Easier Gardening for Seniors

A few of Sydney's "gleanings" for easier gardening as you age with your garden ...

— Reject perfection. Dead leaves left under shrubs serve as a mulch, which eventually breaks down and contributes nutrients to the soil."

— Thin the perennials. The greater the variety of perennials you grow, the more work your border will entail."

— Switch to shrubs. Shrubs afford more value for less work. Some rarely need pruning.

— Shade gardens are good. "Shade-tolerant plants are easier to maintain than sun lovers. One of the reasons is that weeds are also sun lovers. In the shade, they become feeble and can be controlled by a layer of mulch."

— Miniaturize. For anyone who can't do the heavy labor of in-the-ground gardening, gardening in containers can provide much of the same pleasure."