What drains me the most

[mom2boys664]

I love my family, like my job and can deal with just about anything that comes my way.  What I can't seem to get a handle on is this house. Cleaning is one thing, that is ok, I even get satisfaction from that.  But this yard, the unfinished projects, the things that just keep coming up just wear me out.  We live in the country - something I am not used to, but DH had this house before me, and he loves it.  We worked so hard on the yard this year - and I think it just still looks like crap. The flowers keep dying and the weeds keep growing. We had an ant infestation this year that killed big patches of grass.  The deer ate all my hostas. The deck needs to be stained, branches that fell need to be cut up, and there are tree stumps that need to be ground down. I am not a garderner, but my mother and grandmother had beautiful yards and flower gardens and so I miss that.  Until I married DH I lived in condos and all I had to worry about was my patio (and it was beautiful, lol) so this is just overwhelming. DH likes the "country" look of the place but I think it's just a mess. Is there a secret to keeping it up? Should I just let it go and stay inside? I don't know how to do this country living stuff.

[mom2boys664]

This is it - the woods always encroaching...and I don't know anything except suburbs. DH grew up like this, his parents have 25 acres in the woods, their house is very intimidating, lol. I am learning to love it - it is peaceful, quiet and very beautiful living in the woods. Just a lot of work :)

Quoting RubyQ:

 The secret to keeping it up is to not fight it. You have to accept what its limitations are as far as landscape, etc. There are things you can and can't have when living in untamed areas. Find out what plants are natural to the area, repel animals and deer, etc. and work with those. 

  If you are trying to cultivate a suburb type yard/gardens feel in the middle of the country, you are setting yourself up for constant frustration. The reasons so many things can be done in a suburb, is because the woods aren't constantly encroaching. They been eliminated altogether, so it's a clean--but bland--slate. 

 There are landscapers that can show you how to do really neat things with country style property--they specialize in 'naturalizing' using local indigenous plants to create beautiful country yards. And control weeds etc, by the use of naturalizing other plants into your property to cut down on the constant battle between man and the woods.. You can look this up on the internet too.

[starlight1968]

 I would say make a ToDo list and make time to "knock" stuff off of it as you can.  Plant hardy plants that don't need a lot of work/water etc. you can ask your nearest nursery/HD type store to help.

[StrtnOvr]

I'm in the same boat, only my dh hates yard work and would let it go. I just do the best i can. I do a little gardening, watering, etc. in the am while I'm drinking my coffee and smoking my cigs. As for the deck....maybe next year, no time to do it this year.

[sunflowers12]

Oh dear, its just like anything if its important to you you make the time if not you won't... We too have lived in the country a lot, but now reside in the city.... I don't understand how my dh was able to keep up with the yard work way back when, but has hardly lifted a finger in the last probably 6 or so years.. now this year we did manage to built our deck n get some if a dead tree down that's been dead about three of the four years we have been living here...

But dh hardly does much if anything anymore... me on the other hand have been raising our six kids he has very little to do with... Take care if all cleaning, cooking and yard work n pool care n work somedays... I suppose that's why he doesn't help much cause I don't work full time!! But I know what you mean the work is never done!! Kinda frustrating..