h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have grown up and have always been living in a block of flats, not much gardening there...

...which is why I really enjoy reading your detailed descriptions - it gives me pretty much the same nice feeling that I get from watching from my balcony when people work in their allotment gardens in the area where I live - it looks so idyllic and relaxing (mentally relaxing, that is)

Are you able to have container plants on your balcony? I have a friend who raises an amazing variety of plants in her apartment. She's lucky enough to have a small patio (really not much larger than a balcony) that faces south, which helps her a lot. But she also has some plants under gro-lights that do well for her.

I'm trying to find shortcuts and lazy gardener techniques since Frank isn't able to help me with the work anymore. I have too much for one person to care for. I could probably manage it if I didn't have a full-time job. And a lot of my time off is taken up with his and Mother's doctor's appointments, shopping, etc. so my time in the garden keeps diminishing.

You're right about it being relaxing....even if it is hard physical labor sometimes. There's just something about working in the soil. It's almosr comforting. You feel connected to the earth and to the past.

Well, my problme is that I tend to forget to water my indoor plants... so I only have plants that are tough and can stand being forgotten for a week or two - but outdoor plants really need water if the weather is hot and sunny, right?

It seems like our summers are drier and drier. So it takes a lot of watering to keep them going. My water bill is outrageous.