.