Why trees are messy

Nature is messy. Birds do unmentionable things in the bushes, lions don't have table-manners and trees drop leaves. A tree that does not drop leaves doesn't exist.

The leaves of evergreens are not immortal, no matter how much we might like them to be, and a few drop every day. In a way, they're actually more messy than deciduous trees, because deciduous trees do it all at once instead of bit by bit.

The best way to deal with fallen leaves, is not to deal with them at all. Leave them where they fall, and they'll improve the topsoil, keep weeds down and help to keep soil moist. If pathways need sweeping, collect the sweepings and distribute them over garden beds or compost them to make garden fertilizer.

Love your fallen leaves: they smell good and they do good things for your garden!