Ditto to the raised beds or planters, vs. "flower beds." It's so much easier to water pots than pull weeds. Or, like Nancy, setup a drip system and take pics of hummingbirds while the plants are being automatically watered. : )
I can't spend hours squatting to pull weeds like I used to. I've mostly given up on herbaceous perennials to concentrate on bigger shrubs and re-seeding plants that are taller than the weeds. If I can't get rid of them, at least they'll be under other plants that I do want to see.
I can't dig up baby trees like I used to either - and they're almost always near the base of a shrub where I don't want to dig anyway. Now I snip them @ ground level and put 1-2 drops of brush killer on the stump with a tiny paintbrush.
I have one area where berry vines have snuck in and established. I'm completely giving up on that spot for this year and am going to start over from scratch with a cover of several layers of heavy cardboard, a LOT of mulch, and just put some pots there until until next year.
There has been some down-sizing too. I've given up on shady areas with trees above. So many more mosquitoes in those areas anyway, I was never able to enjoy those spots except to constantly pull weeds. Now concentrating more on the views out of my windows and my walk from the carport to the house. Garden areas that I have to go outside to see are the lowest on my priority scale.
I've also learned to not squander the beautiful winter and spring weather days and to do as much as possible then because when it gets hot, heavy outside chore are just not doable. If I'm gonna stroke-out, it's not going to be because I was pulling weeds.
Some weeds are just easier to zip over with a string trimmer than try to completely eradicate. If the "good plants" get a chance to grow above them, that helps. Ideally I trim often enough so weeds don't drop any new seeds. Usually easier said than done.
