Downsize Your Retirement Community Garden

A recent stroll through my retirement community revealed to me how creative and artistic people can be. These retirement homes with their tiny gardens are truly miniature works of art. These are probably tiny examples of the gardens these senior homeowners once took care of. When they sold their homes to downsize to a retirement community, they also had to downsize their gardens. Each home was allotted a small patch alongside a patio. Here is my description of eight gardens I enjoyed to illustrate these senior homeowners successful efforts to have a garden with low maintenance.

The first I call the woodchips and flagstones low-maintenance garden. Just two elements can make it all work. Flagstones meander thru a woodchips groundcover adding the right touch with low maintenance plants alongside.

Here's a cute patio: A tilting patio umbrella seems to echo the tilt of the nearby pine tree. Just add a couple planters along the edge of the concrete slab, a pot of flowers and another ornament such as the cute 3-tiered pots. This softens the concrete appearance. Also softening were the colors chosen: the patio umbrella was pink and blue pastels. Also, a separated planting of pastel impatiens to the far right echos the soft color palette on the patio.

Next, I call this the green chairs garden. The owner has blended the colors of her flowering plants to go beautifully with her lacy backed green patio chairs. A pink and green masterpiece of cool green hosta the shade of the chairs and a generous row of bright pink impatiens-- elegant and luxurious in feel.

Next, a garden probably designed to delight the grandchildren. Little statues of children from nursery rhymes scattered throughout a woodchips groundcover. You could also add stone statues of mushrooms or turtles. How fun. All very low maintenance. There is a whimsical vine on the large wall backdrop. She added lighting as well to play up the figures at night.

Want a bright spot of color? Easy -- place several window boxes of brightly colored impatiens attached to the top of the patio fence rail and the garden below also is a row of coral and pink impatiens. How dull the building would have been if not for the owner's creativity. She just used color in layers. She also has her patio umbrella neatly tied and a hanging wind chime completes the symphony.

Two neighboring patios side by side with some similar ideas can show great harmony. Both have patio table umbrellas and both have attractive garden wall fixtures in similar shapes. Just add a row of colorful flowers in the foreground of the concrete patio slab and a hanging planter and it looks so pretty.

This patio took a little more work at first but is appropriate on a large corner lot. Wooden retaining walls enclose this patio and raised beds. His golf cart is parked behind the large shrubs. A generous use of low maintenance shrubs bordering the patio keeps it always neat.

Want a fabulous dramatic look -- again easy. The very bright colors of coleus in a border planting alongside the patio and a bright red geranium hanging pot are contrasted with the cool silver and white colors in the foreground border. An attractive wind chime and 2 matching white chairs to enjoy the view complete this picture.