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From Simple Garden to Estate
What to do? I stepped out my front door one morning, took a deep breath, and decided I may have bit off far more than I could chew. First I'd have to walk the grounds looking for animal damage. Chances were I'd find plants destroyed by the javelina that passed through the property during the night. Maybe I'd find a broken, tipped over clay pot or I'd have to replace any poultry netting around some of the younger plants that the peccaries had pushed out of the way to see if there might be something worth eating.

I needed to get the caging back to keep the hungry rabbits from eating any foliage the javelina didn't. Then I'd have to check a couple of rat traps to make sure I hadn't killed anything other than pack rats. If the traps hadn't sprung I'd have to undo them for the day and remove the bait. No sense running the risk of catching a curious bird, passing snake or some other local wildlife. After that, I'd fill up the four watering dishes on the property to make sure birds and animals would have something to drink during the hot day ahead. Next it would be time to water potted plants.

Front walk leading to a flagstone patio and shade cloth protected entrance way. A favorite path for javelina that dine along the way. Plantings change with the season. (Current status: hanging baskets on left, gone.)
Front entrance with an assortment of tropical foliage for spring and summer. Many of this plants were moved to the greenhouse for the winter. (Current status: all the plants are gone.)
Looking out from the kitchen window at the front entrance toward the flagstone patio with sitting area and umbrella. Some plants to be watered on a daily basis during the summer months. Same area as the picture above. (Current status: all the plants and the shade cloth are gone.)

Late spring and early summer watering was a constant chore. I had too many potted plants whether sitting on a post, hanging from the rafters or sitting on the ground. Pots dry out. Smaller pots dry out really fast and I have some small ones that need watering two, even three times a day. Watering might not be too bad if localized, all in one area. My watering encompassed the front walk, flagstone patio and entrance way, side yard, back porch and ramada area. When that was done, I had to move to the potting shed, grow benches, vegetable garden and finally, on to the greenhouse. Many of the landscape plants are under drip. Lots are native trees and shrub that, once established had to survive with what nature had to offer.. Watering, maintaining plants and grounds was a lot of time consuming work.

I though it might be time to start cutting back so I could allow a little more time for the important things in life, like napping, getting a little more aerobic exercise by biking or at least a quick walk around the block. I'd also be conserving a bit of water and lowering my monthly water bill.

When in the neighborhood, javelina regularly visit the back porch where they can find a delectable assortment of plants in the spring, summer and early fall. (Current status: many of the potted plants have been discarded.)
One of my favorite spots. (Current status: still the oasis it was meant to be.)
Mesquite trail that runs next to the vegetable garden. Planted to screen the neighbors' homes. Trees need annual pruning to clear deadwood and raise branches. Favorite roosting and nesting spot for mourning and white wing dove. (Current status: trees need pruning.)

I do the shopping, planting and maintenance for the gardens. That means I prune the trees when they need it. Last count I had over 15 mesquite trees on the property. Most of which I transplanted, some I started from seed. As they've grown in size they've grown in maintenance. They need to be pruned to get rid of dead and broken branches, mistletoe infestations, and the lower branches need to be removed so I can walk under them without getting hit in the face with a thorny branch. And then there's the disposal of the pruned branches. I do have a good chipper/shredder to make mulch out of the branches. It's noisy, somewhat dangerous work and moving the machine around the property would give a lesser gardener a hernia or pulled back muscle. I've considered getting a couple estimates for the tree pruning. What might take me over a week, can be done by a good crew in a day or two.

The potting shed and protected grow table often used for establishing flats of leaf lettuce. (Current status: grow bench gone.)
The small10 by 12 greenhouse gets a lot of use. When it's full of plants and cuttings, there can be a problem with insects: whiteflies, mealy bugs and fungus gnats. (Current status: fewer plants, vacant space on the bench.)
The fenced and raised bed vegetable garden between the potting shed and the greenhouse. Large 4 by 8 foot compost bin was in the garden. (Current status: all plants, raised beds and compost bins are gone.)

Gardening is a great activity and I'm always trying something new whether propagating, growing or building a garden related project. But my home isn't an estate, although I'm the caretaker, groundskeeper, horticulturist, landscape architect, delivery person, and other task doers.

I'm cutting back. The vegetable garden and compost bins are gone. The front entrance has been stripped of all plants. (Visitors have complained about that and some of those plants may return.) The back porch has far fewer pots as does the front flagstone patio. Hanging baskets that once hung from roof rafters and tree limbs are gone. The greenhouse has been cleared of many plants. I don't think I have a coleus on the property anymore. Both of the protected grow tables have been relocated and sit empty. There are no new cuttings or seedlings in the greenhouse. The ramada stays the same as will the northeast facing side yard.

We'll see how I manage to get through the winter of 2008 and whether I can refrain from planting and growing. We'll see how much bike riding, reading, and whatever I do over the next few months. It feels a bit like I've admitted myself to garden rehab and I'm already showing signs of withdrawal.(2007)