Combating Overwhelm: Reclaiming My Rose Garden

Where do you start when a task seems insurmountable? What do you do when you’re overwhelmed by the enormity of a project? If you’re stuck at the procrastination phase and wondering how to get moving, then read on!

Creating A Rose Garden

I found out a few years ago that my mother had kept the ashes of my childhood pet rabbits in her wardrobe, some for as long as 20 years. (I know, right?!) So, I wanted to lay them to rest, and thought that a tranquil rose garden would be a fitting tribute to my beloved bunnies.

I searched for roses with meanings that tied them to each of my pets, and Gift a Plant came up trumps with some beautiful rose bushes. However, I may have been hasty in placing my order, as I had not yet decided where to create my rose garden. And it would be another two years before I even settled on the location!

Before I started planting out the roses, I needed to suppress the grass and weeds. I covered the area with a silage tarp over winter to kill off the majority of the weeds growing there, and pulled up the final few stubborn thistles after I lifted the tarp the following spring.

To prevent the roses from getting pot-bound while they were waiting for their final spot to be made ready, I planted them up into extra-large pots with plenty of compost.

We have very heavy clay soil here, which I needed to loosen in order to level the area. And then I was finally ready to start planting the bushes out!

I put the larger climbing roses along the back edge, with a view to setting up a trellis to support them, and arranged the remaining bushes to achieve an even distribution of colour. I buried the ashes of one of my fur babies underneath each bush. All of the bushes had a good feed and were watered in well.

I then covered the area with a layer of newspapers (previously used for bedding in our guinea pig house), and placed a thick layer of decorative wood chip on top in the hope that this would prevent any invasive weeds from taking hold.

As a finishing touch, I laid a strip of weed membrane around the border. We had recently had our roof re-done, so I also placed a row of the old slates over the membrane. Once the final slate was in place, I stood back and admired my handy work. The garden had turned out much better than I had dared to imagine.

After expending all that effort, I fully intended to keep the area looking presentable and aesthetically appealing. I envisioned myself sitting there in a camping chair with my knitting or a book, or just taking some time in quiet contemplation.

Unfortunately, weeding the rose garden rarely made it to the top of my to-do list. I was diligent about deadheading and pruning them for the first couple of years, but I did not even manage that last year.

Feeling Overwhelmed

So my once-beautiful rose garden was in a rather sorry state at the beginning of this year. I felt like a mammoth task to get it back to its former glory. I really did not know where to begin, so I avoided making any headway at all for the first three months of the year.

And then I realised that it was only going to get worse. The weeds would continue to grow, competing with the rose bushes which I put so much time and effort into selecting. This memorial area for my much-loved pets would soon be indistinguishable from the surrounding grass. My bunnies deserved better.

That was the kick I needed to get to work. “Getting back on top of my rose garden” became my main aim for April. I gave myself a whole month to chip away at it. I just needed to weed around a couple of rose bushes each week, and by the end of the month it would look lovely again.

Getting Started

Once I had found my motivation, I knew I needed to start making some headway. I find this to be the most difficult part of any big project. It feels like standing at the foot of a mountain, wondering how on Earth I shall make it all the way to the top.

I mulled over my daily routine and found a window of opportunity, between the morning dog walk and morning coffee and snack time. The toddler and I would already be outside, dressed for the weather. So spending 10 minutes pulling up a few weeds each day seemed entirely manageable.

Seeing Progress

The combination of the newspaper and wood chippings meant that most of the weeds were only superficial, though a few had managed to get more established with deeper roots. This allowed me to make speedy progress, as the weeds pulled up quickly and easily.

Seeing these results set up a positive-feedback loop; the more ground I cleared, the more I wanted to carry on working.

But realistically, I was limited to the amount of time that my toddler would tolerate playing on the grass before snack time. This was not necessarily a bad thing. Time-boxing my efforts in the garden meant that I did not have a chance to over-do things or become bored. So each day I looked forward to doing a little bit more.

Seeing it Through

Once I had established the habit of dropping the dogs back at the house after their morning exercise and then heading over to the rose garden, it really did not require any thought at all.

Initially I hoped to fill a bucket with weeds, but by the final week I was able to fill a wheelbarrow each day.

When I pulled up the final clump of grass, I felt so incredibly proud of myself for completing this mammoth task!

I plan to reward myself with an evening of spinning!

Top Tips for Tackling Big Projects

1) Know your why. Why do you want to complete this project? What value will it add to your life? Why should you dedicate your time to this endeavour, rather than anything else? This will help you find the motivation you need to begin.

2) Chunk up the challenge and start small. Remember, Rome was not built in a day. If you want to clear out the garage, start with a single shelf for your first session. If you want to organise all your craft supplies, begin by tidying an area on your workbench so you have a space to sort and reorder things. The smaller you make your first task, the easier it will be to get started.

3) Find a time each day or each week that you can dedicate to working on your project. Once you’ve taken that first step, it is so important to maintain your momentum and keep making progress towards your goal. Set a regular time slot to work on your project, and let someone else know about it to give you some extra accountability.

4) Find a way to document your progress. Taking regular photographs of your progress is a great way to keep yourself accountable, whilst also acting as a morale booster to help you stay on track.

5) Savour the moment when you reach your goal. Recognise all you have achieved and give yourself a pat on the back. Make sure you reward yourself with something you really enjoy!