Connect with people who understand what you are going through, seek advice and surround yourself with support. We're free, anonymous, and professionally moderated 24/7.
Unknown userMember
A SOS to any green thumbs out there
I have always found gardening to be therapeutic and it has given me great joy. However, after a major crisis with Mr Darcy's health I have not had been able to get back into it. Have other gardeners suffered from a similar hiatus and how have you recovered and got going again?
Darcy
PS have a spot that needs filling any recommendations for a 1m high cool climate white flower plant?
In response to: Self care by growing a garden
SmcSenior Contributor
@Former-Member, the garden has been sadly neglected over the past few years, but I'm trying to reclaim it. With the dry seasons we've had this past year, I decided not to even try doing anything in the back yard, because I didn't think I'd manage keeping the water up to it. So that's just dried up weeds. I've only planted in the area next to the house, but even then I've lost pot plants because I haven't had the mental energy to get out and water them.
But yep, every little planting is a gain. I'd love to get the garden back to how I had it five years ago, with all sorts of vegs and flowers all over the place. Each of those little gains is a step back in that direction.
In response to: Self care by growing a garden
Unknown userMember
Looking forward to seeing how to make a bandicoot home on gardening Australia tonight.
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
Unknown userMember
Mr Darcy got another section of garden tidied up this week. We put in a short row of camellias and mulched the bed today. In the process we moved a single plant that was not well placed.
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
Shaz51Senior Contributor
how to make a bandicoot home on gardening Australia tonight.--- that sounds interesting @Former-Member
sounds like a busy morning xxx
lots of rain here
mum`s gardens have run away from us and Mr shaz had poisoned a couple of ours , lucky we still have plenty
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
Unknown userMember
It is easy for the garden to get away on us when we have rough patches @Shaz51 .
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
Shaz51Senior Contributor
sure does @Former-Member
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
AppleblossomSenior Contributor
yep here 2
@Shaz51 @Former-Member
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
SmcSenior Contributor
Hi Peoples, doing a quick pop in on library internet.
Am trying to get a little bit of tidying up done at Mum and Dad's empty house. There's a massive Bird of Paradise plant, maybe 3m across, and about 2.5 to 3m high right outside one of the bedroom windows. OK for privacy, but it's so dark in there that you need lights on in the middle of the day. It feels like I should be tackling it with a machete, preferably dressed in sturdy khakis and a pith helmet. 😛
Mostly though it's just a matter of doing enough that the house doesn't look totally deserted.
I'm trying to smother out as much of the back lawn as I can. We can't be there to mow it, and whenever their place sells, it'll probably only be knocked down for redevelopment, so the lawn is a liability. We're still collecting potted plants. Cacti, succulents and bulbs are the only survivors of complete neglect, but will do better with a little attention at our place. There's also a few treasure we're still hoping to dig out of the garden, but for things like roses, that's more a wintertime task.
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
Unknown userMember
The bird of paradise sounds like a job for @Determined can see him enjoying using a bit of power equipment @Smc 😀
In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden
SmcSenior Contributor
@Former-Member, the garden and yard alone could easily take up a week or two of solid work. We've got a day or two availiable... do what we can.
Help us push aside the stigma and discrimination surrounding complex mental health and change the way people talk about, and care for, mental illness.
SANE acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
SANE values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.
Help us push aside the stigma and discrimination surrounding complex mental health and change the way people talk about, and care for, mental illness.
SANE acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
SANE values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.
You’ll soon be able to use one secure login to access all SANE services.
For added security, members are now required to log in with their email address and password - member names are no longer supported for logging in.
If you had a Forums account before 19 May 2026 and haven’t set up your new login yet, you'll be prompted to set up your new secure login when you sign-in.
Fields marked * are required
