This is my first "News and Notes" article as your new LIHS President, and I am honored and excited to begin the New Year with all of you.

I hope that everyone had a nice holiday and that the New Year holds promise of good things to come for all of us!

Right now, I am using this first week of January to take care of all the things that I said I'd do "Right After the Holidays", and it's a pretty scary list! Bills to pay, mail to answer, broken things to fix, etc., etc. But one week should do it, and then on to the best part of winter, which is GARDEN PLANNING!

I recently did something for myself which I hope will make a huge difference in my gardening life - I hired someone to attack my overgrown jungle, restore order, and clear out some areas completely. The story behind this drastic move was that in the fall I got out my pruning shears, loppers, and hedge clippers and spent a long day of hard work. And at the end of the day, what was my reward? Aching arms, three large brush piles and NO visible difference in the wildly tangled shrubbery! How come? I used to be able to "Prune and Conquer" in a couple of days with no difficulty. Well, let's get real! Both the garden and I have aged considerably, and while the shrubs have been growing wildly, my strength and stamina have been shrinking pitifully.

After I recovered my breath and my pride, I made the big decision to call my tree and shrub expert of many years and asked her to come for a consult. Brenda and I toured my tiny but to me overwhelming property and I explained that I needed one total, massive restoration followed by at least twice-annual maintenance, so that I will be able to devote whatever time and energy I have to my three small in-ground gardens and my patio-planter garden. In other words, please take over the care of the shrubs, trees and undergrowth so I can concentrate on my flowers, herbs and other potted edibles.

She then arrived with a crew of three strong, plant-savvy workers who spent a full day of work, with astonishing results! Each shrub now stands alone, restored to its proper shape and independent personality, all brush and entangled undergrowth is gone, no growth is hanging over the fence and sidewalk smacking the taller passers-by on the head, and the planting bed along my driveway is a "tabula rasa" for a new plan! 

Admittedly it all looks a bit naked now, but I can picture lilac, spirea, fothergilla, witch hazel, wiegela,  etc. each showing off it's unique beauty come spring.

Alas, they disregarded my request to leave in place the lowest growth and fallen leaves, so I now have bare earth or groundcover under the shrubs. I know this breaks the cardinal rule of leaving dead matter for pollinators to over-winter, and I am having a stab of guilt. Next year I'll insist, but for now it does look so neat and tidy - a rare sight!

As for the bare bed along my driveway, this will be my biggest spring project. In the past I had very a attractive perennial garden in that area, which could be enjoyed by people walking by. Over the past few years I was either pre- or post- hip surgery and a few of the  more aggressive perennials grew out of control and took over (I'm looking at you, persecaria and some of your friends!). Now that everything is hacked to the ground I will dig out the thugs and start over, and one idea is to research low-growing, well-behaved native perennials for a whole new bed. Maybe punctuated by a few well-mannered native shrubs that will stay small. Any suggestions are welcome!

"But enough about me!"  as they say. I'd love to hear about your  winter dreams and plans for your spring, summer, fall gardens.  You can share your ideas on the designated pad on the Exhibition Table at our next meeting.

There is so much more that I'm anxious to discuss with you, but this will do for now. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at our January meeting, so stay tuned for a message about our exciting speaker and additional activities.