Holly bushes grow twice as fast as you might expect.
I trimmed mine in early spring. I kind of have a thing about keeping them pruned to just the right height and space away from the house. They had been neglected for a very long time before we bought the house so now that they are looking healthy I want to keep them that way.
Anyway today I was sitting in the car waiting for DH so we could go somewhere and I noticed they needed trimming again.
With our weather I probably won't do it till spring but when I do I'll cut them down twice as much as I did this year.

It's okay to get rid of plants! I used to always move them around, but sometimes if they are really not that great, just get rid of them! Sounds easy, but was very hard for me. Ones I got rid of this year are geranium splish splash, red-leaved lysimachia, spready hardy pink geraniums, a certain rust-prone aster, some blah colored daylilies, etc. I must be growing up if I'm actually willing to say no to some plants.

How to ship unrooted plant cuttings. Probably not the best tip. I also learned how easy is to shuovel prune hostas. I also learned how big canna rhizomes can get in one season from seed.

Penny

I've looked at this post several times, and I've had a LOT of trouble coming up with a "best lesson." Which means either I have parenthood-induced ADD, a very poor memory, or that I haven't learned much this year! We had a crazy year (flooding, car accident, depression, family issues), so gardening took more of a back seat than in other years. I feel like I missed out on a lot, yet I had so much enjoyment out of my garden anyhow, just watching it grow even though I couldn't fuss over it as much as usual. It didn't need my attention as much as I thought it did - fancy that, Mother Nature is self-sufficient. . . .

I think I'd also have to say, "dream big, and start planning." My DH and I are thinking of moving next year, locally. He needs a dedicated music studio (his avocation is pipe organs and electronic music production), and I need a much larger property to garden. I'm mulling over the idea of eventually breeding and selling daylilies, which will NOT happen from a suburban back yard. So, with daylily seedlings on my windowsills, a bunch of daylily seeds in the refrigerator, and a wish list of new daylilies a mile long, I'm hoping to turn my dreams into some form of reality.

On a more practical note, I need to find a way to start seeds indoors that is CAT PROOF. I winter sow, but there are times when I enjoy having those seedlings growing green through the winter months. It's a good thing I love my cats, because they are a pain with the seedlings. . . .

Laurel

I had to get operated on a few times and wasn't full strenght for most of the year. I learned a few things. I learned that seed trading while recovering in winter/early spring will keep you busy and hopeful of the garden season to come. And that where there's a will, there's a way to get a lot of things done. It may take longer, but it can be done. Like all the wintersown jugs that I had to tote out one at a time out of the house! and lots of them germinated, so I had a big pot ghetto all season that I slowly worked on planting. All the little things that don't get done, don't seem too bad. And if they do, there's nothing you can do about it, so just relax.
Remy

Tulips are food.
not for me, but for my arch enemies, the chipmunks and god-know-what-else inhabits my yard.

I learned that wintersowing seeds can quickly get out of control when they ALL sprout and grow. They also seem much stronger than the plants I purchased at the nursery and seem to grow faster and bloom sooner than anticipated.

I learned that hatred for one species of bird based on a generalized behavior generates the exact same feelings and behavior of bigotry against a human ethnic group/race. It's uncanny how humans seem to have a need to create hierarchies of betterness along with outlets for their anger.

What have I learned? Let's see:
1- squirrels like my tulips - very tasty
2- something likes my paprika yarrow flowers - very tasty
3- something likes my red veined dock leaves - very tasty
4- earthworms can jump - no kidding! I was just as surprised as the worm I think
5- wild onions grow much better than our grass does-smells like a salad after hubby mows the back lawn
6- wildflowers in the spring are an incredible source of joy
7- japanese knotweed can be fought - and we will continue to fight the good fight
But the best lesson of all is finding out how gardening satisfies my soul - and relieves stress.

I have learned that my house is really a greenhouse in disquise over the winter months and that now I am so ready for my winter guests to leave...no pun intendted here.

Penny

Don't put off tomorrow what you can today.
I kept putting off covering my roses for winter because it stayed unseasonaly warm well into December. Needless to say I am pretty sure I lost most of them by procrastinating.:(

One thing I learned very recently is not to take the weather for granted. I had to bring in some of my ws early sprouters last week and I am glad I did as I may have lost some of my best perennials to the hard freezing temps we just had.

Penny