I'm ready for tasty heirloom vegetables and kitchen herbs ...
I'm ready to try new things like growing mushrooms ...
I'm ready for making some garden art ...
I'm ready.
The yard isn't. Nor is the weather. Frustrating, to say the least.
Technically, the past few days have been excellent weather-wise for getting outside and prepping. Unfortunately, I don't have many of the things I need to get started. Potting soil, seeds, containers ... well, pretty much everything.
The husband and I moved into our house about 12 years ago, and the landscaping has been kept to a fair minimum. Covering up all the red clay was priority #1. Gravel for the driveway #1.5. Mulch areas for eventual gardening #2. So forth and so on. And, unfortunately for my gardening efforts, it seems that every year around this time something always comes up and lays claim to our time and money.
Last year it was the husband's shed. And, disappointingly, that shed is still going to take a hunk of money and time to finish ... because it evolved from "shed" to "workshop" and thus needs insulation, sheet rock, painting, etc., etc., etc. to finish on the inside. Haven't yet gotten to building work tables and buying tools either.
We also have to re-gravel the driveway. With the big equipment that was brought in to level the spot for the shed, then more equipment to dig a huge trench for running the electric to the thing, all the gravel got mucked up. The red clay we'd finally covered up was pretty much in our faces again. Hence, more gravel. Another hit to the finances.
But I've waited so long. I've dreamed of a beautiful yard for almost 12 years.
Okay, technically speaking we don't have a traditional 'yard'. Part of our plan for the landscaping was/is to keep the land as natural as possible. There is the area where the house sits with a 15-ish foot perimeter of gravel around it, the driveway, and now the shed area. Beyond the gravel it is wooded. We have kept around 90% or more of the property undisturbed. We have deer, wild turkeys, fox, rabbits, squirrels, opossum, birds, and such other critters who share the property with us. I feel blessed to have them near. I don't want to spoil any more of their space than is necessary. Keeping the land natural is both ecologically sound, morally right, and just simply more attractive on all levels.
So, how do you garden with all that on one side of the scales? Much aforethought and planning. You balance it with maximizing the space you do have available. I can grow lots of vegetables and herbs in containers close to the house. Tomatoes in tubs! Pots of Rosemary and Basil! Everywhere else I can plant flowers for the bees (and me!), as well as foliage plants like Bleeding Heart (lovely blooms) and Fern for the shady areas. I can plant bushes such as Lilac, Flame Azalea, or Wild Hydrangea. I can even plant Blackberries and Blueberries and Muscadine Grapes! Options are surprisingly varied.
My ultimate vision is an "edible landscape", as well as a "native landscape". There are over 4,000 different indigenous kinds of trees, shrubs, flowers, vines, and such I can plant. Think of Carolina Jessamine, Trumpet Vine, Red Morning Glory, Carolina Phlox, Coral Honeysuckle ... and those are just a few of the beautiful blooming vines! Oh the list is glorious!
In keeping non-indigenous plants/herbs/flowers contained in tubs and pots I give myself room to make the greater area of landscaping a little bit of a natural paradise for me and the critters to enjoy.
Another upside is not having to fight with all those critters for the edibles. Rabbits love lettuce ... and strawberries, and carrots, and ... well, you get the idea. I'll let them have the wild blueberries which already grow at the end of the driveway.
For now though, I'm still in the planning & prepping stages. What best veggies & herbs to grow.? What kind of containers? How much potting soil will I need? Where to put the compost bin? A few of these questions have already been answered. Not to mention the weather is tricky here. It's been an extremely mild winter, but we can still have snow in April if Mother Nature takes a mind to dish it out. I have to be patient, use the time to plan and get prepared. Build the compost bin, put together the self-watering containers, and all those other necessary gardening things.
I'm already looking forward to a home-grown tomato sandwich.
Namaste, y'all ...
