How to Design a Kitchen Garden
A well designed kitchen garden is a work of art, with a tapestry of colors, textures and shapes. It may give the impression of carefree abundance, yet it is organized and carefully planned.
If this is your first garden, get to truly know your landscape first and then start a design on paper. Take time to draw a bird’s eye view of your whole property to get the big picture. Look at how everything is connected; the house, the driveway, trees and shrubs and even the geography you can’t see beneath the surface. Measure and plot on a piece of graph paper.
Visit my online garden design class, voted one of the best for 2018!
Click here to download a PDF: Ellen Ogden. Steps to Successful Kitchen Garden Design
—
Step One: Gather graph paper and pencils and start to draw. Go ahead and do your first drawing, make it square and practical; then let loose on the second drawing with a few playful circular or half moons that suggest more whimsical elements. Make your third drawing a mix of the two, practical yet playful. Often people get stuck on their first idea, and then decide that’s it! By exploring several options, that’s when the creativity emerges.
Step Two: Once you decide on the shape, the angle of the beds, and the paths, start adding the flourishes such as a garden shed, a bench and focal points that add an aesthetic touch, and are essential to your enjoyment of the garden. Place compost nearby, and be sure there is a source of water for hose or underground sprinkler system.
Step Three: Now that you have a design on paper, take it outside and measure out the garden with sticks and twine. Before you dig or build a raised bed, visualize how the garden will look both inside and out the house. Walk through, sit down, and take time to visit in the space. If it is close to the house, site the line of the house with the edges of the garden to keep everything centered.
Step Four: Work with a contractor to build the garden, or dig it yourself. Remove turf, weeds and double dig rich, fertile compost into the garden beds. Now you can start a list of plants you want to grow. Choose varieties you can’t buy in the store or farmers market, food with real flavor and visual impact. Heirloom flowers with fragrance and charm.
Sketches excerpted from my upcoming book The New Heirloom Garden.
