Thanks for all your insights and support and for sharing your own experiences. Mzstitch, buford, lsst, it sounds like you've already been pondering these issues for yourself and making positive steps toward being healthy. Thanks for the tip about the vitamins and ways to make glasses work in a garden setting, mzstitch. Another easy tracking idea for all of us, even if we're not at risk, is to post an Amsler Chart (these are free - just google that) and look at it daily. It's just a plain grid of lines, but it shows you what the distortions look like if there are signs of macular degeneration, and my doctors have said that's the best tool to help you recognize when treatment would be the most effective, rather than waiting till it gets bad. Still, I find myself practicing flexibility in my attitude and breadth of gardening and other activities, for the same reason I practice flexibility physically - to lessen the impact of problems when they might come up. Predfern noted some great resources for gardening with limited or no vision, and it's a reminder that few things are impossible with limitations, it's just harder and has to be adapted to fit the situation. Like Erasmus noted among her family members, you find ways of working around problems and enjoying the small victories more when they're hard won. One thing I didn't enjoy on that list of tips was to "avoid plants with thorny branches", since that's the vast majority of roses. That wouldn't mean I'd have to give them up, though- I think if I ran into that situation I'd gradually shift with my garden from the fussy-pants zone pushing roses I like to grow for the challenge and settle into no fuss shrubs and cane-hardy plants that would survive and thrive whether or not I was as capable. Shifting slightly in that direction as I get older helps me not dread any of the down sides that might come with regular or atypical aging - physical limitations, vision declines, health and stamina limitations. I have disabilities on both sides of my family, and I work in a field with children who have significant disabilities, and there are ways to adapt a wide variety of activities to be accessible - reading, travel, interaction, gardening, sewing (I presume also quilting), etc. The problem comes when it's not as effective or easy a strategy as we're used to, and we have to decide if we're going to keep doing the various activities when they're not up to our own standards. My grandmother in her 90's didn't want to use any of the tools her doctor recommended to help her read or play cards, and preferred to give up her bridge games that she loved rather than use the low vision cards because "they made her look old". That was of course her choice, but I'd rather enjoy the limited rose gardening, or reading, or cards or whatever I could do rather than give it up entirely. I guess what I am gaining from this discussion is a resolve to not lock myself into being afraid of "can'ts" that I might worry about whether or not there's a specific risk, and start laying mental and logistic groundwork for how I "can" if I have to, for the things I've decided are important enough. I think having a flexible perspective is like exercise in that you can start at any age, but it gets harder as you get older, so I want to practice now. I COULD continue to rose garden (and interact with people and stay relatively independent) if I had decreasing vision or physical skills, though I'm going to spend my time appreciating what I can enjoy now as Erasmus said rather than worrying about anything I can't change. And the copperhead story is a great reminder to use the sight and skills I have now instead of taking them for granted. I've planted plenty of roses in the wrong holes because of inattention rather than any real excuse - why am I doing this if I don't stop and pay attention to the results? Resolution for rose season 2013 - spend as much time pausing to appreciate the garden as I do pruning and deadheading. It's a daunting prospect, but hey - I wanted a challenge! Thanks again for your insights. Cynthia

It all depends on your current soil conditions and how big the garden is. A vegetable garden doesn't have to be tilled or plowed every year. If it has grass on it, the biggest job will be breaking that up. If the soil is poor - low in organic matter - you'll want to incorporate a lot of compost up front and more each year to maintain the levels and build a better soil. Sounds like you are ready to do that. I had my garden plot initially tilled by a guy with a tractor, not sure of the size (of the tractor) but it was finely broken up (tilled) rather than plowed. I would recommend a tiller rather than a plow for gardening. I don't know of any rock-removing implement. Your own two hands is pretty much it. If you pick a spot to toss them into a pile and do that whenever you see them, over time there will be fewer and fewer. I keep a small pot in the corner of each raised bed for rock pieces - mine are gravel about 1-2" across and there are not many at this point. Re planting, you don't HAVE to plant in rows. You probably do want to establish some paths to walk on and beds that you don't walk on. If you plant tomatoes, peppers or other plants that are not grown from seed, you can plant them in a grid rather than rows. You might want to start small with one bed rather than a huge area the first year. Expand it each year as you have time and materials.

Once leaf loss is underway, it's not unusual for the symptom to get worse, even while the cause of the symptom becomes less limiting as you're get watering under control. The reason is, once the shedding process reaches a critical point, it can't be reversed, so any leaves that already have/had abscission layers forming where the leaf is attached to the stem are destined to be shed. That sort of makes your job out to be getting the plant through the winter and into a state of vitality that will allow the plant to be repotted and subsequently pruned back. Once you do that and get the plant into a soil you can water correctly, you'll have a much different scenario. I various ways, I often point out that when using a water-retentive soil, you end up battling the medium for control of the plant's vitality. That's frustrating and no where near as rewarding as growing CAN be. Keep in mind that the 6-7 months you should wait to do the work is little more than a blink of an eye to a tree. This might sound corny or new agey, but if you settle yourself into the same rhythm the plants go through in their annual growth cycle so you can take advantage of their strengths and allow for their weaker times, you'll feel a much greater sense of unity with your plants. More knowledge, a better understanding of how plants work, and the confidence that comes from knowing you are acting with the best interest of the plant in mind (which can only increase your own gratification), all act to elevate the plane on which you interact with your plants. If you pare the reason you're here down to its bare bones, isn't it because you want more from the growing experience? Al

I am so sorry for your troubles. It's so nice to read how much you care about keeping the grave beautiful. I read your post several days ago and have been thinking...It's very hard to keep an invasive weed from invading only one section of an area, especially when you are not there to keep an eye on things. I applaud your desire to avoid chemicals! Since the cemetery doesn't seem to hyper-manage what you do with the site, a barrier might be something worth trying. The standard barrier available at "big box" stores is generally just meant to halt the spread of grass. The depth is only 4"-6". For really aggressive spreaders like bindweed, that seems like a weak solution. Last fall I purchased a barrier designed more for aggressive bamboo which sinks up to 10" in the soil. Mine was purchased to keep Pachysandra in check. It's possible something like that might be an ideal solution for you. 10" in deep should allow you to keep bindweed in check and keep your gravesite healthy. Beyond that, some plants seem to thrive no matter what is planted with them. Up here in Maine I see hostas planted in full sun everywhere. While they struggle during years of high heat and/or low moisture, they seem to at least thrive, and always look good during a "normal" Maine summer. Hostas are a great plant to shade out unwanted invasive neighbors, and they aren't conquered by invading plants. Some hostas that handle sun well could be an option to include in your plans. Just some thoughts. I bought my 10" barrier on amazon. Since I just installed some last fall, I can't give you any information on how well it keeps things at bay until more time has passed.