76 years here and still able to dig, climb, remove large shrubs, carry my own bags of mulch, sand, potting soil, etc. Still cleaning my own house, washing my car and jogging 4 miles. The key for me? Don't stop doing. Many of my planned and hoped for container roses were a bust as were most veggies. Decision now is to forget about the idea of growing my own veggies as it just brings in varmits that either eat the fruit or chew the greens down to nubs...too irritating and frustrating. Another lesson/ goal? Fewer roses planted inground. Final goal? Order those seeds you suggested 3 weeks ago!😅😅
Amanda - I hear you 110% on gardening on a budget. That's the only way I know how to garden and it is a great feeling. I live on 2 acres but still most of my plants came from division, cuttings, seed, or off the clearance rack. I always tell people - gardening can be fun but it doesn't have to be expensive. 😊💗🌸
I totally agree with you that so many people can afford to fill their large gardens in a season. I am unable to do that. I loose interest because they started off where I could actually see myself, then they move up, get different usually larger properties and buy full grown plants. While they are beautiful to watch, I do so less often. I am interested in planting seeds, dividing, and taking cuttings because there really isn't enough in my budget for more expensive plants and I live on an acre. I am trying to grow an inventory to sell plants from my home. Thank you for being there for me
My successes were to get an enclosed chicken wire room built and another protected outside enclosure where my seedings could grow without the birds and rabbits destroying everything before I can get a harvest. I set up a nice grow room in my home with lights, shelving and those seed trays from Amazon. My failures were having no harvests because of extreme temps and lack of pollenators. Grew more flowers and finally seeing bees! Small harvests but at last, harvests. You have been such mentor to help me through these last two years. So much info from you! I am hooked on coleus because of you, amongst other things. Loved your decorating ideas also! So a BIG THANK YOU and looking forward to 2025 with you!
Congrats on a successful 2024! Thank you very much for the recommendation on the French drain contractor. It’s been a game changer!! Keep doing you, Amanda! 🎉
What a great year Amanda! Congratulations! Thanks to you, I can successfully grow plant from seeds 👏🏻 That helped me a lot with my garden budget! Wishing you another great year in your garden!
Well done. Loved the videos I've seen so far. Very handy and well presented for beginners. Did a video log myself this year over on Daily motion for local newspaper website. The amount of editing out camera falls, swearing, plants breaking mid transplant etc was enough to make several blooper rolls. Knew next to nothing but absolutely loved trying everything and had big successes with thousands of plants raised to flowering and fruiting. We'll not talk about the thousands of failures and man made errors.😂 All a learning curve. Already planting for 2025 here in Ireland.
Amanda you're not giving yourself enough credit. I think your garden IS lush and beautiful, especially the front garden! 😊 My success this year were zinnias, they were huge and beautiful. I enjoyed lots of pretty bouquets.
I started seeds inside (purchased your Amazon trays) and did winter sowing first time. This year going to share more with my son-in-law. Thank you for all your knowledge. 🌹🌹🌹
The only real companion planting I do are annual flowering sage plants around my roses. And basil with my tomatoes.the sulfur in the annual sages help hold off black spot.
You and your garden are such an inspiration, and you're a great teacher! I look forward to each new video, and I review old videos as needed and for fun. I so enjoy your channel. Thank you for sharing with us!😊
Amanda thank you so much for this video. I relate to this so much about a budget! That is why I love your videos, you’re so real and relatable. Your videos give me hope that I can have a beautiful garden despite not purchasing massive amounts of plants at once. 😊
Thank you for reminding us to do what works for us and our gardens and not expecting what we see on social media. I remind myself to find inspiration not comparison. Most of my flower and vegetables were a success. The two things that didn't do well were my squash (squash bugs for the first time) and the dahlias. My husband and sons finished the french drain this summer, yay for better drainage. I am focusing a narrowing down what I really want and what does well for me.
I agree with Cathy. You should pat yourself on the back! My success was taking one of my small in ground garden patches to an 8x4 raised garden bed. That was big for me. I’m 62 and am starting to feel my osteoarthritis in a big way. But as long as I’m blessed to walk, I will garden!
Amanda you did an amazing job this year 🎉!!! I have learned so much from you and very thankful for finding your channel, it starts my morning every day which I love. I feel about 50/50 on my successes and failures in the garden this year but looking forward to 2025!
Amanda, your borders are gorgeous! Love your garden arch and shade garden entrance. Good of you to share your goals review with us. I watch every video!😊❤
I spent 2024 installing winter interest with new beds, shrubs and trees. Next year, pathways and less grass. Thanks for all of the inspirational content this year. I watch every time you post. Gardening in san antonio.
Great video!!! My garden goal is to only plant things that I eat. I used to plant vegetables that are pretty, but they took up space. Also, I won’t be comparing myself to others. I have to be realistic and knowing what grows well in my zone spite what I would like to grow based on, other peoples gardens. 💙💚💛🧡💜 Liz
Biggest failure for me were the chipmunks! They ate so many of my seedlings. Thats ok bought several plant cages this winter so 2025 will be better. On the bright side my garden is mature like you mentioned and that brings me joy. Love your videos Amanda and looking forward to what your bring in the new year.
I had a lot of physical challenges this year with a prior knee replacement that has never been quite right. I think I'm finally resolved to "it is what it is," and I'm moving on. No more not being in the garden trying new remedies. I learned more about my sun challenges in growing cut flowers and my husband finished his garden railroad "part duex!!" When I look at pictures from the year I'm amazed at how pretty most areas were! I'm so ready for 2025!!
Congrats Amanda! I would rather watch your channel over other gardening channels! Your gardens are my goals. I always watch your video first and IF I have time I may watch a few more. I learn so much from you and you’ve provided endless inspiration. You have done so much this year! I hope you are proud of your efforts and the community you have built here. ❤Here’s to 2025! Happy New Year!
I'm so dang proud of all that you accomplished - and I hope you are, too! Here are just a few things I've done because of you this year: I started Dollar Tree petunia seeds and loved them; added orange lights to my haunted house; and tossed in a fern and some faux berries with my amaryllis. (I'm sure there are more things, too, but I just want you to know that I appreciate you!)
You covered a lot of ground this year, congrats 👏👏. And your yard is looking great. As for me, after a couple of crop failures and I tried a second time, I got to put some veggies up for the fall and winter. The flower side of things I'm just learning and that would be thanks to you. 🎉 I think its super sweet for you to take the time to help us. 😊 And yes, I am a better gardener now than I was at the beginning of the year. Thank you.
Thank you so much for honesty and openness about successful things and failures! I have said this many times as well, that we see these extremely tidy perfect gardens and I feel a little left out 😂. That is just not my rea😢lity. I container garden in N Texas on a small scale, imperfectly sometimes, and it is refreshing to see your ideas. Also, the budget for my garden is very different from many things on you tube so it is nice to see we all have a place and can relate in the garden on different levels. 😊 AND, yes... Your seed starting was very helpful to me as well.
You’ve inspired me to set garden goals for 2025 and write them down. Your videos are very helpful and I really enjoy them 😍best wishes for 2025 from N W England
Take care of that back, you only get one.😊 68 year old here. A few years ago I put up a little galvanized fence to cut my yard in half. I had found myself trying to plant in this huge yard that I could no longer take care of. So now I have one side that looks like a gardener lives there and the other side that looks like a park. 😂
😊🐞I enjoy your posts so much and think that 2025 is going to be wonderful for you and your garden! My biggest problem this year was the massive herd of grasshoppers that came like a biblical epic and ate as much as they could down to the stalks. My small success was getting a garden with hostas started out front instead of gravel and some builder grade bushes that weren't doing well. Happy New Year!!
Doing a goal recap is so important in planning for the year ahead. I loved hearing your successes and failures. I watch several garden youtubers regularly, and I always save the best for last- Yours!! One of my goals this year is to take better care of some new roses, to determine if I can add more to my garden. I want more, because I love them, but I don't want to waste money on something that I can't manage. I don't mind that they are work, I just want to know the work they will require to thrive in my garden, you know? Another goal is to start more seeds (I do winter sowing as I don't have the indoor space). I got quite a few plants from winter sowing last year and can't wait to start in a couple months. PS- I love the transparency of your channel. And also, if you want to get some sponsorships for your channel/ hard work as a content creator, I think you totally should. Filming, editing, brainstorming content is time consuming and I hope you continue creating content for years to come. And I think you should be compensated accordingly!! Here's to happy gardening in 2025!
I don't know if i garden on a budget. I don't have a lot of money, but i love buying plants. I do buy cheap, i wsit on sales and buy smaller plants. I also divide and share plants.
It’s funny you should mention dealing with pests. I am in constant battle with deer. I usually get a break during the winter, but not this year! The big jerks are now coming up to my door (standing on my porch) and eating my outside cats’ food. I hear them bumping into the door and I think it’s a cat. I open the door and here’s a d*** deer standing there! I have to shove it to make it get off the porch 😮 I’m sure the neighbors get a good laugh 😆
Ha Amanda! With your help, I was successful in many of my goals. I learned how to recognize my zone 9a n what goes in shade n what goes in shade no matter what the package says. It's good to know your own yard. I took one area at a time, so I would be over whelmed. I learned how to use what I have n not compare myself with others. Reuse the soil I have, don't always have to use new soil. Many more, but my last one, I will say, is gardening will not always be successful, some things we will fail at, and that's okay!😊 I'm working on my winter gardening my 2nd year doing this, and I love it! I hope to try the Chrysanthemum. Do they give seeds?
I think you did great Amanda! I thought my new shade garden was a big success until the neighbor’s tree came down that was providing all the shade. Pretty sure all those plants are going to be moved to somewhere in my front yard which is pretty shady.
2024 was my first season trying to grow cut flowers. Frustrating but learned a ton for this year. The Zulu Warrior is perennial here so I let it grow. 😂. I’m hoping blooms will be darker purple this time. Otherwise they are outta here😂
Biggest fail - not keeping up on watering plants in dry shade and many died during drought. Biggest success - many plants made it through drought; also installing a pop-up drain to remove an ugly drain pipe from the pathway and grass.
Any tips on growing hardy geranium from seed? My goal is to grow more perennials from seed and i saw you had tried starting some last year and I found 1 update video but couldn't determine if they ever came up for you? Thanks for all the great content!!
I decided to start geraniums this summer and found myself with close to 20 + plants. I gave a lot of them away as Christmas presents in pretty little terra cota pots. I'm starting a new batch for spring. They are easy to start.
76 years here and still able to dig, climb, remove large shrubs, carry my own bags of mulch, sand, potting soil, etc. Still cleaning my own house, washing my car and jogging 4 miles. The key for me? Don't stop doing.
Many of my planned and hoped for container roses were a bust as were most veggies. Decision now is to forget about the idea of growing my own veggies as it just brings in varmits that either eat the fruit or chew the greens down to nubs...too irritating and frustrating.
Another lesson/ goal? Fewer roses planted inground.
Final goal? Order those seeds you suggested 3 weeks ago!😅😅
Good for you! Yes, we've got to keep moving to stay strong!❤❤
You are amazing! I'm so inspired by your energy and drive! 😊
Amanda - I hear you 110% on gardening on a budget. That's the only way I know how to garden and it is a great feeling. I live on 2 acres but still most of my plants came from division, cuttings, seed, or off the clearance rack. I always tell people - gardening can be fun but it doesn't have to be expensive. 😊💗🌸
It is so satisfying to create a beautiful garden on a budget!
Hi Vita! ! I see we both watch Amanda!!! Two of my favorite influencers!!! I learn so much from both of you!!!! See you over at your channel!!!!
I watch you too!😊
I totally agree with you that so many people can afford to fill their large gardens in a season. I am unable to do that. I loose interest because they started off where I could actually see myself, then they move up, get different usually larger properties and buy full grown plants. While they are beautiful to watch, I do so less often. I am interested in planting seeds, dividing, and taking cuttings because there really isn't enough in my budget for more expensive plants and I live on an acre. I am trying to grow an inventory to sell plants from my home. Thank you for being there for me
My successes were to get an enclosed chicken wire room built and another protected outside enclosure where my seedings could grow without the birds and rabbits destroying everything before I can get a harvest. I set up a nice grow room in my home with lights, shelving and those seed trays from Amazon. My failures were having no harvests because of extreme temps and lack of pollenators. Grew more flowers and finally seeing bees! Small harvests but at last, harvests. You have been such mentor to help me through these last two years. So much info from you! I am hooked on coleus because of you, amongst other things. Loved your decorating ideas also! So a BIG THANK YOU and looking forward to 2025 with you!
Congrats on a successful 2024! Thank you very much for the recommendation on the French drain contractor. It’s been a game changer!! Keep doing you, Amanda! 🎉
That is so nice to hear! I'm so glad it worked out!
Thank you for sharing your love of gardening with us.
What a great year Amanda! Congratulations! Thanks to you, I can successfully grow plant from seeds 👏🏻 That helped me a lot with my garden budget! Wishing you another great year in your garden!
I’m so glad the videos helped you save money in your garden!
This rly encouraged me to think about the successes I did have, as well as the things I learned.
Well done. Loved the videos I've seen so far. Very handy and well presented for beginners. Did a video log myself this year over on Daily motion for local newspaper website. The amount of editing out camera falls, swearing, plants breaking mid transplant etc was enough to make several blooper rolls. Knew next to nothing but absolutely loved trying everything and had big successes with thousands of plants raised to flowering and fruiting. We'll not talk about the thousands of failures and man made errors.😂 All a learning curve. Already planting for 2025 here in Ireland.
I hear ya on the swearing! 😂😂😂
Amanda you're not giving yourself enough credit. I think your garden IS lush and beautiful, especially the front garden! 😊 My success this year were zinnias, they were huge and beautiful. I enjoyed lots of pretty bouquets.
I love zinnias! They are such happy flowers. And thank you!
I started seeds inside (purchased your Amazon trays) and did winter sowing first time. This year going to share more with my son-in-law. Thank you for all your knowledge. 🌹🌹🌹
That’s wonderful! Sharing is so rewarding!
The only real companion planting I do are annual flowering sage plants around my roses. And basil with my tomatoes.the sulfur in the annual sages help hold off black spot.
That's a great tip!
You and your garden are such an inspiration, and you're a great teacher! I look forward to each new video, and I review old videos as needed and for fun. I so enjoy your channel. Thank you for sharing with us!😊
Wow, thank you!
Amanda thank you so much for this video. I relate to this so much about a budget! That is why I love your videos, you’re so real and relatable. Your videos give me hope that I can have a beautiful garden despite not purchasing massive amounts of plants at once. 😊
Thank you for reminding us to do what works for us and our gardens and not expecting what we see on social media. I remind myself to find inspiration not comparison. Most of my flower and vegetables were a success. The two things that didn't do well were my squash (squash bugs for the first time) and the dahlias. My husband and sons finished the french drain this summer, yay for better drainage. I am focusing a narrowing down what I really want and what does well for me.
It sounds like you had a great garden season! And squash bugs are the worst!
I agree with Cathy. You should pat yourself on the back! My success was taking one of my small in ground garden patches to an 8x4 raised garden bed. That was big for me. I’m 62 and am starting to feel my osteoarthritis in a big way. But as long as I’m blessed to walk, I will garden!
Amanda you did an amazing job this year 🎉!!! I have learned so much from you and very thankful for finding your channel, it starts my morning every day which I love. I feel about 50/50 on my successes and failures in the garden this year but looking forward to 2025!
Thank you so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying the channel! And I’m incredibly thankful for your comments and support over the years Michelle!
Amanda, your borders are gorgeous! Love your garden arch and shade garden entrance. Good of you to share your goals review with us. I watch every video!😊❤
Aw, thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoy the videos! 😊
I spent 2024 installing winter interest with new beds, shrubs and trees. Next year, pathways and less grass. Thanks for all of the inspirational content this year. I watch every time you post. Gardening in san antonio.
Sounds like a fantastic plan for your garden!
Great video!!!
My garden goal is to only plant things that I eat. I used to plant vegetables that are pretty, but they took up space. Also, I won’t be comparing myself to others. I have to be realistic and knowing what grows well in my zone spite what I would like to grow based on, other peoples gardens. 💙💚💛🧡💜 Liz
Yes, yes, yes on the budget. I enjoy gardening with you and I learn so much! Thanks for your videos!
That's so nice of you to say!
Biggest failure for me were the chipmunks! They ate so many of my seedlings. Thats ok bought several plant cages this winter so 2025 will be better. On the bright side my garden is mature like you mentioned and that brings me joy. Love your videos Amanda and looking forward to what your bring in the new year.
Budget for me is what I need to work on , and not be afraid to divide what I already have .
We can all work together on our budget gardens!
I had a lot of physical challenges this year with a prior knee replacement that has never been quite right. I think I'm finally resolved to "it is what it is," and I'm moving on. No more not being in the garden trying new remedies.
I learned more about my sun challenges in growing cut flowers and my husband finished his garden railroad "part duex!!"
When I look at pictures from the year I'm amazed at how pretty most areas were!
I'm so ready for 2025!!
It's wonderful that you're moving forward and finding a way to make your garden work for you! And how exciting about the railroad garden part 2!!!
Congrats Amanda! I would rather watch your channel over other gardening channels! Your gardens are my goals. I always watch your video first and IF I have time I may watch a few more. I learn so much from you and you’ve provided endless inspiration. You have done so much this year! I hope you are proud of your efforts and the community you have built here. ❤Here’s to 2025! Happy New Year!
Thank you so much, that means the world to me!
I'm so dang proud of all that you accomplished - and I hope you are, too! Here are just a few things I've done because of you this year: I started Dollar Tree petunia seeds and loved them; added orange lights to my haunted house; and tossed in a fern and some faux berries with my amaryllis. (I'm sure there are more things, too, but I just want you to know that I appreciate you!)
You're making me blush! I love hearing about how you've used my ideas to add some fun to your garden!
You covered a lot of ground this year, congrats 👏👏. And your yard is looking great. As for me, after a couple of crop failures and I tried a second time, I got to put some veggies up for the fall and winter. The flower side of things I'm just learning and that would be thanks to you. 🎉 I think its super sweet for you to take the time to help us. 😊 And yes, I am a better gardener now than I was at the beginning of the year. Thank you.
It sounds like you had a great year in your garden! I’m so happy for you!
Thank you so much for honesty and openness about successful things and failures! I have said this many times as well, that we see these extremely tidy perfect gardens and I feel a little left out 😂. That is just not my rea😢lity. I container garden in N Texas on a small scale, imperfectly sometimes, and it is refreshing to see your ideas. Also, the budget for my garden is very different from many things on you tube so it is nice to see we all have a place and can relate in the garden on different levels. 😊 AND, yes... Your seed starting was very helpful to me as well.
That is so true! We all garden on different levels.
🎄
You’ve inspired me to set garden goals for 2025 and write them down. Your videos are very helpful and I really enjoy them 😍best wishes for 2025 from N W England
I'm so glad! You can do it!!!
Take care of that back, you only get one.😊 68 year old here. A few years ago I put up a little galvanized fence to cut my yard in half. I had found myself trying to plant in this huge yard that I could no longer take care of. So now I have one side that looks like a gardener lives there and the other side that looks like a park. 😂
I hear you! That’s a great idea. 😉
Number 1 success keeping Lupine alive and flowering,
Failure Deers and rabbits
Ugh I wish I had your success with the lupine!
😊🐞I enjoy your posts so much and think that 2025 is going to be wonderful for you and your garden! My biggest problem this year was the massive herd of grasshoppers that came like a biblical epic and ate as much as they could down to the stalks. My small success was getting a garden with hostas started out front instead of gravel and some builder grade bushes that weren't doing well. Happy New Year!!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying my content! And good for you on the hostas!
Doing a goal recap is so important in planning for the year ahead. I loved hearing your successes and failures. I watch several garden youtubers regularly, and I always save the best for last- Yours!! One of my goals this year is to take better care of some new roses, to determine if I can add more to my garden. I want more, because I love them, but I don't want to waste money on something that I can't manage. I don't mind that they are work, I just want to know the work they will require to thrive in my garden, you know? Another goal is to start more seeds (I do winter sowing as I don't have the indoor space). I got quite a few plants from winter sowing last year and can't wait to start in a couple months. PS- I love the transparency of your channel. And also, if you want to get some sponsorships for your channel/ hard work as a content creator, I think you totally should. Filming, editing, brainstorming content is time consuming and I hope you continue creating content for years to come. And I think you should be compensated accordingly!! Here's to happy gardening in 2025!
I'm so glad you like the transparency on my channel, and thank you for the kind words about my hard work!
I don't know if i garden on a budget. I don't have a lot of money, but i love buying plants. I do buy cheap, i wsit on sales and buy smaller plants. I also divide and share plants.
It’s funny you should mention dealing with pests. I am in constant battle with deer. I usually get a break during the winter, but not this year! The big jerks are now coming up to my door (standing on my porch) and eating my outside cats’ food. I hear them bumping into the door and I think it’s a cat. I open the door and here’s a d*** deer standing there! I have to shove it to make it get off the porch 😮 I’m sure the neighbors get a good laugh 😆
Oh my goodness, that sounds like a real nightmare, but also a little funny at the same time!
I was able to lay cardboard and 3 pickup loads of mulch for my secret , not so secret garden.
Ha Amanda! With your help, I was successful in many of my goals.
I learned how to recognize my zone 9a n what goes in shade n what goes in shade no matter what the package says. It's good to know your own yard.
I took one area at a time, so I would be over whelmed.
I learned how to use what I have n not compare myself with others.
Reuse the soil I have, don't always have to use new soil.
Many more, but my last one, I will say, is gardening will not always be successful, some things we will fail at, and that's okay!😊
I'm working on my winter gardening my 2nd year doing this, and I love it!
I hope to try the Chrysanthemum. Do they give seeds?
I love hearing about your success with your garden! It sounds like you've learned so much and that's what it's all about!
💐
💚💚💚
😊
I think you did great Amanda! I thought my new shade garden was a big success until the neighbor’s tree came down that was providing all the shade. Pretty sure all those plants are going to be moved to somewhere in my front yard which is pretty shady.
That is such a bummer about the tree, I hope you can find a new happy home for all of those plants!
I love your videos. I would stake that amaryllis!!!
Definitely!!! It’s leaning like crazy!
🥰
2024 was my first season trying to grow cut flowers. Frustrating but learned a ton for this year. The Zulu Warrior is perennial here so I let it grow. 😂. I’m hoping blooms will be darker purple this time. Otherwise they are outta here😂
I pulled mine! I couldn’t deal with the thorns!
Biggest fail - not keeping up on watering plants in dry shade and many died during drought. Biggest success - many plants made it through drought; also installing a pop-up drain to remove an ugly drain pipe from the pathway and grass.
👍🏻 ❤❤❤
🎉
💚💚💚
Any tips on growing hardy geranium from seed? My goal is to grow more perennials from seed and i saw you had tried starting some last year and I found 1 update video but couldn't determine if they ever came up for you? Thanks for all the great content!!
I found them very easy to grow. Inside under lights for me and then transplanted out. Go for it
I had success but forgot to water them and they all dried up!
I decided to start geraniums this summer and found myself with close to 20 + plants. I gave a lot of them away as Christmas presents in pretty little terra cota pots. I'm starting a new batch for spring. They are easy to start.
🌱
❤️🌹❤️
💚💚💚
👏👏👏👏
🪴👩🌾👒
😊