Our best ideas for living with a garden without becoming overwhelmed and broke
We LOVE having a garden, something especially Johanna dreamed of always! But despite how absolutely lovely it is, it’s also a lot of work, and living with a garden can feel a bit overwhelming in the beginning - where should one actually start? Here’s how we’ve been thinking lately to enjoy every bit of it!
You can’t do it all! We’ve been lucky to overtake a garden which is great, there’s lots of plants, trees and bushes. But still, there’s a lot of maintenance - pruning the apples trees, mowing the lawn, taking care of weeds etc. Focus on a couple of things at a time, maybe this is not the year when the apple trees will be pruned or the lawn will always be perfectly mowed - but there will come a year next year as well.
2. Do something just for fun! Sure weeding can be meditative, but if you’re aiming at getting rid of all the weeds you’ll surely never be done and have time for the fun & creative parts of gardening (if that’s your thing). What’s something you would really like to have in a garden? Maybe you’d really want a nice spot for tomatoes, or a great flowerbed for annuals? Or maybe a DIY lounge sofa of old pallets is your dream? Make sure you give yourself the time to do at least one fun project a year.
3. Nice outdoor furniture is hard to find, or at least if you do, it comes with a heavy price tag. If it’s not the time to invest, consider building something yourself or searching flea markets for something ok. Have a pile of nice cushions, blankets and maybe even a small carpet, and whenever you’re staying outdoors for a while - grab that pile and make your ok outdoor furniture awesome with the simple touch of some textiles.
TRP Protector carpet, lovely pink with various cushion covers
4. Enjoy it! You’ll never get “done” anyway - and isn’t the process really the fun part? Don’t forget to pick lots of flowers, eat you apples, take a deep breath and invite your friends over for a glass of wine in the garden.
Golden Peony, Paeonia mlokosewitschii
