Front Box Before and After

Before

I love working in my yard. I've been spending a lot of time out there lately working on my front east flowerbed. Let's be honest, it's needed some help for years now. There used to be three of the ever green bush things, but two died, and so my bed has just been lopsided and homely for the last couple years. And I decided it was time to do something about it.

I'm kind of in to edible landscaping, if you haven't noticed. So initially I as just going to rip the every green bush out, and do something else. But I asked around in my Homesteading group, and someone pointed out that even though they aren't edible, it IS nice to have an ever green in the winter, so that there is at least some color when everything else is dormant or dead. I took that as good advice and planted a second ever green to balance things out. Then I went to town with the edibles. :)

My lilac bushes were already there on either end, but then just in from them I planted Poorman Currant bushes, which are supposed to be sweet enough to eat raw (although still pretty tart), and will get about 4-6 ft high. Just in from the currant bushes are the ever greens, then in the middle I planted two gooseberry bushes, which are supposed to do well in partial shade, and are supposed to get 6-8 ft. high. In front of the gooseberries and ever greens I planted french lavender. Around the lilac on the west I planted sweet basil. Around the lilac on the east I planted spearmint. And in front of everything I did a row of Marigolds for Memorial Day, because that's what we always do on Memorial Day as a tribute to my dad. Anyways, I think the bed looks awesome, and it will look even better once the baby plants get a bit bigger.

After

When I went and bought plant starts for my garden this year Ollie talked me into buying a few (12!) strawberry plants. At the time I didn't have any space designated for strawberries.....but I did have some extra wood lying around. So I proceeded to make a box for my strawberries. And I did it mostly all by myself too. :) I mean I had these two cute little helpers....and Aaron helped me get all four sides screwed together at the end....but this project was like 90% me. I cut all the wood and screwed together the pieces of each wall. I just needed a little help to get all 4 walls together and square and Aaron was nice to help with that. And bam! Now I have a strawberry patch. And if the stupid cats would quit using the bed as their personally lounge space, my plants might actually live long enough to produce some strawberries.

My garden is in! All the way. The things I started from seed, as well as the things I bought starts for. It makes me SOOOO happy!! Here's a picture from a page in my garden journal. I have never claimed to be a good artist. Hopefully my gardening skills are better than my art skills.

Cal likes to play in the sandbox while I work in the garden. He thinks the chickens are hilarious.

Harvest of spinach, lettuce, and swiss chard

I'm going to get a handful of raspberries this year!

My big cherry tree's got nothin' but the baby cherry tree has a few fruits this year.

My first time growing swiss chard

Harvest: some spinach and a few icicle radishes

I bought myself a late Mother's Day gift: this Austrian Copper rose bush. I'm in love. I can't wait until it gets big, and supposedly it will get huge, so that makes me happy. 

This is what it will look like when it gets big.

And our kitties are big enough to leave their mama now. We gave one of the girls to a good friend of mine, and I know they will love her.

I've got three left. Any takers?