Garden

[chimerically]

I grew up helping my parents grow a half-acre garden, and have missed gardening ever since. For the first time in a long time, I actually have space to plant a garden. The inauspicious-looking patch of pink tile in the picture below is the only part of the yard that gets halfway-decent sunlight. Over the break I dug up the tiles, mulched the soil (which was surprisingly good -- I expected clay, but it was pretty rich already), and planted all of my old favorites and a few that I hope will do well in California: shelling and snap peas, green beans, "grape" and beefsteak tomatoes, three kinds of lettuce, sage, variegated "pineapple" mint, leeks, parsley, and marigolds for pest control. (Still need to do the zucchinis.) I planted seeds when I could, but opted for some seedlings from Common Ground, a lovely organic nursery nearby (though one wouldn't guess they were a nonprofit based on their prices ...). I also transplanted my rosemary and thyme bushes into their own pots so all of my mints (two kinds brought over from my dad's garden in Utah plus my new pineapple mint) are in one planter. I feel quite happy about it so far, though it's too early to see any progress on my seeds yet.

I'm really looking forward to home-grown salads later this summer. :~)


Before: the only sunny spot in the yard is tiled over


After

Comments

[jofish22.livejournal.com]

oooo! so cute.

and stepping stones. we like stepping stones.

[namazu.livejournal.com]

It's lovely! And by mid-summer, hopefully it will be tasty, too!

[threadwalker.livejournal.com]

Yay! I am jealous I miss this too! I am lucky to even have a yard in sf, but I can't plant anything more in the ground because the landlord has it all planted the way he wants, and the planters seem to get constantly moved around, shoved under stairs... grrr. Think it was the construction guys. Just planted some things again and hoping they are left alone.

Would love to come see your garden!

[linley.livejournal.com]

Your garden looks lovely! I'm hoping to get a container garden going on our deck after the book is finished. I miss having a spot of earth that I can plant things in and the time to maintain it.

[chimerically.livejournal.com]

I thought the faeries and elves and gnomes might appreciate them ...

[stellae.livejournal.com]

That reminds me... I really should plant my bluebonnets...

I wonder if I should try growing some herbs ro veggies or anything. I should definitely start cutting and rying my lavendar that seems to be so happy next to my door. the plant was maybe 6 or 8 inches tall when I planted it when I moved in... and now it's this huge bush. :-)

[chimerically.livejournal.com]

Ooh, lavender. What can you use lavender for (besides making things smell nice)?

[chimerically.livejournal.com]

I don't have much time to maintain, of course, but right now it doesn't take much (just making sure it stays watered). :~)

[stellae.livejournal.com]

You can use it to flavor stuff... cream sauces, custadards, etc. You basically put some in a tea infuser and boil it with the milk/cream/etc.