This is the future garden plot (inside the white square) as seen from the star-gazing deck:
Here it is from the ground, looking south. Imagine you are standing in the arbor, under a prodigious wisteria vine and there is a table in front of you--might as well set it with a lovely dinner and a nice bottle of wine:
It is a 20 x 30 ft. plot. I want to start small so as not to get discouraged (I know me so well). It will have a fence about five feet high, and that descends about twelve inches below the ground. I'm trying to thwart deer and groundhogs, respectively. I hope to make the fence pretty somehow. I may call upon John's talent with bittersweet, or simply grow plants over it. My plan is for a 2 ft. bed around the inside edge, and four, 4 x 8 ft. raised beds within. If I have space, I'll put a focal point in the middle.
It will be a potager--a French word for "kitchen" garden. I want to grow food and ornamentals together, though I'll try to make most of the flowers edible, too.
As you can see, we started tilling. The old Firestone rototiller we bought so many years ago from Emmet Hay, a farmer in Hanover, Indiana, kept stalling, though. I hope we (read: John) can figure it out. Once the soil is in there, I can take over. Sort of like those rocks up at the cabin...remember them?
I need a little help with the initial back breaking work, but then I'm good to go.
I love the placement of the potager plot. It is between the house and the cabin. In the summer, you can sit on the upper deck and gaze upon it. You can walk right out the kitchen, through the screen porch and pick some fresh food for dinner. It sits on the hill, facing south, so it will have a nice breeze and a great view. It is the one thing around here that was a no-brainer for me in terms of location.
Oh, plants are great things! Every year, the gardeners I know are full of plans. Even the experienced gardeners who know that, by August, things will be much different than they envisoned, even they are stoked in April. Even if all you're going to do is a couple of containers for your porch, it's still something to design, something full of promise. You get a fresh chance. Every year.
5 comments:
Oh, I want a garden!! How wonderful! My new Australian friend had a full on veggie garden and was waxing poetic about it. It really is a treat--an ironic luxury, since it fulfills such a basic need but in a way that is so often neglected nowadays.
hi meg
that is going to be a wonderful garden and a perfect veiw of it
i can't wait for a summer tomato!!!
the vegi garden is tilled just waiting for mom nature to let us know its ok for us to plant here in ct
enjoy your day
tabby :)
This is so exciting! I can't wait to see how your potager develops. It looks like you've chosen the perfect spot.
As for the fence, my two cents worth... If you think you might expand, start with a strictly utilitarian fence- perhaps even metal posts and wire, and then plant to cover it if you like. The bittersweet would be gorgeous, but very easy to climb, especially if you are a hungry and determined critter.
Also, a tidbit I've read says wormwood planted as a border will keep critters out of the garden; but I haven't tested this idea.
Anyhow, I can't wait for your updates!
Sarah: Hopefully, you'll be able to pluck something from the garden this August when you are here and cooking me dinner!
Tabby: Thank you! The frost date seems sooo far away, doesn't it?
Maggie: I was going to ask for your ideas about fences, actually. Perhaps I'll even just email you with it...
I can't wait to see how your potager turns out, Meg. I'm sure it will be amazing. I look forward to regular updates (wink!).
Post a Comment