I was looking through some old photos today and realised just how my vegetable garden has changed! I thought I'd share a few of the images so you can see the evolution of the my growing space over the past two years - and I'm sure there will be more change in 2018 too!
#1
The garden began as a long strip of green and was first divided into several sections; a patio, the aviary and ornamental bed, the oval lawn and cutting garden, the greenhouse and then the vegetable beds. HOWEVER, there was not enough light past the greenhouse and with two dogs and a chicken coop, the oval lawn was destroyed pretty quickly - you can just about make it out under my new plans in the picture above.
#2
Initially I was only going to have three raised beds with ornamental/cut flower beds either side. This soon changed and you can see I began to outline the edges of the paths with bricks left over from where we'd knocked down the wall in our front garden. I didn't dig out any grass; instead I lined the beds with cardboard to smother the weeds and....
#3
Two raised beds followed, quickly followed by the third. You can see that I also made a small coop behind the shed for some of my growing chicks, and I edged the perimeter beds where I still had ornamentals and some one year old cordon fruit trees.
#4
But I quickly ran out of room for chickens, so I had to put in another coop! You can also see here that I made a compost bin from old pallets which I put across from the greenhouse. I had to move the cordon trees which wasn't ideal.
In the second picture you can see one of the ornamental beds. It's not very well organised...it has too many sun loving plants in a shady spot. This year I want to rectify that and change the plants around so they really suit the spot.
#5
Finally, this is the past summer when most of the beds were full of carrots, lettuces, beets and more.
I still have a LONG way when it comes to maximising space and growing the right crop in the right place. But it's always nice to see how much progress has already been made because it spurs you on for the season to come! In 2018 I need to make sure every inch of soil has something growing in it. I need to repair the rickety fence, and I need to better plant the shady ornamental border with flowers and plants that a) I can use a mother plants for small nursery plants and b) for shade-tolerant cutting flowers.
Thanks for reading,
Geoff
Wow, that is a major change! I'd never seen the starting point before. With the changes you'll be doing, it will just keep getting better. There will always, I think, something that can be tweaked.
Psssst... typo in the last paragraph, check the date.
Thanks for the typo spot!
I need to find the pics of the garden at the very start too. It was literally just a strip of grass. I didn't care much about the house - I was out in the garden. lol
nice...I also love gardening ...good luck
What a transformation! It makes me long for spring so I can get out there and get to work. I’ve got LOTS to be tweaked out there!
I find winter so difficult. It's not like it's frozen solid here...it's just wet and gross which becomes miserable!
It's that way most here for most of the winter also. It freezes for a few days here and there and then it just gets muddy. It's hard to keep grass growing in the mud. 😒
It's so awesome to see your raised beds "grow up" like that. Mine are going through a similar process right now...except rain is drowning them out (which is rare here)!
~ Kevin
I'm really happy with them. The only thing I need to sort out is the irrigation because they dry out FAST.
Wow, you have done a great job. Just imagine how much good is coming soon from all that effort!
Thank you. Lots to do but I feel I'm getting somewhere. :D
Fascinating to see the evolution of your garden.
Thanks Pennsif!
I love what you did in that small space.
Thanks :D
Nice to see a clear process with I have the organisation. I just do it a bit randomly which is why I am taking my time 💯🐒
Nice!
How inspiring!!
Seeing all these posts about gardening is making me want to grow something!
I always get the itch to grow things right about this time of year...
Thanks for sharing!
What a great transition! I've done a similar thing by turning most of my gravel driveway into a garden:) I love your greenhouse, and your lovely pink roses!