"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow" ~Audrey Hepburn
Like most projects, our simple raised beds turned out to require a lot more time, labor, & money than we initially thought. In the end though, we have a wonderful place to marvel at the working of mother nature and teach responsibility, healthy habits & hard work to the littles.
The garden plot was a former landscape bed that we cleared of a half dead burning bush, day lillies, hostas & a few other plantings that this still learning gardener can't identify. On Mother's Day weekend I asked Hubby to build two raised beds as my gift (the one weekend a year he must comply with my requests). We lined the bottom of the beds with cardboard and 800 lbs of soil!!! The plants went in and the beds were topped with straw. To cut down on weeds and help prevent mud, we surrounded the perimeter with pea gravel.
The final step was to instal a garden fence to prohibit visiting vermin and make the garden a magical place to visit. There is just something about a gate to children that makes the place they are about to enter so special. Belle requested the aqua latch & spray painted it herself...not bad for her first painting project.
I painted the boxes, lattice and posts SW Urban Bronze to match our front door & driveway seating. Having the continuity of color throughout our outdoor space helps to unify everything and is easy on the eye.
As for the garden itself, the large bed measures 10'x10' and houses tomatoes, hot peppers, sweet peppers, zucchini, pole beans, mini cucumbers, broccoli, lettuce, kale, spinach & a sweet baby watermelon.
The second bed is our berry patch that measures 10'x 3'. Inside we have a Caroline raspberry bush and 3 strawberry plants. I would have to say the kids are most excited about this bed and the deliciousness we hope to be picking over the summer.
I can not end this post without a humongous "thank you" to Hubby who passed up several hours on the course to build this gift for our family. We are lucky to have you! Now the fun begins...fingers crossed I don't kill everything. We've already had 3 fatalities. Any tricks or tips you all have would be greatly appreciated.
Looks fantastic. So much fun. You will need to add some herbs next year. Easy to grow and wonderful for summer grilling dishes. We use an organic fertilizer and fish emulsion on our garden.
ReplyDeleteThis looks great!!!! We decided onto raised beds last summer and were shocked by how much produce we got from the garden! The kids had an amazing time and looked forward to picking every day. The veggies that you're growing are perfect for that size garden, I tend to go for the bush varieties which lead to a bigger harvest. It looks like you're off to a tremendous start, can't wait to see how it progresses!
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks amazing! I hope you grow lots and lots, but most important is that you have an activity to share with your kids. Your daughter did a great job on the aqua latch. Love the Audrey Hepburn quote, too!
ReplyDeleteI love your garden!! I have always wanted to learn how to garden and have always wanted to have a herb garden. I guess I had better learn to cook with herbs while I am at it!
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