A garden becomes easier to enjoy when its care fits the life around it.

A garden designed for the life you wish you had turns into a standing accusation. Beds that need daily water in August, plants that resent a fortnight away, a lawn that demands a particular Saturday: each one quietly converts a pleasure into an obligation. The garden that gets enjoyed is usually the one sized to the hours that genuinely exist, including the weeks when you are away or unwell.

Count the time you actually have in a normal month, not a good one. Shrink the demanding part and let the tough plants take the rest. One chair in a shaded spot often does more for your enjoyment than another bed.