a new year, a new garden style

I was "chat-chat-chatty" from Thanksgiving thru Christmas when "blogland" was quiet (understandably so) and now that it's a New Year I feel like someone zipped my lips!  I wish I could say I've been busy being productive but I really don't have much to show for my time since the ball dropped.  I have been reading tho and my mind is racing with new ideas for the garden.  I received the book below for Christmas and I'm telling you, it's already revolutionizing my gardening style:

There's a passage in one of the first chapters that I absolutely want to adopt: 

   "New generations of gardeners don't have time to spend cosseting plants and devoting weekends to yard work.  They may appreciate a pretty garden as a place to entertain, or love to pick lettuce and tomatoes fresh from the garden, but they're busy with family, work and friendship.  Many of the twenty-and-thirty-something gardeners I talked to have much to teach us longtime, plant-besotted gardeners.  While the upcoming generations of gardeners love plants too, they tend to focus their energies on creating outdoor spaces for dining, play, relaxation and entertaining."

That's exactly what I'm looking for ~ less of the work and more of the enjoyment.  I think this book just may inspire me to dig up part of my backyard and replant.  See all the grass beyond the arbor:

Excuse the pumpkin lights ~ I just grabbed the first photo I could find. I would love to establish a pathway straight out from the arbor with plantings on either side (and maybe another patio area)  much like this crookedly-scanned photo (snagged from the November '09 issue of Gardens Illustrated):

No one in our household uses the backyard much anyway except our dog.  My daughter much prefers the front patio area.  Why not leave a spot of grass for Butter and remove the rest of it?  Cheaper for my water bill, better for the environment and for wildlife (if I plant with them in mind which, of course, I would).  Food for thought.  I definitely want to cut down on the amount of time I spend doing outdoor chores ~ eliminating mowing back here would be a fantastic start.  Now to figure out who's going to help me do the "grunt" work!! 

A side note/vent:  While I linked to Gardens Illustrated magazine above, based on my experience with them, I cannot, in good conscience, recommend subscribing.  I hope I'm in a very limited minority because the magazine is a fantastic monthly publication ~ if you can get it.  I received a subscription as a gift, Christmas 2008.  Things started out okay, the first four issues came without a hitch then suddenly stopped.  An inquiry as to the problem netted me the answer that payment information for my subscription was lost.  Unfathomable.  How does a magazine send out four issues and then lose payment information??  Long story short, numerous faxes, phone calls and three months later, I was able to get it reinstated (meanwhile I had missed the summer issues I so desperately wanted).  Three issues arrived (Sept, Oct & Nov) and now, once again, I am not receiving the magazine.  I would give up plant money to get it, if only it were that easy.  There.  It's off my chest but unfortunately not resolved.  I'll keep hammering away until I get my issues ~ since it's worth it and very expensive to boot.   Just thought you should know about my saga in case you follow the link and have interest in subscribing.

Comments

[Helen]

It nice to receive a book which gives wso much inspiration

[Grace]

Hi Kathleen/Kasey~~ I've read some of Valerie Easton's earlier works. She lives in Seattle so I feel a northwest connection with her. That said, I might be the rogue here. I much prefer puttering in my garden to entertaining in it. I get psyched when there is a job to do. I want to be involved on a daily basis with my garden. The chores give me a workout, a refreshed feeling of accomplishment. Although I love patios and seating areas tucked away for relaxation and I can't imagine a garden without such things, I hope I'm never ever too busy to be a daily hands-on garden putterer. But this is just me. I hope you'll keep us posted on your makeover. It's always fun to behold the work of great minds. Your arbor is really cool and although it looks great right now, I can see where the green lawn/canvas could be the future of a great masterpiece.

[Noelle (azplantlady)]

I already love your book and I haven't even read it. I love helping my clients achieve low-maintenance gardens that are beautiful using plants that thrive in our climate...not trying to nurse along hibiscus ;-) I am sorry to hear about your subscription.

[Gail]

First of all~~Happy New Year! I say go for it...Create the space you want to entertain in. You have a wonderful design sense and it will be delightful....and, you are a plant lover and will continue to tinker/garden with what ever you create!

I would love to be able to use my garden for entertaining. Here in the south we have a huge mosquito problem that keeps most of us inside after April! The compromise is a good looking patio for early spring sitting and a screened porch for the rest of the summer/fall.

gail

[RobinL]

Now look what you've done. I just had to request that book from my library! Like you, I keep thinking about the future of my garden here, and I know I want much more gardening space and less lawn. But I also don't like when there is so much garden that it looks too busy! I still think you need some lawn to let the eyes rest. What do you think?

[Catherine]

I really like Valerie Easton, I have one of her other books. I love the idea of the path. We have no grass in our backyard because of the weird shape and trees none would grow no matter what we tried. I've tried to make my yard much lower maintenance over the past several years. I still have lots that I can find to do, just less of those picky plants that demand too much time.

[Kathleen]

Hi everyone. As always, a big thanks for your comments. I love reading them. I just wanted to add a few thoughts to yours.

Grace ~ I love puttering too but I feel I do much more than putter. I don't want to be "tied down" to my yard anymore. I want it to "work for me" too. Not that it doesn't already but I think it could be better and a little more maintenance free.

Gail ~ we are so lucky to not have much of a mosquito problem in Colorado. Definitely a lot more pleasant to be outside without being swarmed by them!

Robin ~ I agree I like some green grass too (and I can't get rid of it all ~ my dog would be lost!) but I can make it a bit more eco-friendly since I live in a state that doesn't receive much rainfall. Sorry to send you out to the library but I bet you'll enjoy the book!

[Marnie]

Hi Kathleen, how strange about the magazine. If it is happening to you, it is very likely happening to others as well.

I haven't ever seen this magazine. Will look for it when I visit my Barnes and Noble.
Marnie

[Janet]

Hi Kathleen, low maintainence sounds wonderful...I end up 'puttering' about in the yard. I am working with the landscape designer to include sitting areas in our new place. Hoping to fully embrace the low maintainence concept. The dogs do need a place to run and be dogs.
What a bummer with the magazine.

[Pam/Digging]

I enjoyed that book too, Kathleen, & gave it a favorable review: http://www.penick.net/digging/?p=4313 . Nearly all of my clients want what you described so well: a garden that works for them rather than the other way around. I don't believe in no-maintenance gardens, but Valerie's book presents a lot of good ideas for plant-a-holics who are looking to scale back on the workload.

[Victoria]

That's one garden magazine we haven't tried. Guess we shouldn't....

You are Soooooo ambitious. If I had my garden to do over I would plant only natives......eliminating the need for additional watering. But I'm NOT ambitious enough to dig up the garden I have and start over.

[Tessa at Blunders with shoots, blossoms 'n roots]

Kathleen, looks like a great book. I've been thinking along the same lines- less maintenance, more enjoyment. Making my footprint on the earth a little smaller too. Last year, I discovered Permaculture- and it was just what I was looking for. Making my yard and food production (microfarm, more like it) run itself-

I've been away from blogging for a while- hope you've been well.

Happy gardening and New Year!