Neal I also stopped and walked away, for 4 yrs for me. I pulled up markers, border liners, husband mowed almost everything down. In '13 straight line winds took out 5 of my trees, taking my fence and one shade bed with it. I just shrugged my shoulders about the flower bed.
Last Feb one daylily friend asked if I still had a certain cultivar so I was out in the weeds and cold with an old garden map. It was the spark I needed. I eliminated beds that were further away from the house, did only a little ordering, got wonderful advice from ATP members on different bulbs and plants. And lo and behold, after all that mowing many of my plants got some sun and returned. The shade bed beneath my felled oak survived the '13 summer so I had to scramble for space.
My attitude now is no ordering or trading unless I have a prepared bed right then. No more I'll take care of it when the plants get here. For the first time in 10 yrs, no daylily rust last summer. I had an order from OH and one auction plant. No mildew on my pink phlox, but did have to toss a new echinacea with aster yellows. I'm trying to be more diligent with mulch so I don't have to weed so much. No beds far away from the house that are difficult to water. Take delight when you have a plant bloom for the first time but don't forget to admire your old faithfuls that come back every yr. Whew think I'm done for now.
