what do you obsess about?

13 years ago

I thought a fun thread would be 'what do you obsess about' in your garden. By that, I mean, not like and think about it a lot and try to fix the problem.

For me, it is plants with yellowing foliage. I hate it ... it drives me bonkers. If the foliage is supposed to be yellow, I'm okay with that. Otherwise, I am a freak with the nitrogen fertilizer. Also, I dislike gaps in the garden with soil showing. I want a full garden look and probably plant way too close because of this obsession.

What about you?

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Comments (26)

MollyDog
13 years ago
Clean edges...gotta have them so I bought a gas edger several years ago...AND...deadheading.
phill173
13 years ago
I gotta have my yard mowed. When it is longish, it makes my flower beds look weedy and overgrown, but when it is nicely mowed and edged, the flower beds look nicely groomed and well-cared for. I get after my husband and son all the time to take care of it, because I can never start the mower nor keep it running once it is going.
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Cath, Magnolia grandiflora is one of the more tolerant magnolias, and is certainly a magnificent tree, but I'm not interested in it. I long for the deciduous, mostly Asian magnolias: M. stellata, M. denudata, the Soulangeanas, the x loubneri group, the yellow-flowered hybrids of M. acuminata. Actually, I plan on getting a Loebneri magnolia: I think I actually have a place, one spot in our thirty-three acres, where it will grow. Magnolias are fairly common ornamental trees down in the Po Plain below our hills, and in our local town, which is located in a valley and has good alluvial soils. It's five miles away and about 225 meters lower than we are, and they can grow plants that we can't. Conditions vary. It's not that I haven't tried magnolias, but much of the soil in the big garden bears a close resemblance to adobe brick when it's dry, and they just can't handle it. The shade garden either has dry unfriendly soil, or it floods, and I don't think magnolias like to be flooded either (roses on the other hand can handle tremendous amounts of winter water). Also much of the shade garden is shady, of course. But I do have one spot I think will work, and I'm looking forward to getting the right magnolia, and then seeing it in splendor in a few years. They are magnificent, glorious trees. Otherwise I may get a pear for one spot where I want a flowering tree. That may not sound obvious, but pears have a heavy noble structure and a massive whiteness to their bloom that makes them, in my eyes, the hill country aesthetic equivalent of flowering magnolias. harmonyp (Beth?) I think you're right about dahlias. I got rid of my numerous family of them a few years ago after a very long drought because I didn't want to water them; and I got tired of lifting the tubers and keeping them in my mud room through the winter, then replanting them, and staking them. Right now the garden has just three or four survivors that have made it through two unusually cold and wet winters without rotting. I have a handsome pink one growing in the cottage bed next to the house where it flourishes in clay and with little supplementary water. Dahlias come in a great variety of forms and colors, many of them very beautiful: rich burgundies, violets, soft oranges, waterlily pinks. They're undemanding about water and soil. They don't get any pests or diseases to speak of. They make excellent cut flowers. One of the things I liked about dahlias when I was growing them in quantity is how they're movable foliage, excellent for filling in gaps when the shrubs are young; and they have big, bold, flourishing dark leaves with never a trace of mildew. They bloom when much of the garden is quiescent too. Now I'm wondering why on earth I don't have more dahlias. I don't quite trust them to be tough enough to thrive out in the big garden, where life is a battle: they're more suitable to the vegetable patch, and I have very little of that kind of space. Perhaps one year I'll be able to conjure up some room for dahlias. They are wonderful flowers. Melissa
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This is long I guess you hit a nerve? :) Others may dissagree but this is my own opinion based on my own RECENT experiences here and those of several freinds. I understand and agree with you about wanting a nice solid house. Do not asssume that new in the booming Seattle area will equal a quality, trouble free home. Older, but well maintained, may be as good or better. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately depending on your point of view) the extremely rapid appreciation of home prices means that almost anyone associated with home building in the recent past has been able to make money. Many, many, homes have been built or re-modelled recently for speculation. People have gone in to the building/buying process planning to live there only three years or so, and then move on. Many builders, suppliers, and subs, have developed the wretched attitude that as long as the problem is not imediately obvious they will get away with cheap, shoddy, or outright deffective work. Because of boom conditions some are poorly trained or just plain too new at what they do to understand the consequences of their mistakes. Recent laws removing the buyers right to litigation in most instances have made it hard to go after the above if you do catch anthing. Buyers have exacerbated the problem by looking almost exclusively at resale values. There has been a HUGE emphasis on looks vs. actual structural integrity. The attitude that "If you don't like a house you can sell it and move- most likely making a big profit- so where's the problem?" seems INMHO to be salving the conciencence of many. Many problems are hard for even a professional to detect. My DH is a structural civil engineer (a !#** certified expert in construction), and stuff got by us for heavan's sake. OK I painted a fairly bleak picture, but I want you to understand that even if YOU DO EVERYTHING RIGHT, you STILL may have problems. I want you to move here with your eyes open and to wind up with a home you enjoy. There are of course many, many, nice homes, it has just become a little difficult to tell which ones they are. It realy is a wonderful area, very vital with lots to do and interesting people, everything grows here, and I find the weather agreeable with no bug problems. You can realy enjoy the outdoors.....I could go on and on. What do I suggest? Do all the sensible things you can do to protect yourself and obtain a well maintained trouble free home, but realize there could be a problem you miss. Do hire the best home inspector you can find, but understand he could also miss something. Do talk with neighbours and try to find out how the houses are built and if there have been any problems, but realize they may not know, or want to be honest with you ( they may be planning to sell soon and not want to go on record as knowing about any problems, or they may be freindly with your seller and uncomfortable telling the "whole" truth). You can try and find out about the builder and if he is a known problem RUN, but you may not be able to find out much. Also a "good reputation", while a helpful plus is still no guarantee. The builder of our home had one, and there are still things we will have to pay to fix, things that a "good builder" should not have done. I would spend some extra time and energy on a couple of things I don't see mentioned that you CAN be sure of. Most homes have a sort of personality, YOUR HOME should be a place YOU want to be. Do you like the neighbourhood? Is the house well sited, with sun and light in the right places so that the house will be cheerful over our often short, dark, winter days? Privacy if you are a private sort of person? Interesting, safe places to walk or run if you enjoy those activites. If you are a gardner is there room and proper sun exposure to allow you to grow plants you love? (roses grow no better in the shade here than anywhere else, although we have more of it). Lots of places have homeowner's restrictions, find out about them. A freind of mine moved into a place that required her to leave the yard and exterior "natural" she can not plant so much as a daffodil. I AM NOT KIDDING her homeowner's association is THAT restrictive. If there is a HOA get the agreement and read it, twice, to make sure you want to live with the rules. You should feel, whatever your price range, yes I could live here! Try to FOCUS on what you can, and cannot, change. Paint is easy and cheap, carpet not hard, but a little pricy, a power tower, or major highway noise, impossible. The items you do not like about the house should be ones you can fix or live with never ones you cannot change. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best. Worse things can happen than that you have to rent awhile and look at lots of places.
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lavender_lass
13 years ago
Weeds! They are everywhere and I seem to be pulling them all the time...and then they're back. At least they're smaller and fewer, so I think I'm making some progress :)
hosenemesis
13 years ago
Water. Never enough irrigation...
Renee
mystic_dragon72
13 years ago
Weeds in my garden are my outdoor pet peeve... there ALWAYS seems to be more weeds to pull.. even after pulling all day.. there's always more... guess that's the bane of every gardener though.

ttfn
Cheryl.
krycek1984
13 years ago
I obsess about yellowing leaves as well, Deindill!!!!! Everytime I see a leaf starting to yellow, I obsess over it and fear that it has one of the thousands of funguses out there, or a blight, or anthracnose, or something equally as terrifying and destructive. Usually it's nothing but I can't help obsess over it because 1. i'm a perfectionist and 2. i don't want to lose my plants!

I as well obsess over the grass...my partner doesn't always cut the grass in a timely manner. and it aggravates me and makes my gardens look ratty. The grass is there just for him because he loves it so what's the deal? LOL
MollyDog
13 years ago
I must be obsessive because after reading what others have written, I think oh ya, I obsess over that, too. I always have a hose in my hand while I walk around weeding and deadheading.
schoolhouse_gw
13 years ago
I was going to post that I don't obsess over my garden much, but after reading phill173's reply I have to agree with mowing and keeping tidy edges around beds.
Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
13 years ago
Colors.. this year i have been ruthless abt colors i dont like. I was given alot of plants when i started out that i was so happy to take. But now im sticking to a pink purple white and blue color scheme with no room for the mac and cheese yellow daylily that just popped up! Lol so i just pass them to a friend who loves all colors and isnt as fussy as i am. I feel bad now not taking plants from my neighbor who means well but my gardens are filling in nicely and i can say i dont really have space.
lily51
13 years ago
Weeds in the garden, especially crab grass.Crab grass growing between paving stones. crab grass growing right on a plant even though there's room for it other places.

On the positive side of obesssion, I obsess about keeping records, planning, reading books, sifting through catalogs, taking notes at Kingwood Center (lovely public gardens near here), to plan next year's garden. It's a great way to pass the winter, as is spending time in my little greenhouse.
Maeflower
13 years ago
Some of the things already mentioned bother me to but what I would say I obsess about is when the mulch gets on my buried rock pathways. I sweep it all the time but it makes it's way back on there everyday. It wasn't easy to bury the rocks at just he right height but I did my best.
anniebean
13 years ago
I'm obsessing about colors also. I'm redoing my front borders and thinning out my island bed and am driving myself slightly crazy trying to decide what colors to include and what to leave out. Lynn
ianna
13 years ago
early in the season it's design. Mid season this year it's succulents.
christinmk z5b eastern WA
13 years ago
Color, texture, and proportion. If there is too much of one color or texture in any one area of the garden it can sometimes (not always) freak me out. Proportion is something I am constanly thinking about. Should I plant this here, or will it block something? Is it at the right angle??!

Oh, and happy plants. If something looks like it is failing in health I can become crazy about trying to make it feel better. I am practically out there holding a candle-light vigil over it until it perks up, LOL.
CMK
luckygal
13 years ago
I obsess about having healthy soil and how much to feed my plants. I never have enough compost and because I try to stay organic I only use synthetic fertilizers on my annuals and pots. I mostly use alfalfa tea for everything but don't believe in using excessive amounts so dilute it a lot and use it frequently. So far everything grows well and looks healthy but I'm never sure if they have enough nutrients. Right now my Asiatic lilies are taking forever to bloom so I wonder if they need anything. LOL Some are over 4' tall, have lots of buds, and look very healthy but I'm like a mother hen checking them out several times a day. I've given them a bit of 20-20-20 'just in case'. I think I'm losing it! ;-D
soxxxx
13 years ago
I am obsessive about my driveway.

It upsets me when people (usually someone not even invited) drive cars that leak oil on it.

I sweep it with a broom almost daily, and stay after any oil spots.

I just do not want anything detracting from the flower beds on each side.
buddyrose
13 years ago
denidill- how funny. I'm the exact opposite. I obsess when plants touch each other. I MUST have air, space, mulch around each plant so I can see them separately. I spent 2 years hiring local guys to help me weed, whack, pull and generally clean out my back yard.

Weeds. Every day I search my garden. Now that I have a thick layer of mulch it's soooo much easier to see the random weed or vine poking thru. I either spray Ortho or get my little spade and dig them out.

I have a new flagstone patio. In between the stones is this stone dust stuff. I HATE when it gets knocked onto the flagstones. I'm always sweeping and trying to put the darn stuff back into the cracks... WHERE IT BELONGS! LOL.

Mulch being knocked out of the garden beds by Squirrels or dogs passing by the front. I hate that. I either have to sweep it away or pick up the bigger pieces of mulch and put them back into the beds. Now even I know THAT'S CRAZY OBSESSIVE. ARRRRRGHHHHH.

I like this thread. ;0
cindysunshine
13 years ago
Hmmmm - well I guess I want to be able to see a "clean" look when I see a bed - that means deadheading, random dying foliage removed, spent stuff cut back so it can produce fresh foliage. And I like a clean edge and the shrubs as in the yews along the back pruned nice and clean, too - it helps to the rest of random and near wild abandon in between.

I don't like to see spaces between plants in the border (not too often) but I do like to see it between the plants and the edge at least some of the time.

With that said - mine all needs work - I have been watering today and we had company and we cooked and I just did not get around and do what needs to be done.

So it will sit and I'll have to work it next weekend as I'm flying out of town tomorrow for several days. I like to have had a chance to do that and I'm amazed how improved the areas look a week later.

I used to be pretty neurotic about staking, but anymore I'm not doing that very well either. If you get going and have the stakes out there in various types I would move them around from one thing to the next as they need it and finish up and cut back.

Bottom line to keep it lovely it's a lot of work.. ;)
lavender_lass
13 years ago
I hate it when things are out of balance. It must be the "math" side of me (LOL) but I love things planted in mirror reverse. I'm getting a little better, now that the gardens are filling in, but I do like things planned out!

That said, even after all my careful planning, I end up moving things two or three times. While I like a fairly formal style, I don't like it to feel formal, so I use a lot of flowers that are very informal/cottage and my edgers are a bit, well "whimsical" would be a nice way of describing them...others might say crooked :)
krycek1984
13 years ago
Agreed! Keeping it beautiful is a lot of work! People assume when they look at cottage gardens that they are simple because they look so informal but in reality they are quite a bit more work than a more formal garden.
craftlady07
13 years ago
lol, mostly I obsess over taking pictures. I'm literally out there 3-4 times a week taking pictures. I say that's in the name of documentation and I truly hope I do go back and look at them over the winter and early spring so I remember what I need to divide and what's blooming when, but I really am starting tho think I have a problem.

I'm also obsessed with checking nurseries (especially big box stores) for good cheap sales/deals/clearance items. I buy very few plants but I need to feel like I'm getting a deal and need to price shop and bargin hunt as part of filling in my beds.

I'm also obsessed with saving plants, plants that neightbors/friend/co-workers want to get rid of, I'll take them because I don't want to see them thrown out. I'll save just about anything.
littledog
13 years ago
Crafty lady, we must have been separated at birth.

I do ALL of those things; camera is with me EVERYWHERE and I document everything.

Ditto checking what's on sale and trying to 'save' stuff. I carry a tiny shovel, a bucket, a jug of water and a plastic tarp in the trunk of the car "just in case" I see something wonderful that's about to be destroyed by construction. I've moved alot of wild flowers that way; some made it, some didn't, but I tried. However, I have my limits; I won't move burning bush.

My other obsession is rocks; I can't stop myself from gathering rocks and stones and using them in the yard.
craftlady07
13 years ago
littledog - haha, we must've been separated at birth because I too love LOVE gathering rocks :) DH knows that if he digs up a rock he has to ask before chucking it in case I want it :)
girlgroupgirl
13 years ago
What don't I obsess over? Daylilies who's foliage dies in consecutive days of high heat, deadheading, soil, mulch, color, tomato leaves and disease, having everything always look like it is picture perfect (sort of lived in a bit but still pretty perfect)....
gottagarden
13 years ago
Hmmm . . . I guess I'm not the norm here. I don't obsess over weeds, lawn, edges, yellow leaves, bugs, etc. Good thing you only see my garden in photos, I have lots of weeds and countless yellowing leaves. I would be a wreck if I worried about weeds or deadheading.

I mostly think about combinations, and how to best combine plants for maximum effect, and how to squeeze 10 plants into a tiny area for spring, summer, and fall effect.

Guess I'm not really an obsesser.
AmeliaD
13 years ago
I'm with "gottagarden"- I don't obsess over much - just enjoy what is there and try to decided what to move where and wonder why stuff doesn't always come up "right"! Right now I just want to be outside!! but it is 97+ degrees! eveything is dry, dry, dry - maybe I will obsess over the water bill!

what do you obsess about?

Comments (26)

MollyDog

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