Gardens

Gardens can delight the soul year-round!

A strong visual foundation adds an interesting vista, even when blanketed with snow.

Welcome to my gardens! We’ve been working this patch of land since we acquired it about twenty years ago. It’s hard to imagine it was once an empty hay field. The ‘woods’ in the back two-thirds of the property remain untouched. I would like to install a fence around the property perimeter and allow my goat herd to browse/clear our woodland…can you imagine their delight? Like kids in a candy store I think. But, that’s a subject for another day…

The first order of business after the house and horse barn was a vegetable garden. Both of us had been raised in a home with parents who enjoyed gardening, so it was natural for us to also want a veggie garden. However, it was hubby – the engineer – who was interested in the whole idea of raised beds.

There are raised beds…

And then, there are more RAISED beds…

Raised bed, the deep bed method, the Chinese Method, or the French Intensive Method – is actually a very old method of gardening that is being revived by today’s gardeners. In the 19th century, French market gardeners were working as near to Paris as they could get on small patches of expensive and scarce land. They had unlimited supply of horse manure – the method of transportation at the time – and they developed a system of gardening that has never been surpassed. Chinese gardeners also working near cities were compelled to produce as much produce off a limited amount of land.

Studies indicate deep bed cultivation yield FOUR times the crop amount produced by conventional gardening! Benefits of raised bed gardens include improved root zone, soil warms up sooner, ideal method for areas with wet, heavy soil and are easily maintained. Personal experience shows that they tend to dry-out quicker and may require more frequent irrigation during dry spells.

Most importantly when considering a garden is location, location, location. It should be nearby – out of sight is out of mind. Water supply should be close-by as well. It’s awful to drag hundreds of feet of garden hose or worse, buckets of water to irrigate the garden! Observe the pattern of the sun as it travels across the horizon – most plants prefer the full sun. Take note of obstructions – do they cast shadows throughout the day and with the change of seasons?

Finally, plant what you love and have the space for…and purchase/support local farmers for whatever else you lack in your own garden. Our gardens evolved over time – no instant gratification here – and were developed around themes. For example, we have a veggie garden, formal herb garden, rose garden, butterfly garden, shade garden, moon or evening garden, water garden…and so on. Not to mention the myriad of foundation plantings and plants tucked here and there.

I almost forgot – an important factor – consider the BONES or ‘hardscape’ of the garden. This is what provides YEAR-ROUND interest regardless of the growing season. Include varying heights and features: a trellis, arbor, pergola or obelisks. Don’t forget a conveniently placed garden bench. Lighting is nice, running water is soothing, wind chimes, bird baths all add interest to the garden. Create garden rooms that can be an extension of the indoor decor.

Incorporate gardens with a view…a winding path, to draw you in and around the next turn or focal point.  Paths or walks are a must through the garden and can be somewhat formal, pavers, stones and such – or a bit more informal, wood chips, pea stone, gravel, step-able scented herbs for starters.

 

Do you like cool, relaxing color schemes?

Or warm, hot and vibrant colors in the garden?

We all know that gardening is a great past-time, rewarding and provides great exercise! So get outdoors, soak up some vitamin D, get the kids (or grandkids) involved in gardening AND…let’s get growing!