Saturday, August 23, 2008

Catching Up

Some great transformations have happened this summer at A Shower Fresh Garden, and I need to get you guys caught up! Chip built an AWESOME fence around the pool pump. I'll post about that later this week. First I want to show you the almost finished herb garden!

Last summer I wrote about four different sections of my garden that were just atrocious. I've fixed a few of those "Bad and Ugly" beds. I put a veggie garden in where there were dead azaleas before. And on my front porch I've replaced even more dead azaleas with knockout roses . The veggie garden hasn't thrived. Turns out that spot is too sunny for azaleas and not sunny enough to make tomatoes. I've babied my veggie patch all summer, and all we've gotten out of it are some radishes and sugar snap peas. Here's a photo from today.

See? I've got a pepper plant, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, eggplant, even some sad little tomato plants. But the only thing that seems to be growing well is one weird cucumber. If you read the sign in my iris bed, it says, "There are no garden mistakes, only experiments." Yep, I feel like Wallace (from Wallace and Grommet) because I am "experimenting mostly!" I have a plan to fix this. I always have a plan! Well, look at that! The left side of the tree gets tons of sun! Sure, I'll have to convert more of the lawn for garden, but I'm sure Chip won't complain. All I need is another one of those raised beds, because I do love that raised bed. And I'm sure there are veggies that will grow in partial shade. The sugar snaps did fine. Any suggestions on what other veggies will grow in partial shade?

The herb garden transformation is really something. Remember how terrible it looked? Well, take a look at this (June 2007):

First, Chip added a brick patio (March 2008).
Then, I added a raised bed for the herbs (April 2008).
Then, I did some major landscaping. My favorite addition has been catmint (first photo below). I also added cannas that I moved from the veggie garden bed, a lantana that I moved from the front porch bed, and some daylilies that I moved when redoing the bed by the pool pump. Really the only plants I bought new were the catmint, the herbs, a few extra liriope, and a gardenia.

The transformation is almost complete! My grandfather is making us two white benches to place around the firepit on the brick patio. I'll post more photos when I get them. So far, I am really pleased with what we've been able to accomplish! The soil in this bed was hard, difficult to dig, and totally depleted . Compost from my bin was a lifesaver. We've been able to turn this portion of my yard into something usable and its not ugly anymore!

6 comments:

Judy said...

Your yard looks fantastic!

I'm not much help in the gardening department. Out of all the crops we tried this year (11 in all), only the bell peppers, pumpkin, tomatoes, beans, cukes and okra survived. And really, it is just cukes and okra at this point! And a pumpkin...

Anonymous said...

Your yard and garden look great! As for the veggies -- I have the most huge, healthy looking plants, and almost no veggies to show for it. Maybe it's the lack of bees? I'm hoping for a late harvest!

If you ever want to divide those irises, let your readers know! I'll come dig!

Susie S said...

What a transformation! It looks so wonderful!

Anonymous said...

"We've been able to turn this portion of my yard into something usable and its not ugly anymore!"

And that's what it's all about. Your new garden looks great. Congratulations!

challie west said...

I am so jealous! You did an awesome job... Can you please come stay with us for a weekend and show us what to do? I don't have a green thumb!

Connie said...

Nice improvements...keep up the good work!