YEAR ROUND GARDEN DESIGN. I designed my current kitchen garden in 2004, as part of a five year plan when I moved into my new (1905) house. At the time, it was perfect: a simple four-square design with a bark path. Yet lately I have been thinking about how to rebuild it to give it more flair. Maybe add more greenery or ornamental pottery to give it height and form. New paths to build “good bones” and make it visually interesting year round.
All summer long, I have watched soil erode from the beds and the paths from heavy rain, so my challenge for 2014 is to create paths with better drainage and secure the borders. I’ve considered brick, cobblestone and cedar, yet finally installed a simple metal edging crafted at a local metal shop. Sinking the pieces down to be barely visible, the paths will soon be filled in lovely washed pea stone gravel. The overall look will be more formal than before, and I welcome the change.
Time for Change
It’s a good time of year to start thinking about how to improve your own garden, how to make it more efficient and aesthetic. If you make your garden beautiful, it will invite you to turn work into play. Planning can make all the difference, and adding small personal touches such as a handmade trellis or garden bench will make you smile every time you walk through the gate.
Gardens are meant to change and evolve, especially when natural conditions change, and the garden is no longer a total source of satisfaction. This is what keeps gardeners spirit alive, when we can be thinking about our garden 12 months of the year. When the cold months force us indoors, it gives us time to renew our creativity.
Check out this link with gardener and blogger, Margaret Roach on Growing for a Greener World, sharing her ideas on establishing a garden plan and combining unusual color to set the stage. Better yet, join me for a garden design workshop this summer in my Vermont garden.
