garden chronicles, the kitchen garden

~a work in progress, updates to come~

2/8/20

we started the kitchen garden in February and quickly ran into a change order that required more pavestone supplies to proceed...

3/27/20

the garden area sat idle why we waited 6 weeks for our delivery, but within hours of unloading the truck we jumped right back to it!
 

3/30/20

I was eager to start filling the front beds, first with steel mesh to block out the gophers, cardboard as a weed block, then compost and topsoil. logistically this is a very difficult site, we need the brawn of the tractor to bring in blocks and dirt, but the area is only 30x30 with large amounts of fill required for leveling. we need to do the outer planters first, then back our way out as we build the high point of the retaining wall in the corner, several feet above grade. it reminds me of the judds old song on a john deer tractor in a half acre field, but this is 900 sf and shrinking with every block put in place!
 

 

the back wall, where the fence stands, needs to have a concrete foundation to keep the blocks level, sadly for us it has been raining every weekend so we are struggling with the weather to get the footings poured to continue on...
 

 

Meanwhile, I painted the planters to match the house and stand out a bit from the pillars, I rubbed a deep terra cotta on the fluer de lis and then lightly brushed a softer color over to blur them together and planted with bright red geraniums and variegated ivy for a pop of stand out color. the front wall will be planted with boxwood, red simplicity and nasturtiums.
 

  

3/31/20

as soon as the dirt was poured into the planters I knew I needed some garden therapy and thankfully our state allows nurseries to stay open during the shut down since they offer fruit trees and vegetables. although this is a kitchen garden, literally, right of the kitchen door, I still need color, I am planning on planting 2 sides with red simplicity hedge roses for nonstop seasonal color and privacy. I lifted grosso and provence lavender from my garden to comingle with the roses and for seasoning for salads, to entrées and desserts without having to walk 2 acres away to snip. I underplanted the lavenders with thyme, oregano and nepeta.
 

4/1/20

on the corner I planted blueberries, strawberries and a romantika clematis for an arbor to come.
 

 

after cleaning up for the day I noticed Katie licking something, earlier in the day my husband corralled me into cutting his hair, this lockdown has certainly altered everyone's lives! I don't cut hair,  we don't even own a comb, but my husband was so desperate he met me in the kitchen garden and said start cutting... the first try he looked just like bozo the clown with huge billows of hair around the ears, after telling me I need to follow the contour of his ears I will say it was a semi respectable makeover ... considering he looked like father time!

 

while snipping he said looks like I am the first thing you cut in your cutting garden!

4/3/20

I was able to find my boxwood hedge and added 2 lady in red roses for the arbor entrance to come
 

 

 

on the eve a very stormy weekend we started the outline of the next path and bed...

 

4/11/20

my husband welded a large rose trellis at entrance
 

to be continued until completion!