Here is the overall plan for the south facing vegetable and fruit tree garden. Amazingly, the location of the new raised beds fit perfectly within the existing fruit trees on our property. The new design reduces the lawn area by over half and connects the vegetable garden with the main house. We also discovered we now have mountain views to the north and west when we set down our adirondack chairs in the back of the garden. Now we have to plant as many perennials we can manage to build up the bee and butterfly gardens for flowers early next spring. Laying the irrigation takes up the most time.
The Santa Rosa weeping plum tree is now one of the main highlights of the garden. Before, it was lost among the tumble of raised beds but now it is fully on display next to the dining table we have yet to find. By midsummer next year, the branches will be brushing against the gravel and we'll be able to pluck fruit from our chairs.
I've found that labeling the raised beds makes life much easier when I'm planning future plantings. The beds will rotate in groups of two to three in a counter clockwise direction every season to allow for ample crop rotation. I like to do things backwards for some reason.
Beds A through F are 4' x 6' and beds G through J are 4' x 8'. Four feet is the maximum width to allow for easy plant reach during planting and harvest. Beds I and J are in the foreground below.
Attached to the covered patio, Bed K used to be an herb bed but will now become an extra planting area where I plant whatever doesn't fit into the main beds. The perfect place to plant even more english peas.
This is the one bed that wasn't touched during the remodel so I was able to continue harvesting parsley and oregano during the construction. I also have a new herb bed that has been planted near my kitchen door. I always find myself running out into the garden to pick herbs when I'm cooking so this will make the run shorter. Here is the area off the kitchen before the remodel.
We've since replaced the concrete path with more grass and tucked in the herb bed in front of the side fence underneath the cherry plum tree that overhangs into our yard. I plan to plant honeysuckle along the fence for my daughter. It's her favorite snack in the summer.
Attached to the covered patio, Bed K used to be an herb bed but will now become an extra planting area where I plant whatever doesn't fit into the main beds. The perfect place to plant even more english peas.
This is the one bed that wasn't touched during the remodel so I was able to continue harvesting parsley and oregano during the construction. I also have a new herb bed that has been planted near my kitchen door. I always find myself running out into the garden to pick herbs when I'm cooking so this will make the run shorter. Here is the area off the kitchen before the remodel.
We've since replaced the concrete path with more grass and tucked in the herb bed in front of the side fence underneath the cherry plum tree that overhangs into our yard. I plan to plant honeysuckle along the fence for my daughter. It's her favorite snack in the summer.
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