I love to garden. But I've been mowing half of West Texas for the last 20 years and will freely admit that I don't enjoy it as often as I used to, though I still have my moments. I much prefer a single or tandme bike ride, a glass of good cab, and watching a video with Mrs. Mono more than I enjoy a good sweat in the PM.

Serious gardening and serious cycling are both time consuming. You gotta choose.

I take neither too seriously which is why I enjoy both immensely.

I have enjoyed gardening for 53 of my 63 years. First 10 I lived in London with a concrete space for parking the bikes on. 57 we moved to the country and the gardener was my Grandad. Mum and dad were Londoners so didn't know a weed from a weed. First house I bought had a 126ft long garden. Only problem it was only 10ft wide. 2nd house only had a small garden but it was the house we bought as the family were planned. But after 10 years we had to have a garden. Bought the current house for the size of the garden and extended it.Flowers are not my thing but I do enjoy a good lawn and vegetables.. Wife looks after the pretty things.

Saying that-I got into Alpine plants and started exhibiting at the Alpine garden society shows. Did pretty well by winning the yearly "Novice" cup in the first year- The intermediates in the second and then became a Champion Exhibitor. Problem when you get to this level though is the amount of time it takes to prepare the plants for shows and maintaining them for the rest of the year. So when the bypass came round- I stopped exhibiting.

Gardening for me now is vying for my main passion of cycling. I try to keep a varied garden on plants and try to make it easy maintenance. Cut the grass once a week- Proof the shed once a year and eat the vegetables that I grow. Doesn't cost a lot but is time consuming- when the weather allows. Couple of pics but a few years ago my "Undergardener" started taking time out to enjoy "Her" luxury. The pool cost almost as much as Boreas- but how do you think I had the argument to buy Boreas.

But With the weather over here- I try to make both the gardening and Cycling live side by side. Gardening is easy on maintenance so that can be done anytime. Cycling is weather dependant for too much of the year so gets done when possible. Poor weather and the bike shed is used to maintain the bikes- or the greenhouse for propogation.

But gardens are for relaxation- If I can ever get the dog and son-in-law to let me have it.

Edit--The pics of the garden are only half of it but the rest is only Rough grass and the veggy patch. Not interesting even to Avid Gaedeners.

Few extra pics That I have just braved the evening sun to take.. The Wistaria growing over the Gazebo is just finishing but still a good show- the same with the Acers in pots. The pink Plant in the foreground is Phlox "Daniels Cushion" and won a top class 12 year ago in an Alpine show. Not a fast grower and this is going over the top aswell. The chucks are next to the Veggie patc and the Frame over half of it is because I want to eat the fruit and not just grow it for the Pigeons. And the greenhouse only has tomatoes- cucumbers and Peppars in at present.

And had to add the last pic. Who says gardening and cycling can't live side by side. Came back off a bike ride and This is in my daughters garden. The rotovator was playing up so I had to test it.

Your garden is amazing Stapfam! I'll study it closely. I knew you'd come through with some excellent photos! Thanks!

Great garden, pal

But, even though you seem to have a handsome son in law, I'm more intruigued by Dog

Soft Coated Wheaten? Just like my Wilfred?

It's a cross breed. Cocker Spaniel/ Westie.

griff2..jpg

Popular cross breed but I don't know why as although attractive- he has the worst of both breeds. Mind of his own and an anooying bark.

But gets a lot of attention and in a local Dog show won to the next round and got the popular vote that the public wanted to take home with them. Only good thing about him is the amount of exercise he needs. Keeps the wife out of the house for hours every day.

"I was hoping some others would be willing to share photos of their gardens/landscaping."


Only because you asked Miss Kenton, how can anyone turn you down?

At our house I'm the Chief of Landscaping and Maintenance. In the Home's "Exterior" chain of command I'm at the top, then there is my wife who is the Director of Planting. After many years of encouragement she is finally getting the planting theme of 1, 3, 5, 6, onto to infinity. For years we had a raging battle over planting in pairs who were always looking for their lost partner. As a cost saving measure I step down from my position and allow myself to be field directed on matters regarding planting, moving, mulching, trimming and all mowing duties. The Director of Plantings also has the responsibility of planning and purchasing the seeds and starter plants for the vegetable garden and turning on the hose after the assigned task of getting the hose and sprinkler to the garden has been completed.

We have a yard with tall trees all around, making gardening a challenge due to the moving sun. Over time we have also been moving toward some shade planting under tree groves. The Director of Planting always seems to have an idea on where to install the next small garden or "interest spot" as she likes to announce.

These images might possibly show some of the landscaping/gardens/"interest spots".

So far this year the rabbits haven't eaten the flowers.


Looking into the back yard


3's, 5's and singles, the Director of Planting finally got it right!


A shady area to maintain.


There was nothing here last year so the Director authorized the labor.


Even the family pet helps in the vegetable garden doing some spot fertilization.


The potter's bench.


The constant battle of good vs. evil. Grass is good but not when it invades periwinkle.


In-between seasons, the flowering bulbs are gone and the perennials still need time.


Whew, I'm ready for a post gardening beer.

Dag, A.J. you have a pond on your property?!??! I am duly impressed! Your home and yard are beautiful, very restful looking, thank you for sharing. Although I can only afford to go to the 1,3 level, I also subscribe to the 1,3,5,6 theory. I believe it was first rule in my horticulture class, followed by the no "meatballing" of shrubs rule. I also have a spot fertilizing machine, however he is insecure enough in his position on the food chain to restrain himself to the outlying borders of the property.

Stapfam, your dog is cute, but your grand-daughter is cuter!

A.J.

Hope you have a ride on mower- Or a strong set of legs. But that grass needs attention. Get a couple of sheep to keep it cut and fertilised Might cost a fortune in new plants but they do keep the grass down and Lamb cutlets B-B-Q well.

And periwinkle- If I had my way- it would get some immediate treartment- Couple of gallons of weedkiller should do the trick. Only having a small garden- we have about 8 different varieties that we use as Ground cover. But are always pulling handfulls of it out as it is invaisive in the borders.

Fantastic garden but Reckon you should delegate some of the jobs to the Planting Director. Either that or take in an assylum seeker that enjoys hard labour to pay for his rent. Then you might be able to get more rides in.

WOW !!!!! THAT [COLOR="blue"]IS [/COLOR]NICE !

It's usually very, very dry in my part of the world and I quit my vegetable garden years ago. However, I do raise orchids, which are more manageable for me. Here are a few samplings from this spring...

Absolutely Beautiful!

OK, here is my contribution. We aren't much in the way of gardeners, but our back porch is enclosed on all sides except the side facing our small open space area. ALl I did was mount the planters and put the potting soil in the boxes. Nora did the rest. In any event it is a nice summer refuge, and we spend a lot of time there (like right now as I type this).

Great thread!

We have just a couple of small flower gardens. My bride is very fond of pink and purple blooms....



but I have slipped in a few reds and yellows (tulips).....



...then she obtained these guard creatures and I'm afraid to mess with her garden anymore....



...ferocious little buggers.

Since we have a relatively small lot we need to accomodate foot traffic from the back porch and and decks through the garden and out to the garage...where the bikes are! We chose to use these pre-formed stones to make paths with.





Five years ago this grassy area was a 24' round swimming pool. The low deck seen in the pictures led to a set of stairs up to a deck just above the water level and access to the pool. The high deck and stairs have been removed and now we have a modest grassy area for croquet and badminton. (sometimes blocks can replace missing wire loops)



I built the decks back in '83, the garden my bride started in '05. It's small and we're beginners at this but we do enjoy sitting out among the flowers and plants and just relaxing a bit. I bought myself a rocking chair last Fall (I love rocking chairs). Most evenings I can be found in my rocker out on the porch nursing a cold beer.

Some very nice pics here.

Wish I could add to the collection but as I mentioned before, I'm not a gardener. Wifey (The Missus?) is even less of a gardener than I. She has insect phobias. City girl.

We own a small ranch house located on a half acre lot. Three years ago we had our front and rear decks, plus ALL our shrubs and bushes torn out to start anew. The house then took on the appearance of an Army barracks. Of course that's when Google swooped in to photograph the joint for all eternity. In '08 we had new F and R decks added. That pretty much exhausted the money set aside for home improvement at the time. This year we've been trying to find a landscaper to plant new bushes, flowers and trees but so far it hasn't happened. Last guy took lots of measurements, gave us a ball park estimate then disappeared.

Nice photos, Denver and Cranky! I think the words "nice summer refuge" and "relaxing among the flowers and plants" are the key words here. Nice work.

Just have to agree- All you have to do in a garden is enjoy it.

I went to my daughters house this morning and she was moaning that the garden was hard work with all the weeding and planting and looking after her daughter. So I asked her why she had a garden--"Because she enjoys it" was the reply. Given the choice of being in the garden- Potterring- or cleaning the house- She will be in the garden.

We put in a rain barrel a couple of years ago - the two tomato plants in pots should benefit. That's all we have growing that is edible. Lots of non-edible stuff, though.

The only edible things in my garden are the blueberries (but not until next year ) and strawberries. Last year, as a birthday gift, my daughter gave me a kit that included a strawberry jar, some potting soil and some strawberry seeds. They went nowhere fast. In order to avoid disappointing my daughter, I surreptitiously purchased some strawberry plants and filled the jar and planted the leftover plants in random locations in the garden. This spring, they all came up again, (except for the ones in the strawberry jar).

Today, after a very warm 21 mile ride, I came home and went to the garden to cool down where I was able to pluck sweet, red strawberries right off the plants and pop them in my mouth! Talk about your simple joys!

miss K, I grew up on near the South Jersey Wharton Tract, land of cranberries, blueberries, and the Jersey Devil. We picked blueberries and made enough money during the morning hours to pay for lunch. It was sweaty hands and knees labor. Though I lost my taste for berries, I have always enjoyed gardening which, along with biking, exercises both leg and serenity muscles. I envy your lush shade garden; it looks like a wonderful place to rest after a good ride.

That is a great photo, Snuffy. Your zinnias are beautiful and I love the "cat-napping" next to the birdhouse. I am happy to see another South Jerseyan here. I am hoping you will have my back and defend the reputation of our blueberries against the vicious remarks of the evil J-don of the Great White North.
Thank you for your kind remarks about my garden and yes, I do spend time there after a ride.

JanMM,
What are those yellow "popcorny'-looking flowers? Are they a ground-cover?

Beautiful garden Miss Kenton. Youve put alot of time and thought into it - youve obviously sunk roots deep.

I love to garden, too, although, I recently moved to a new house and must start anew. Im really enjoying the beautiful gardens all of you have... they are inspiring.
I've always been more of a grower, as opposed to a garden lover, and most of what I do is geared towards vegetables and flowers. In the current house, that wont change as I dont expect to live here more than 3-4 years.
In fact, Im going back to my old house to bring all my tire containers to the new place. At least I can grow in tire containers for the remainder of the year as I work to create a new growing site. But Im also wanting a simple deck and some enrichment zones, so this is a great thread.

And since you can grow in tires, and I will - - and since bikes have tires... well, I guess I found a connection between the two.