Making changes -- reluctantly

Sometimes you just have to realize that though you have nurtured your garden to do well, you just didn't know enough to think it through perfectly. In this case, I've mentioned that the rains have done wonders for our environment and did so much to ameliorate the drought, but they have brought on too much of a good thing in terms of growth in some areas. Had I done my research, some of the foxtail agave would have been planted farther back from the footpath so as not to overwhelm the space. But here's the dilemma -- I hate cutting back beautifully growing plants without having a plan for replanting if possible. Sometimes that's easy to do; sometimes not. If I can foist off cuttings onto neighbors, terrific. Just trashing them makes me feel wicked.

Take the case of the ugly trash bin. It's supposed to be tucked into a specifically designed space so it is accessible but hidden from view. Note the foxtail agave to the right have exploded in their growth so the footpath is hardly visible. Straight ahead where the bin is supposed to go, another plant (don't know the name) has gone crazy as well. Beyond that, what you cannot see, is an absolute mess of weeds and other outsized growth. There's no tucking of the bin possible. Add to the dilemma, the ground cover on the right was supposed to expand into the yard. It has, to a degree, but decided to also cover the footpath. One has to practically tiptoe to get through. So what's the plan? Alas, cutting back is the answer. Things have just gone too far.

Then there's the path from the front yard to the critter café where song birds, squirrels, ravens, crows, banded pigeons, and doves dine on only the finest seeds and nuts. They can also quench their thirst and bathe in the ample bird bath. Though, if you look, all you see is a mass of blooms and greenery that have taken over. What to do? Well, the sea lavender is in a pot that will be moved. The African daisies will be carefully cut back and planted in another area to thrive. That's the idea anyway.

Once the path is open again, it will lead to this open area which is leads to the critter café.

While decisions that I'm not particularly happy with do need to be made and executed, there are areas that the wilder they grow, the happier we are. One such spot is this: