Long Time Coming

Our backyard is still a work-in-progress, but one corner of the yard has had a major makeover since we moved in last summer.  It is always encouraging to "see how far you've come", so these pictures are as much about a beautiful new garden as they are positive motivation for the work yet to do.

Our backyard at move-in had dead grass and happy weeds, several overgrown shrubs, a large cottonwood tree, rocks, rocks, rocks, and an old raised garden box full of weeds and old rabbit warrens.  (Apparently I never took a picture of the backyard looking to the right, but you get the idea). 

I decided to put the vegetable garden in the upper right hand corner of the yard.  Clearing the area was a long process of hauling rock, cutting down trees and shrubs, removing roots, and tearing apart the old garden box.

After months of removal with shovel, hoe, and pick-axe, we started to see some serious progress when it was time to till!

New garden beds looking like ancient burial mounds, with the pathways excavated.

We added compost to the garden beds, and built a fence around the perimeter.  In theory, the fence is to keep the rabbits out and help Ezra not to trample small plants accidentally. 

We built a cedar gate, and set the gate posts in concrete.  We mulched the pathways, added a small pave-stone pad at the gate entrance, and planted the spring vegetables from seed.  Summer vegetables were added in late May as transplants.  We also planted lavender, sage, chives, mint, lemon thyme, and rosemary in two little pots, and some long-blooming perennials to attract pollinators in a big pot.  

Spring vegetables were planted in the back half of both beds, summer vegetables in the front half of both beds.  From back to front, here is the spinach, cilantro, romaine lettuce, kale, and Swiss chard looking awesome.

This pea variety called Snowbird matured in 58 days and is shown here covered with pods.  I think we picked at least 3 cups all at once.

The garden has transitioned now to the summer vegetables, and spring crops are starting to wilt a little in the hot sun.  The cilantro and spinach have all gone to seed and are essentially done for the season.  As of last weekend the zucchini and squash plants were in a holding pattern, and hardly growing.  In the last few days, they have jumped in size and are flowering and starting to produce fruit.  The tomato plants are very happy too.