To think people can make more of an effort with their gardens

I love gardening and have a medium sized garden. Grow all sorts of vegetables and flowers and even so it looks a mess a lot of the time. Just enjoy your garden for you

I looked after a garden when I was young as well as now I'm middle aged. If you plant properly it doesn't need lots of maintenance. My buddiea shrub gets cut back once a year and has loads of flowers on in the summer. It's covered in butterflies. We have two small patches of grass which we strim and each patch takes 15 minutes. I have electric edgers for quickness too.

I moved into a new build council house with my dc (single parent) when I was in my 30's. I worked full time, took dc to after school activities, cooked, cleaned, etc and still managed to transform a huge back garden from scrub ground with builders rubble buried in it to a lovely garden with a big lawn, flower beds, window boxes and trellis for climbing roses. It didn't stop children playing in the garden or cost much and I was extremely proud of it, my favourite part was the crocus planted randomly in the front tiny lawn and how quickly they multiplied. I lived there for four years and it looked great when I left, I visited neighbours two years later and the garden was still blooming so I was delighted to see it. It can be done on very little money but does require an interest in doing it.

I agree OP! I think it comes down to priorities really.
I have a 2yo and work FT, but feel strongly about supporting our ecosystem in an era of paved drives and plastic turf. If we lose our bugs, we are all fucked!

I also have very little time, a few years ago we tore up the paving slabs, laid turf and built some plant beds. I have been adding perennial plants and evergreen herbs/shrubs and planting more of what survives with the level of commitment I can provide. So even though I can’t spend loads of time in the garden, it does the job I need it to. Managed to get a great crop of tomatoes last year by grabbing the seedlings half price and just putting them in the ground!

OP, I ducking hate gardening. I have several SEN kids, and my own conditions. I’m working where I can, in between educating the ones that can’t attend school, and you know, just keeping everyone fed and clean.

My garden is a shit tip. It will remain that way, I don’t need to justify that. It also doesn’t matter.

I can't imagine having outdoor space and not having plenty of plants. But some people are not interested in it visually, and CBA to do the work or learn how to garden. Or spend money.
It's a shame but it's a hobby/lifestyle choice to have plants and it's just not for everyone.
It's a real shame and I'm glad we have a communal garden and our own small patio garden. My neighbours just have a bare yard. Their cat is so bored!

If bees are coming into your garden and dying then it sounds like your garden isn't very bee friendly!

Was it necessary to get 'council estate" in there? Anyway, not easy for everyone or possibly in terms of both time and money.

It's not as easy as you make out.

Retired people have more time to do their gardens
Shockers

What gardening have you done op? Apart from your dead potato plants that is. Which btw don't need pollination, as a pp said. Look after your own garden maybe before worrying about other people's.

Yes, the idea of wildflowers has been fashionable for the last couple of years, but a pretty wildflower lawn requires a big time commitment to keep it looking that way. And like you have discovered, lots of "wildflowers" are what a lot of people call weeds!

Yes, a "desirable" garden now seems to be super low maintenance. I see ads for landscapers etc on FB. Gardens with a patch of artificial grass, with patio and wall around it. No wildlife would go there, and it is soulless.

And then you get those putting Astroturf down and fake plastic plants. Just awful for the environment.

I guess even if they just have grass, the birds can still dig for worms in it and make nests out of the dry bits.

Apparently the UK is the most wildlife depleted country in the world. Even seagulls are on the decline. I find attitudes to wildlife, plants, trees etc. quite brutal and sad.

It's extremely sad and worrying for wildlife.

People seem to pave over their gardens now and just have a square of grass (sometimes fake!). It all looks so sterile.

My garden has lots of shrubs and trees etc. I do make an effort with it, but it is time consuming and I can understand why other people aren't able to do the upkeep.

Gardening has a lot of mental health benefits, though. It is sad that it seems to be on the wane.

Sorry kids there’s no dinner tonight…but look at that garden it’s beautiful! 🙄

YANBU....I think it's really sad and have commented to DH when you walk around our village how it's only the houses owned by 50+ people who seem to take pride in them alot of the time or bother to do anything remotely interesting or attractive with them.
I get time and money can be factors but I don't think that's the full story.

I have a big garden, but I hate gardening. Some people have green fingers... I have a black thumb. Plants come in my garden to die.

I hate it when people say you should grow your own veg to beat the Cost of Living crisis. I just laugh... unless you are experienced, knowledgeable, and have the interest to start with, it is cheaper to buy your veg from Lidl.
I spent months planting and nurturing a red cabbage that ends up being 75p if I buy it in a shop.
If I grow stuff, I try and grow things that you rarely see like spaghetti squash

Gardening is outdoor housework and I don't have time to do much more than cut the grass and do a bit of weeding! I maintain the garden but I certainly can't spare hours to plant, water and feed seeds and flowers. That would eat into my indoor housework time.
Having said that, I do appreciate a well kept garden if I see one on my travels. Its sad when a garden has been left to get completely overgrown and unkempt with grass 3 feet tall and brambles and weeds all over.

I live in a mature neighborhood so most gardens are well planted. I wanted to add though, I tried planting a "wildflower mix" of seeds in various pots last year and the year before and what I ended up with was literally minging looking weeds 😂 If I'd had better results I'd consider replacing my motheaten looking front lawn with wild flowers, but I suspect it would look dreadful. I'm wondering about snowdrop bulbs instead but that would only be nice for a few weeks in later winter.

Don't like gardening, my back is in giblets and my knees are fucked. Enough reasons why my garden is below your standards OP?

Our house came with a canny while garden which is sort of wonderful and also a nightmare. Different plants need trimming back at different times of years, I've accidentally dug up what I assumed were weeds but were saplings, or bulbs, I don't have time or money to carefully plant new things and tend to them...

It's a lovely thing to do, but quite a shitty attitude OP

Simple is it, don't want excuse do you.