Downsizing Gracefully: Colleen’s New Low-Maintenance Oasis
I’ve always admired Colleen Jamison’s gardens. Years ago, I blogged about her former lush, inviting garden in central Texas, complete with winding paths, custom arbors, and a transformed median turned into a community park. But as life’s seasons changed, Colleen and her husband, Bruce, decided it was time to scale back. They sold their home and found a 1930s bungalow with a backyard rental unit in the Brentwood neighborhood, intent on creating a new, low-maintenance oasis.
Colleen mourned her old garden for a while, but soon realized a smaller yard was exactly what she wanted. “This time around, her goal is a garden she can walk away from whenever she and Bruce travel, without worrying whether it’ll be OK without her,” the article states. She’s resisting the urge to pack every inch, focusing instead on adding splashes of perennial color, screening the busy street, and incorporating trees to create a green backdrop.
Gravel Paths and Native Plantings
One of the standout features of Colleen’s new garden is the gravel path that arcs around a central mini-meadow in the rental unit’s small backyard. Drought-tolerant native plants like sandpaper verbena fill this low-maintenance oasis, with a disappearing fountain gently burbling to attract birds. Colleen has planted around 40 trees on her small lot, creating a lush green screen around the perimeter.
Texture and Whimsy
Texture is a key element in Colleen’s garden, from the dangling oats of the inland sea oats to the rough, gritty leaves of the native anacua tree. A blue-painted star mirror is dressed up with a tendril of berrying vine, while a handsome, shaggy beaked yucca stands tall in one corner. Colleen has also incorporated whimsical touches, like the “duck-headed” seedpods of the arroyo sweetwood tree.
Thoughtful Design
Colleen’s thoughtful design extends to the rental unit’s small backyard, where she’s created a patio garden with a gravel path and a central mini-meadow. Under the trees, a disappearing fountain provides a soothing water feature. In the main backyard, an arched arbor set within the trees offers access from the sidewalk, and a side path leads to a tiny courtyard with chairs, iron decor, and a Monterrey oak.
Scaling Back, Not Sacrificing Joy
Colleen’s journey from her former lush garden to her new low-maintenance oasis is a testament to the fact that gardening doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. “Eventually, however, there may come a time when you want or need to scale back. Perhaps in retirement you want to travel or pursue other passions, or your body isn’t up to the physical work of intensive gardening anymore,” the article notes. “And that’s fine! It never has to be all or nothing.”
Colleen’s new garden proves that you can downsize gracefully without sacrificing your gardening joy. By focusing on low-maintenance plants, thoughtful design, and strategic use of texture and whimsy, she’s created a beautiful and sustainable oasis that she can enjoy without becoming a “slave to it.”
Finding Inspiration in Colleen’s Journey
Colleen’s journey is an inspiration for anyone who loves gardening but may be looking to scale back as life’s seasons change. Her new garden offers a wealth of ideas, from the use of gravel paths and native plantings to the incorporation of unique textures and whimsical elements. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, Colleen’s story is a reminder that gardening can be a lifelong passion, one that can evolve and adapt to fit your changing needs and desires.
So, take a cue from Colleen and embrace the opportunity to downsize gracefully. With a little creativity and a focus on low-maintenance, high-impact elements, you can create a garden that’s truly your own, one that brings you joy and fulfillment for years to come.
