The Garden

It's a beautiful morning. Let's go for a little walk through my garden.

We recycled the fencing from another area on the property where we no longer needed it. It's six feet high to dissuade deer from jumping in. The deer here would be able to jump over the fencing if they chose to, but would have a difficult time getting out. The lower area of the fencing is much tighter mesh, in hopes of keeping other small critters out.

The beds are all raised, and I've been experimenting with how tightly I can plant each one. I've read that plants can be grown more closely in raised beds, so I'm learning what works and what doesn't.

I had originally planned on using hazelnut shells from my neighbor for the walkway mulch, but ended up scrapping that plan due to worry that my nieces and nephews who are highly allergic to nuts would be affected be the shells. Instead, I used a surplus of cedar bark fines from the flower beds around the house. It has worked out really nicely, as the bark is really thick and has held the weeds at bay.

There's a lot of room between each bed, which allows for lots of children in the garden, which I love. And it looks really pretty. Since we have plenty of space, it was a no-brainer for me.

I'm growing Thai Basil, Basil, Cilantro, Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley and Dill. Today I'll be cutting all of them down, chopping them up in my food processor, adding a little olive oil, and freezing each batch into chunks for use through the winter. The frozen herbs are so much more delicious than dried.

The Spaghetti Squash has been growing like gangbusters. I baked one up last night, tossed it with butter and a little salt, and it was delicious. I grew up eating it this way and it always reminds me of gardening as a little girl. My first garden was a mass of succulents in a miniature wheelbarrow. Anyway, when I served the boys their Spaghetti Squash, they looked at me with those eyes that say, "are you really going to make me eat this?" And of course, one of them almost threw it up. Our rule is that the boys always need to try everything that's served to them. They don't have to eat it all. We've found that by opening their palates to new tastes, they slowly learn to enjoy it. 

Corn hair is so beautiful and it reminds me of Jenny Holiday. Jenny, I think I'm going to name my corn after you. :)

  

Each of the beds are watered by a drip system. I can adjust each bed to water more or less, depending on the needs of the plants. I've had gardens that I've watered by hand, watered by overhead sprinklers, and by drip. I've found that plants really don't like being watered overhead and respond far better with the drip system. The result is a much more bountiful garden harvest.

I can easily detach the lines at the end of the season, when I go to clean out each bed.

The cabbage is coming along nicely. I really need to thin it out.

No garden is complete without a compost bin. I just kept one of my beds open for that purpose. And I can say that I am not a super serious scientific composter. We simple dump our compost and garden clippings in the bin, turn it once in a while, occasionally add a bit of water, and eventually, it produces beautiful soil. We're in no hurry.

Do you see the wire mesh in the box on the bottom left-hand corner? We lined each and every bed with that mesh, in hopes of keeping out any ground squirrels or moles. The ground squirrels were so invasive in my last garden that I was unable to grown any lettuce, cabbage, or broccoli, which they love. So far, we've had no issues.

 

Well, that's all for now. I'm off to do a few new plantings and to thin the cabbage. 

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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.

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Comments

[Deb Grogan]

This is what I wait for and look forward to each spring....I LOVE my garden and the fresh veggies I eat from it.......I feel so connected to the earth and life during the summer months :)

[Sandy Jones]

Love your garden! We have been living downtown in the city and the only yard we have is shady. Enjoy yours for me.

[Juli P]

Beautiful! Makes my sad little city garden of only 3 raised beds look so tiny.
Could you share a little tutorial or instruction for your herb freezing? I've got so much that I need to freeze, but don't know the proportions.

[Carmen]

LOVE your garden :) Carm

[Linda]

Just beautiful!

[holly]

I'm having so much fun with my garden right now and love to visit others! Thanks for sharing with us!!
I've never grown spaghetti squash. Does it taste like a winter squash or more of a zucchini/summer squash??? Guess I need to buy one and try it!!!
Enjoy the sunshine!!

[Becca]

What a nice way to start my mid-morning day! Thank you for sharing your sweet garden.

[Elaine/TinkerVerve]

Beautiful, Serena! I can't believe what you have accomplished with such a crazy spring. Looks like your prairie sun has been very good to you. My 'mountain w/trees' sun isn't as effective but I'm still loving my garden {more than ever} this year.

[Becca]

Your garden and home are absolutely beautiful! I'm afraid our summer, in the Seattle area, hasn't been very sunny this year. I don't think my veggies are very happy.

I'd love it if you'd stop by and visit! I host a linky party about home and family every Friday.
becca-homeiswheremystorybegins.blogspot.com

Becca

[Mandie]

Love your garden Serena, it looks so nice and clean. Very organized!

[Pollyfusia]

I just moved out to the country a couple of weeks ago (I guess I'm an Elkite now?) and the yard is full of gopher-ness. I'm going to be showing this to my fiancee so he can help me build raised beds with mesh next spring! :)

[maria cecilia]

Hola, love seeing all the hard work in your garden trying to keep away deers and the other creatures... same as I do here in the mountains in chile.
hugs and blessings to your great herb garden

[Mikki]

What a beautiful garden!!
We recently purchased an older home and we are redoing a lot. I''m patiently waiting to get started on our garden.
This inspires me. Love the idea of the mess at the bottom!

[Sherry Smyth]

Your garden is abundant! I love the Jenny Holiday corn...the corn hair IS like Jenny's! And I love that you decided against the hazelnut shells on the ground in lieu of your nieces and nephews being allergic!

[Jenn]

Love the garden! I accidentally discovered a way to keep the deer away. I laid black weed fabric to cover an area with bark. It took me a while to get the bark down, and low and behold this is the first time in years the deer haven't touched the day lilies. Same with the black plastic for the pumpkins. I don't think they like stepping on the moving black abyss.

[katie]

Love your garden! How do you "turn" your compost bin?? Brilliant cost effective method you have to not buy one of those fancy bins, but I don't understand how you can turn yours every once in a while? Can you elaborate on this?

[Serena]

Hi Katie :)
I turn my compost with a shovel. It just needs a good mixing once in a while, and by shoveling it all around, it works great.
All the best,
Serena

[Julie Harward]

That is one of those beautiful Martha Stewart gardens..how fun! :D

[Paty Z]

Your garden is beautiful! Do you just mix the olive oil with the basil and then you just freeze it? Wonderful tip!

[LoriD]

What a lovely garden. I have a tiny space but I love what I have. Can you elaborate on what you do with your herbs? For once mine are doing really good and would love to know how to save them for winter use.

[Julie]

Your beautiful garden is the one I dream about having someday. The whole surrounding is just georgeous! I know you must feel truly blessed.

[Paula Parrish]

Your garden is so pretty; love it. Smiles, Paula

[Monica]

Serena, I love your garden area! I wasn't able to plant a garden this year, and so I really, really enjoy seeing what others have planted. You've started my day off with a smile :)

[Beth Berger]

Your garden is beautiful - how did you find the time with everything you've had going on since last winter/spring??!! Mine is producing well but is a complete mess compared to yours!

[Rebecca Ramilo]

I love your garden! I so look forward to it every year - so soothing for the soul!

[Grace~katmom]

ok, 1st, to say I am "Green with Envy" is an understatement! lol!
Over here in the West Plains(I am down the road from Fairchild Airforce Base)my garden has pooped 2 years in a row! aacckk! Between the gazillion miles an hour winds...that dry up any inkling of moisture in the ground, not to mention have several times nearly blown our topsoil away...and that where I am we have a lot of sand so what water hasn't evaporated,,,,drains straight through....
I have plans for next years garden tho'...I am not a quiter(yet!)...and have made an arraingement with the neighbor down the road to come pick up a couple loads of Alpaca poo...and then my other neighbor (BusyBee Ranch) said to come get some of their horsey compost.... so until then, I will visually play in your garden...but next year... I will be spending my time in my "Garden of Weedin"..
Happy Trails & enjoy your beautiful garden.

[Jen]

What a spectacular haven! Simply wonderful!

[Roxie]

What a nice garden you have. So beautiful. Your garden has done much better than ours this year. Between the heat and drought in our area of Texas we have not got much this year.
I thank you for sharing your pictures. I love to look at nice gardens of 'real' people.

[Florence Muma]

Love your garden, everything looks so good, I wish my spaghetti squash was at the same stage as yours. Hugs! Florence

[teresa]

Your garden is wonderful...I also have a deer fence around our garden....now if I could just find a way to keep the gophers out...
Thanks for sharing your garden with us.
Happy day

[Amy]

Love your garden. All the way over here in Australia we have no problems with deer or moles or anythings. Just big bugs, toads, bats etc. Hope it keeps growing well for you. I love my herbs the best!

[jenny holiday]

Oh my gosh!! Your garden is Ahh Mayyy Ziiing!! Wowzerrr!!

And haha I seriously LOL'd!! Tooo funny and SWEET of you!! LOL! Jenny Corn!! I LOOOVE it!!!!

Have you ever had that Mexican street corn? On a stick? With cayenne, and mayo, and Mexican cheese? Sooo good!!! :) I know..random!

LOVE you!!!

xoxo Jenny

[Nikki @ Christian Mommy Blogger]

This garden is beautiful! Question about your fence: do you have plans that you could share about your fencing? Perhaps you posted on it...I will go digging. But we love the look and I would like to share with my husband!