Wow riversidemarie - so many questions! (Iknow they were meant for charlie but I'm still learning the vagaries of this site!!
You sound very knowledgable.
i'm about the same as you - keen but less and less able to do the work. I spent @£600 last year PAYING other ppl to do work I couldn't - clearing an unsightly part of garden (2 and half tons of rubble carted off!!) laid to gravel and planting up containers. Cutting grass and trimming hedges.
i love the garden but the fact is - I simply cant do the work - which is frustrating. to the point i may give it up altogether.
