How does your garden grow?

I can feel spring in the air.
Bulbs are emerging.
The frogs at the lake sing loudly at night.
My daughter no longer waits for the bus in the dark.
I am feeling more energized, creative and alive.
And I have begun working on the garden again with a new determination.

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.

We moved into our farmhouse last August. I knew immediately where our garden would be.

Dresden explores the future garden space August 2012

I had only seriously been gardening for 2 years in containers in my city apartment courtyard. It wasn't the best conditions but the garden did OK. The first year, it was a mother's day gift. I relied on help growing that one because Ian passed away in June and we didn't really function normally for 2 months. After we recovered a bit I was very thankful for the chores in the garden. I think this is when I truly began to love the garden- lugging the watering can from the front to the back several times with an excited little toddler, noticing they grew, finding flowers and fruit...

 Kirk Garden Year 1 2011

The second year, I had an experienced friend who helped me and taught me a lot. While growing the garden we grew a friendship and he still helps me with my garden as I venture into bigger and better things. His experience his more than helpful and having a friend involved keeps things moving and inspired and you keep the procrastination at bay much more than working alone.

Kirk Garden Year 2 2012

I really loved the little garden. I loved having fresh herbs for cooking, we harvested many peppers, and had a few other veggies, like cucumbers and tomatoes. I packed up and moved all the containers and put them where the garden would be. Everything took off and was very happy. I got more tomatoes in the last month here than I did in both years in the city! This really gave me hope for the future of my garden.

The container garden in it's new home August 2012

We began digging in late September, and as the first beds went in we planted some crops to over winter. We put in strawberries, spinach, carrots, beets, cabbage, onion and collards.

Digging the garden Fall 2012

They are still doing fabulous. The lettuce from the other house held on all the way till January as I just harvested outside leaves as I needed them. I cant wait to get more in; it's beautiful and delicious. 

Heirloom romaine in the snow January 2013

This week will wrap up digging the beds. I have a few starters to put out- purple cauliflower, brussel sprouts, broccoli, butter crunch lettuce, black seed lettuce, and purple kohlrabi. I will be seeding iceberg lettuce, the heirloom romaine, a few more beets and carrots and spinach and sweet peas. I drew a wonderful plan for the garden. I cant wait to see it come to life!

Kirk Garden design

We have also been working hard to 'tame' the landscape. The house and grounds have been neglected for a long time and it needs lots of love and attention. We had a friend visit and he helped with clearing some vines and pine needles. We've spent many days raking away years of pine needles and uncovering rock lined flower beds that were long forgotten. We've pulled vines till our arms hurt.

I work with a great group in Raleigh called Food Not Bombs (more on that in another post) and I have obtained many flowers for planting outside through them. I have put in several rose bushes, a big circle of mums, some paperwhite bulbs, an azalea bush, and a couple of others. I recently was gifted some tulip bulbs from my garden friend and have seeds for morning glories, sunflowers, daisies, echinachea and a mix of wild and garden flowers. The morning glories will climb the rustic pole shed my husband built and my hanging windows. The sunflowers, daisies, wild and garden flowers mix will line the garden fence, and sunflowers and tulips will greet you on the drive up the driveway. Being at home in a secluded area has made making my environment a work of art much more important. I am always coming up with interesting ideas to make the yard an artwork- rag chain from our old clothes fluttering from the trees, recycling old windows and other items I find buried in the garden or in ancient barns in the woods. (I'll dedicate a blog post to this in the future.)

Hanging windows yard art

We have yet to build the fence, but know it is an important next step. We are lucky to live right near nature preserve land but it provides many hungry animals who would love an all you can eat buffet at my garden!

We don't want tears in the garden! We need a fence!

I plan to plant my herb garden outside of the main garden as not to take up sacred fenced in space on plants the deers wont be interested in devouring. I plan to grow the typical herbs I have always grown and adding a few more medicinal plants. These will be instrumental in making my natural cleaners and beauty products for the family. (More on that in a future blog post)

I also want to put in a special bed just for Dresden to work in. Of course he will be helping in the big garden, but I think having his own plot will add to his garden experience. He can do things "his way" and really learn and explore. I am adding child friendly aspects to the big garden for him to enjoy- a pea teepee, little mini tomatoes for snacking on while outside, and a strawberry patch to name a few. His big help right now is helping with his 'Gator' hauling leaves for compost and just entertaining himself while I dig and hoe. I hope to make him a sandbox and eventually a tree fort. I already made him a 'workbench' out of a stump with large nails driven into it for him to work with a real hammer. I feel so lucky to have the chance to raise a small person who will have spent so much time out in nature. I know it is one of the best character building activities we participate in together. When we first moved here he didn't know how to play outside alone; we always went to a park with play equipment and other children for outdoors time in the city. In just the past 6 months he is able to find things to entertain himself outside for hours! He is becoming less bothered by being dirty and is becoming (just a little) more adventurous.

Little Adventurer