Here's another landscape plan I put together for some family members. The edges of this area would be in the sun while the inside area would be shaded by the existing eastern red cedar and a crape myrtle. A rough edged stone patio, dry creek bed, and a bench give the area a rustic appearance. The dry creek bed would funnel water from the downspout of the house underneath the patio and out the other side. Ferns, hostas, heuchera and astilbe plants make up the shady areas. Daylilies edge the sunny areas for color while the evergreen azaleas provide some spring accent colors near the house..
Showing posts with label layouts and designs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label layouts and designs. Show all posts
Landscape Plan: Side Garden
Here's another landscape plan I put together for some family members. The edges of this area would be in the sun while the inside area would be shaded by the existing eastern red cedar and a crape myrtle. A rough edged stone patio, dry creek bed, and a bench give the area a rustic appearance. The dry creek bed would funnel water from the downspout of the house underneath the patio and out the other side. Ferns, hostas, heuchera and astilbe plants make up the shady areas. Daylilies edge the sunny areas for color while the evergreen azaleas provide some spring accent colors near the house.A 10'x2' Raised Bed for the Vegetable Garden
Each year I expand my vegetable garden just a little. I use raised beds which just can't be beat for productivity in the backyard vegetable garden and so this year I'm planning on adding four more raised beds. These four raised beds may just be the last of the raised beds in the vegetable garden for the foreseeable future so I want to make sure that they are functional, productive, easy to work with, and look good with all the other raised beds.
Raised beds are not hard to make and can come in a variety of ways from a mound of soil that is raised in the center and slopes to the outside, to hay bales as edging, or to what I usually use: non-pressure treated lumber. Ceder wood is the best since it is rot resistant but I've been going on the cheap side with regular old pine. It rots in 2-3 years but that rotting material nourishes the soil and can eventually be replaced with something nicer like brick or cedar when more money is available.
The basic idea for this raised bed vegetable garden layout is to allow easy access to all the plants. By making the raised beds only 2 feet wide I can guarantee that I can reach anywhere in the bed. Typically I've been using 4 foot wide beds for my other layouts and sometimes it can be very difficult to reach the very center of the bed especially if you are not a very tall person (i.e. my kids or my wife ;)) Often the plants themselves can impede the gardener while trying to reach across to the far side of other vegetables. I'm all about making things as easy as possible! (even though frequently I end up making things more difficult) In the plan above I allowed a 2' square for each tomato plant and allowed for some interplanting space in between.
Companion planting is a good way to maximize space and reduce possible insect and pest damage. One of my favorite companion planting combinations is basil and tomatoes which is what I have highlighted in the plan above. (I have a theory that if you would eat it together you can plant it together although I'm not sure if that holds true for all vegetables!) Another idea would be to substitute marigolds as they are said to help reduce damaging root-knot nematodes on tomato plants. A 2 foot square for tomatoes should work fine since the tomatoes will grow deep and be trellised in some way. The bed divides itself into five 2 foot sections which will provide some space for air to flow around the plants (important for preventing fungal diseases).
This year each of the new 10'x2' raised beds will be used for tomatoes. I like to rotate my vegetables from location to location and since tomatoes have been in each of my beds over the course of the last two years I decided that the new beds is the best place for the tomatoes to go. The diseases remaining in the soil of the former tomato beds won't effect other vegetable families and I can rotate the tomatoes back in after a couple years in other locations. Hopefully by then the soil diseases will be gone.
Raised beds are not hard to make and can come in a variety of ways from a mound of soil that is raised in the center and slopes to the outside, to hay bales as edging, or to what I usually use: non-pressure treated lumber. Ceder wood is the best since it is rot resistant but I've been going on the cheap side with regular old pine. It rots in 2-3 years but that rotting material nourishes the soil and can eventually be replaced with something nicer like brick or cedar when more money is available.
The Raised Bed Plan/Layout:
The basic idea for this raised bed vegetable garden layout is to allow easy access to all the plants. By making the raised beds only 2 feet wide I can guarantee that I can reach anywhere in the bed. Typically I've been using 4 foot wide beds for my other layouts and sometimes it can be very difficult to reach the very center of the bed especially if you are not a very tall person (i.e. my kids or my wife ;)) Often the plants themselves can impede the gardener while trying to reach across to the far side of other vegetables. I'm all about making things as easy as possible! (even though frequently I end up making things more difficult) In the plan above I allowed a 2' square for each tomato plant and allowed for some interplanting space in between.
Companion planting is a good way to maximize space and reduce possible insect and pest damage. One of my favorite companion planting combinations is basil and tomatoes which is what I have highlighted in the plan above. (I have a theory that if you would eat it together you can plant it together although I'm not sure if that holds true for all vegetables!) Another idea would be to substitute marigolds as they are said to help reduce damaging root-knot nematodes on tomato plants. A 2 foot square for tomatoes should work fine since the tomatoes will grow deep and be trellised in some way. The bed divides itself into five 2 foot sections which will provide some space for air to flow around the plants (important for preventing fungal diseases).
This year each of the new 10'x2' raised beds will be used for tomatoes. I like to rotate my vegetables from location to location and since tomatoes have been in each of my beds over the course of the last two years I decided that the new beds is the best place for the tomatoes to go. The diseases remaining in the soil of the former tomato beds won't effect other vegetable families and I can rotate the tomatoes back in after a couple years in other locations. Hopefully by then the soil diseases will be gone.
Are you expanding your vegetable garden for 2010?
Designing the Winter Garden: A Symmetrical Plan
Now before you go looking at my hand drawn art please note that I do not claim to be an artist, just a gardener. The paint I am used to is usually accompanied by foliage, flowers, and fruit. The "artistic rendering" below is intended to illustrate the image inside my head for one of the two concepts for the winter garden. The illustrations in this post and in tomorrow's post hopefully will give you enough of an idea that you may be able to offer suggestions about the placement of the plants. In the end I may decide to take your suggestions, go with the original plan, or even do something completely different!
So now that I've given you the disclaimer here's the drawing!
This view is all about symmetry. Symmetry in the garden can be great but does have some pitfalls. If one plant dies and the other survives then it may be difficult to match the original with a replacement. Symmetry looks very organized which makes natural looking plants feel a little out of place. That being said I think this plan could work nicely.
The Yoshino Cherry tree stands in the middle and is flanked by the cranberry cotoneasters. To the front would be two red twig dogwoods. Toward the back would be the Bird's nest spruces and in each "corner" of the garden would be a rosemary plant. There are a few plants that I put in the picture that would be worked around these foundation plants including several irises, creeping phlox (not purchased yet I'll wait until spring for them), and a couple 'Mystic spires' salvias. I plan on keeping at least 5 foot radius clear around the base of the tree to prevent any damage to the Yoshino's roots while digging. Most of the trees roots will live in the top layers of the soil, not down deep in the ground which makes it important to provide adequate moisture or add complimentary plants underneath. Sedums make good choices for underplanting trees since they are extremely tolerant of drought conditions so I may add some 'Dragon's Blood' sedum in the spring. The whole garden is on a slope and most of the moisture should move toward the red twig dogwoods.
This is just one plan and it has its problems. I think I like my second plan better as its layout is asymmetrical and groups the plants rather than spreads them out. I'll show you that one tomorrow, stay tuned!
Edit:
I have a couple of Schip laurels that I am considering adding to the plan. I would probably put them behind the Yoshino between the Bird's Nest spruces if I move them a little farther apart.
Previous Posts on Winter Gardening:
Designing the Winter Garden: Aspectual Musings
Designing the Winter Garden: Starting Small
So now that I've given you the disclaimer here's the drawing!
This view is all about symmetry. Symmetry in the garden can be great but does have some pitfalls. If one plant dies and the other survives then it may be difficult to match the original with a replacement. Symmetry looks very organized which makes natural looking plants feel a little out of place. That being said I think this plan could work nicely.
The Yoshino Cherry tree stands in the middle and is flanked by the cranberry cotoneasters. To the front would be two red twig dogwoods. Toward the back would be the Bird's nest spruces and in each "corner" of the garden would be a rosemary plant. There are a few plants that I put in the picture that would be worked around these foundation plants including several irises, creeping phlox (not purchased yet I'll wait until spring for them), and a couple 'Mystic spires' salvias. I plan on keeping at least 5 foot radius clear around the base of the tree to prevent any damage to the Yoshino's roots while digging. Most of the trees roots will live in the top layers of the soil, not down deep in the ground which makes it important to provide adequate moisture or add complimentary plants underneath. Sedums make good choices for underplanting trees since they are extremely tolerant of drought conditions so I may add some 'Dragon's Blood' sedum in the spring. The whole garden is on a slope and most of the moisture should move toward the red twig dogwoods.
This is just one plan and it has its problems. I think I like my second plan better as its layout is asymmetrical and groups the plants rather than spreads them out. I'll show you that one tomorrow, stay tuned!
Edit:
I have a couple of Schip laurels that I am considering adding to the plan. I would probably put them behind the Yoshino between the Bird's Nest spruces if I move them a little farther apart.
Previous Posts on Winter Gardening:
Designing the Winter Garden: Aspectual Musings
Designing the Winter Garden: Starting Small
Garden Designs and Layouts
Here are a few garden layouts, plans, and designs that I have put together for my garden. Some are landscape plans while others are diagrams of my vegetable garden. The herb garden layouts were never actually implemented in my garden as I went with the interplanting approach. Eventually I may incorporate a formal herb garden in our landscape. You are more than welcome to use the layouts and designs as a guide for your personal use.
After you have perused the layouts below stop by and see my recommendations for designing your raised bed vegetable garden plan.
My 2012 vegetable garden layout is an adaptation of the 2011 version. It adds a perimeter bed of about 2' in width to the outside edge of the garden.
My 2011 vegetable garden layout is representative of the parterre garden style. It's a French style of potager or kitchen garden. The idea is to make it into something both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional.
Raised Bed Vegetable Garden Layout
This is my current vegetable garden design and seems to work well so far. The pathways are 2' wide everywhere except the middle north to south walkway.
Raised Bed Vegetable Garden Layout for 2010
This is mostly the same as my previous design but I have changed the large ground beds into 10'x2' raised beds for easy access for my children. I also added a long strawberry bed for perennial crops.
Vegetable Garden Layout with Raised Beds
This layout uses an "L" shape for each of the raised beds. The beds are actually made from 3 different beds - 2 long and one square.
Parterre Vegetable Garden Layout - Raised Beds
This more formal look for a vegetable garden is great for small gardens and even for small yards. It would also work well for formal flower beds.
Vegetable Garden Layout for Companion Planting
Companion planting can be a good way to prevent disease and pests from harming your garden. This layout is one possible idea from many potential ways of designing a garden for companion planting.
Fall Vegetable Garden Layout for a 4'x8' Raised Bed
This is my concept for gardening in the fall. A single 4'x8' bed is enough for our family of four and it produced lettuce all the way into December.
10'x2' Raised Bed Design
The goal of this raised bed is to better reach the middle of the bed from each side. It should be a good design for people with smaller arms like children.
Designing a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden: 11 Things to Think About
Planning a vegetable garden with raised beds? Here are 11 things to consider before you do!
Herb Garden Layout
This is a circular formal layout of an herb garden.
Herb Garden Layout (Corridor Pathway)
This herb garden is good if you have a straight pathway you want to edge with aromatic herbs.
A Birdbath Garden Layout
This is the layout of the second year of our birdbath garden. It has evolved a lot since then!
Sidewalk Garden Layout
This layout is the concept design for along our sidewalk. Russian sage is heavily featured in this plan.
On the Fence...
While construction hasn't been started on our vegetable garden fence yet this design has two ideas for the fence rails.
For a look at a few more Garden Layouts, Designs, and Plans please check out Garden Plans & Ideas. It's a blog page where I'm putting some of my newer garden design ideas together.
I hope you enjoy these designs please do not distribute them or reprint them in any form without permission.
After you have perused the layouts below stop by and see my recommendations for designing your raised bed vegetable garden plan.
Vegetable Garden Layouts and Designs
This is my current vegetable garden design and seems to work well so far. The pathways are 2' wide everywhere except the middle north to south walkway.
This is mostly the same as my previous design but I have changed the large ground beds into 10'x2' raised beds for easy access for my children. I also added a long strawberry bed for perennial crops.
Vegetable Garden Layout with Raised Beds
Parterre Vegetable Garden Layout - Raised Beds
This more formal look for a vegetable garden is great for small gardens and even for small yards. It would also work well for formal flower beds.Vegetable Garden Layout for Companion Planting
Fall Vegetable Garden Layout for a 4'x8' Raised Bed
This is my concept for gardening in the fall. A single 4'x8' bed is enough for our family of four and it produced lettuce all the way into December.10'x2' Raised Bed Design
Designing a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden: 11 Things to Think About
Planning a vegetable garden with raised beds? Here are 11 things to consider before you do!
Herb Garden Layouts and Designs
These designs are suited for herb gardens but could be adapted to many other types of gardens as well.This is a circular formal layout of an herb garden.
This herb garden is good if you have a straight pathway you want to edge with aromatic herbs.
Landscape Designs
A Birdbath Garden Layout
This is the layout of the second year of our birdbath garden. It has evolved a lot since then! Sidewalk Garden Layout
On the Fence...
For a look at a few more Garden Layouts, Designs, and Plans please check out Garden Plans & Ideas. It's a blog page where I'm putting some of my newer garden design ideas together.
I hope you enjoy these designs please do not distribute them or reprint them in any form without permission.
Fall Vegetable Garden Layout for a 4'x8' Raised Bed
Lately I've been thinking about my fall vegetable planting and since the time is upon us I thought I would put together a diagram of how I might plant one of my 4'x8' raised beds. While this layout is not necessarily drawn to scale with regard to the number of plants possible it should show what kind of plants go well together in the fall garden. The plants in this layout are generally considered good companion plants and since pests will be fewer in the fall they shouldn't have many problems.
This plan includes radishes, beets, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, and bush beans. We aren't big broccoli eaters here (my wife isn't too fond of it!) so I'll just settle for a few plants. I love broccoli in Fettuccine Alfredo! I hope to try pickling some beets this fall and the spinach should last beyond the first freeze once it is established. Cabbage loopers decimated my spring crop so I'm hoping to squeeze in a couple cabbage for some fall slaw. With any luck we'll still be producing a good amount of tomatoes to put together a great garden salad with the radishes, lettuce, spinach, and maybe a fall crop of cucumbers.
For a look at some other garden layouts check out these posts:
This plan includes radishes, beets, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, and bush beans. We aren't big broccoli eaters here (my wife isn't too fond of it!) so I'll just settle for a few plants. I love broccoli in Fettuccine Alfredo! I hope to try pickling some beets this fall and the spinach should last beyond the first freeze once it is established. Cabbage loopers decimated my spring crop so I'm hoping to squeeze in a couple cabbage for some fall slaw. With any luck we'll still be producing a good amount of tomatoes to put together a great garden salad with the radishes, lettuce, spinach, and maybe a fall crop of cucumbers.
For a look at some other garden layouts check out these posts:
- A Birdbath Garden Layout
- Herb Garden Layout
- Herb Garden Layout (Corridor Pathway)
- Sidewalk Garden Layout
- Vegetable Garden Layout
- Vegetable Garden Layout for Companion Planting
- A New Vegetable Garden Layout
- 2010 Vegetable Garden Layout
- On the Fence...
- Designing a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden: 11 Things to Think About
5 Tips to Organize a Vegetable Garden Layout
Last Friday I mentioned 5 Vegetable Garden Design Tips for the Friday Fives post. Today we'll look at some more vegetable garden design tips that relate to organization of a garden's layout! I'll have to own up and admit it that the organization part of gardening is a skill where I am somewhat deficient though I am striving to do better. We all know how valuable time is and by creating a garden that is organized efficiently we can maximize the effect our time in the garden has.
Here are 5 Tips to Organize a Vegetable Garden Layout!
Hopefully these 5 organization tips will help you plan your vegetable garden! Like I said before organization is an area where I usually fall short so if your garden isn't perfect in your minds eye try not to stress about it. The garden can still turn out just fine. Now it's time to take a hike to the compost bin!
Here are 5 Tips to Organize a Vegetable Garden Layout!
- Organize your garden for convenience! This is very important. If you have to travel over an acre of your property to reach your vegetable garden to grab a couple tomatoes, a few squash, and maybe an eggplant for dinner how often do you think you are going to do that?
If you plant your garden within easy walking distance of the kitchen you can easily get fresh vegetables right from the garden for each meal without having to take a hike. By keeping the garden nearby you will notice problems and issues more easily and often which then enables you to do something about them! You may also be more inclined to keep the vegetable garden nicely weeded since you have to look at it.
Tomato harvest!
Plant your garden with companion planting in mind. Companion planting uses the natural abilities of one plant to aid another by reducing pests, diseases, or improving flavor. If you companion plant you will spend less time have to deal with pest issues.
Use cosmos for companion planting - Put your compost bin near your garden. My compost bin is as far away as humanly possible to be and still be in our yard. I fill it fairly regularly but often I resort to putting a few days of compost in a bucket near the house then dumping it when I happen to be going back there anyway! Often I have lots of weeds to dump in the bin from the vegetable garden. If it were closer I would spend more time weeding and less time running back and forth to dump the wheelbarrow load into the bin. If I kept the compost bin nearby I would probably turn it more often. The more often compost is turned the faster it breaks materials down which means more compost overall!
Arrange your garden beds for an easy flow. I mentioned something similar in last Friday's 5 Vegetable Garden Design Tips post when I referred to designing the vegetable garden for easy movement but the flow of the garden is a little different. Your garden should allow you to easily flow from one activity to another. People who design kitchens always talk about a three point system between the fridge, the sink, and the oven/stove. (At least I think that's what they talk about, I am by no means a kitchen designer!) Designers and cooks want easy movement between the most common points in the kitchen. Think of your garden the same way and identify those most common points. First of all you have vegetable garden beds that need maintenance. Don't put any beds in an out of reach location instead put them where you can walk to them without traveling around the world. The compost bin will be another location you want to keep in mind. Maybe you have a greenhouse or coldframes out by the garden that you use for hardening off or starting seedlings. You'll want to keep the greenhouse or coldframe convenient so that your garden can be easily planted when it's planting time. You may have other important elements in your garden that will contribute to the flow of your garden if so list them and plan how to organize them into a plan that suits your garden.A garden layout with easy access to all raised beds. - Write your plan down! I don't do write things down as much as I should. I'm lazy, or too busy, or both if that's possible. I can usually remember where I planted my plants a year ago, but not two years or three years ago. When working a crop rotation plan it is very important to let the soil be vacant from the same types of plants for a couple seasons. Diseases can stay in the soil for several years and will return should you plant a plant that is susceptible in the same location. If you write down your crop rotation in a notebook you will be able to look back and arrange your garden properly so the diseases have plenty of time to clear out. Also you can notate which plant did well and which ones were total bummers.
Hopefully these 5 organization tips will help you plan your vegetable garden! Like I said before organization is an area where I usually fall short so if your garden isn't perfect in your minds eye try not to stress about it. The garden can still turn out just fine. Now it's time to take a hike to the compost bin!
My Vegetable Garden Layout Revisited
I suppose it's human nature to second guess oneself and lately I've been wondering if the vegetable garden layout I decided to make was designed the best way. It's very functional and all the vegetables have been growing wonderfully (until a couple pests came along, but that isn't related to the garden's layout.) Aesthetically the layout works well and there is plenty of space for our little vegetable crop, but there are a few things that could be tweaked.
Right now the area inside the rabbit fence is grass. Having grass inside the garden creates a small problem: it's inconvenient to mow around the irregular shapes. Mowing near the fence is difficult since the mower gets caught in the fencing. Around the beds I just can't get close enough to get all the grass and either a trimmer or a set of shears is needed to make the area look good. It might have been made easier if I had just done simple rectangular beds. My solution (that I haven't gotten to yet) is to take cardboard and lay it down over the grass then mulch. If I have mulch there the mowing won't be necessary. I would eventually like to have a steppable ground cover like elfin thyme covering the mulched areas. I've considered a gravel based mulch but I've heard some people swear against. Please don't swear as this is a family friendly blog but what do you think?
The beds are almost four feet across which makes planting in the center hard to reach. Planting in two rows should work better for next year. A three foot width would probably have worked well but I like having the extra space.
I still have some work to do. The outside perennial bed isn't ready yet. The left side is started and has been planted rather haphazardly. A mixture of "whatever I didn't have a spot for" seems to find the ring. The one ring. The one to hold them all and in the garden bind them. OK that's enough channeling my inner Tolkien. So far I only have one butterfly bush planted there. It's the one in the lower left that came from a cutting I made over the winter. I know he's glad to be planted. Daylilies, sunflowers, a canna lily, zinnias, a scarlet runner bean, and some cosmos have all found a home in the ring. Hodgepodge doesn't even begin to describe it. Eventually I'll move those plants into a better home, but for now the ring is their home.
I need to fashion a gate for each side. Right now I have creatively (or really, cheaply) allowed the fencing to overlap so it will form a flexible gate at each end. It seems to work since I haven't had any bunny attacks in the vegetable garden. Two wooden picket fence-like gates are on the agenda, just somewhere toward the bottom this season's list.
I would like to expand the ring a couple feet outward but that will have to wait for now. It's getting hot in Tennessee and planting might have to wait a while.
There's always too much to do isn't there?
Right now the area inside the rabbit fence is grass. Having grass inside the garden creates a small problem: it's inconvenient to mow around the irregular shapes. Mowing near the fence is difficult since the mower gets caught in the fencing. Around the beds I just can't get close enough to get all the grass and either a trimmer or a set of shears is needed to make the area look good. It might have been made easier if I had just done simple rectangular beds. My solution (that I haven't gotten to yet) is to take cardboard and lay it down over the grass then mulch. If I have mulch there the mowing won't be necessary. I would eventually like to have a steppable ground cover like elfin thyme covering the mulched areas. I've considered a gravel based mulch but I've heard some people swear against. Please don't swear as this is a family friendly blog but what do you think?
The beds are almost four feet across which makes planting in the center hard to reach. Planting in two rows should work better for next year. A three foot width would probably have worked well but I like having the extra space.
I still have some work to do. The outside perennial bed isn't ready yet. The left side is started and has been planted rather haphazardly. A mixture of "whatever I didn't have a spot for" seems to find the ring. The one ring. The one to hold them all and in the garden bind them. OK that's enough channeling my inner Tolkien. So far I only have one butterfly bush planted there. It's the one in the lower left that came from a cutting I made over the winter. I know he's glad to be planted. Daylilies, sunflowers, a canna lily, zinnias, a scarlet runner bean, and some cosmos have all found a home in the ring. Hodgepodge doesn't even begin to describe it. Eventually I'll move those plants into a better home, but for now the ring is their home.
I need to fashion a gate for each side. Right now I have creatively (or really, cheaply) allowed the fencing to overlap so it will form a flexible gate at each end. It seems to work since I haven't had any bunny attacks in the vegetable garden. Two wooden picket fence-like gates are on the agenda, just somewhere toward the bottom this season's list.
I would like to expand the ring a couple feet outward but that will have to wait for now. It's getting hot in Tennessee and planting might have to wait a while.
There's always too much to do isn't there?
Vegetable Garden Layout Comparison
Last year I came up with a layout for our vegetable garden that I later decided wasn't as effective as I hoped. This year I made a better raised bed layout that focused more on the convenience of the gardener and it is working great! The central path makes getting around a breeze and the smaller paths around each bed have plenty of width for a gardener to get through. I've even set up a nifty little irrigation system using 1/4" soaker hoses and tubing which I believe is going to be really effective over the hot summer months. I'll post more about that later but today let me share with you the difference the layout of my garden makes.
First here's a look at how the old layout was. The "L" shaped beds looked pretty good to start with but I quickly came to realize some of the negatives of this arrangement. The greatest drawback was the difficulty in mowing around the beds. Without mulching around the outside of the beds the grass quickly grew to be a pain around the outsides of the beds. The tall grass kept the moisture in around the wood which increased the rotting of the non-treated wood. The elimination of the grass really wasn't tied to this layout since all I had to do was make a mulched pathway around them, but of course I just never quite got around to it. You know the saying!
The old layout had two "L" beds with the idea of a circle around it and a center 4'x4' bed. I was saving the 4'x4' bed for this year but went a different route
In the picture below you can see the issues surrounding the bed. Too messy, and truthfully the unkempt state drove me crazy, but I'm not crazy, really I'm not, not too crazy anyway.
I have two beds on the right that are a complete and total mess right now. One contains the spinach that has now gone to seed and the lettuce that will be bolting soon. The other houses what was left of our radishes along with a few onions. I'll be getting them prepared for more squash or something else soon. I may convert one of them into herbs only but I already have all kinds of herbs interspersed throughout the garden so it's not a necessity.
I'm definitely happier with the current layout of the garden than the previous 'L' shaped garden layout. This one's a keeper, at least for me. I highly recommend an organized grid pattern when setting up a vegetable garden for its convenience. Much of gardening is trial and error and what works best for me might not for you so experiment a little! If you are interested in advice on raised beds please take a look at these 11 Things to Think About When Designing Raised Beds and the follow-up post: 3 More Things About Raised Beds. Catchy titles don't you think?
The 'L' Raised Bed Layout
In the picture below you can see the issues surrounding the bed. Too messy, and truthfully the unkempt state drove me crazy, but I'm not crazy, really I'm not, not too crazy anyway.
Grid Shaped Vegetable Garden Layout
Now the beds are conveniently spaced out so that I can move around them easily. Mulch covers all the paths except for the pathway down the middle of the garden which is easy enough to mow with the push mower. Here's a picture of the garden from our upstairs window. Our maple tree is obscuring the view a little but you can get the basic idea of the layout.
When you get little closer you can see the pathway between the beds. It's mostly covered with mulch that I'll add stepping stones to a few at a time. I'm not in hurry since I'd rather spend money elsewhere at the moment like the garden fence. The beds in the quadrant all house tomato plants, at least that's what I started with. Cucurbits have been showing up all over the garden, rogue cantaloupes and cucumbers. Not a bad problem to have! The Cherokee purple tomatoes are in the bed on the left while Brandywine and cherry tomatoes are on the 4'x8' bed on the right. Various basils are planted among the tomatoes.
Here's another tomato bed. I went a little crazy (just a little) with the tomatoes this year and probably overplanted. I planted 18-20 plants but I have 25-30 growing. How did that happen? Well...we are in the Volunteer State! At least one Brandywine volunteer emerged as well as several others. You can tell the Brandywine tomatoes by their distinctive potato leaf leaf shapes. I can't think of a better volunteer for my garden!
This bed is somewhat experimental. I fashioned a trellis for the cucumbers using a long pliable sycamore branch, leftover fence material, and a few tomato stakes. It's fairly thick and should hold up the cucumbers. Underneath the trellis are many of the volunteer tomato plants and some cantaloupe. I had planned to be very organized and rotate crops by not planting tomatoes in this bed since it had dirt in it from tomatoes last year. You know what they say about "best laid plans" right? Please tell me because apparently I haven't learned!
I have two beds on the right that are a complete and total mess right now. One contains the spinach that has now gone to seed and the lettuce that will be bolting soon. The other houses what was left of our radishes along with a few onions. I'll be getting them prepared for more squash or something else soon. I may convert one of them into herbs only but I already have all kinds of herbs interspersed throughout the garden so it's not a necessity.
I'm definitely happier with the current layout of the garden than the previous 'L' shaped garden layout. This one's a keeper, at least for me. I highly recommend an organized grid pattern when setting up a vegetable garden for its convenience. Much of gardening is trial and error and what works best for me might not for you so experiment a little! If you are interested in advice on raised beds please take a look at these 11 Things to Think About When Designing Raised Beds and the follow-up post: 3 More Things About Raised Beds. Catchy titles don't you think?
A Bird Bath Garden Layout
I've been working on establishing my bird bath garden over the last couple days. I'll show you the results soon but I thought I would show you the layout of the garden first. I've chosen plants that both the birds and the butterflies will enjoy for their diets. Of course the main reason I selected the plants was I liked them! These plants are generally low maintenance that should look great all through the summer and into our mid-south fall season.
Here's what you're looking at:
- The bird bath. Every birdbath garden needs a birdbath right? I put together a copper birdbath onto a 4x4 post from an old wooden palette. I stained the post then hooked the bird bath to the top for a rustic appearance. The copper birdbath was meant for the top of a deck rail but I like using it this way better.
- Zebra Grass. This goes by several names and botanically it is known as Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus.' It's a variegated ornamental grass that originally hails from somewhere in China (that's what sinesis means on the end of a plant name). The seed stalks make great food for the birds in the fall.
- Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna'. I can't say enough good things about salvia. It's a late spring to summer bloomer that re-blooms through fall if you deadhead it periodically. If you don't have one you need one, if you have one you need more!
- Butterfly Bush. Also known as Buddleja davidii. This particular plant has bluish to purplish blooms that act as a magnet for butterflies. They grow fast and can take aggressive pruning. The flowers bloom on new wood so give it a trim every now and then to reinvigorate the flowering capabilities of the butterfly bush. In fact hacking it down to a couple feet tall may not be a bad idea each year! They can get very large if you let them go.
- Coreopsis. I don't know the specific variety of these coreopsis plants since I raised them from collected seed but they have yellow petals with a bright red color toward the center. I'm very pleased with how they have grown. Coreopsis is also known as tickseed.
- Coneflower. Coneflowers or Echinacea are great flowers that will give you more plants if you let them. I think ours are 'Sunrise' Echinacea purpurea but any kind would work here. They can be propagated through cuttings if you want to experiment. The birds like the seed heads so if you can stand to leave them be rather than cut them down with your fall prunings, you will make some happy little feathered friends.
- Chrysanthemum. These are some red mums I bought off the discount racks last fall. Mums are perennials here in Tennessee. They require pinching back a few times through the growing season to hold back the blooms for fall. Until then they look like happy little green shrubs.
- Purple Leaf Plum. Prunus cerasifera is nice for it's showy spring flowers and its dark purple foliage.
- Iris. These are purple bearded irises that provide us with some mid to late spring color.
- Birdfeeders. If your design is for the birds you should have a bird feeder! We have a shepherd's hook with two feeder hanging from it. Don't plant anything under a birdfeeder. The seeds that drop from it will sprout. I have our feeders over the grass so that I won't have to weed the unwanted sunflowers out of the garden beds.
Here are some links to my other garden layouts:
Herb Garden Layout
Herb Garden Layout (Corridor Pathway)
Sidewalk Garden Layout
Vegetable Garden Layout
Vegetable Garden Layout for Companion Planting
Herb Garden Layout
Herb Garden Layout (Corridor Pathway)
Sidewalk Garden Layout
Vegetable Garden Layout
Vegetable Garden Layout for Companion Planting
Sidewalk Garden, The Other Side
Last week I posted some pictures of our front sidewalk garden. This past weekend I moved ahead with my plans and put together the garden for the other side of the sidewalk. You can look at my last post to see the layout. As you can see in the above and below pictures on the yard side of the sidewalk there is only grass. Don't get me wrong I like grass but I also like the idea of walking down a sidewalk surrounded by foliage and flowers. It's not a significant reduction in mowing area but every little bit helps.
Here's what I had before I made the garden bed. It's a fairly straight sidewalk path leading from our driveway to our front door. It's a fairly plain looking sidewalk and anything to dress it up a little will help.
You can see a slight bend in the sidewalk here. Hidden in the shadows of the house there are two rosemary plants that are across from our front steps. Rosemary can be great as an ornamental evergreen shrub as well as a culinary herb, at least here in Tennessee.
I gradually skimmed the sod from the top layer of soil. It was important to keep the grass root systems intact since this area has some pretty good grass. The grass clumps were transferred to another area of the yard in need of some of the greenery. I used the sidewalk sections as a guide and did one segment at a time with a width of 18-20 inches. I didn't measure it or use a guide other than my eyes but I think I did a good job of keeping the lawn side edge even. I've used the garden hose trick before and that might have helped here. Just line the hose in the shape you want the bed to be and dig the area up to the hose.
The sidewalk bed ends at one of the rosemary plants where I tapered off the edge. I'll be putting a stepping stone in between the two rosemary plants eventually but until then it will remain green grass.
Here are a couple shots of the sidewalk garden after I transplanted some plants into it. I moved my 'Longin' Russian sage as well as the 'Little Spire' Russian sage over. I also divided a 'Stella de Oro' daylily into three clumps and incorporated them into the garden. Even though my salvia cuttings were young the roots had already reached the bottom of the pots and I figured they would do fine here.
Yes that is a lonely petunia on the end. It should mound up pretty good and will be joined by other annuals in the future. Its two petunia buddies are on the other side of the walkway. I'm still debating on placing some Mediterranean heather on this side of the walkway. I picked up three more the other day at reduced rates. Their evergreen foliage looks great even without blooms.
On this end of the bed you can see the spirea that I moved. It was the same spirea that was infected with the aphids but it has recovered nicely due to two treatments of insecticidal soap and a follow-up visit by Dr. Ladybug. Her specialty is in treating aphid infections! She is currently at work on a viburnum in the backyard.
A Sidewalk Garden Layout
Over the weekend I put together a garden for the opposite side of my sidewalk. Here's the layout of the garden. I did this layout after I planted the garden and it isn't to scale. It is roughly 18-20 inches wide and probably 25 feet long. I only used plants that I could transplant from other locations in my yard (mostly the other side of the sidewalk!) The spirea may not match the colors in this layout but it was available and needed moved. It would be easy to color coordinate it by adding some red, orange, or yellow annuals. There are actually two types of Russian sage in the garden, 'Longin' and 'Little Spire'. 'Little Spire is a little more compact than 'Longin' but otherwise is very similar. The salvia is from cuttings I made, they are small now but have good root systems. The lonely little petunia will be added to when it is large enough to make cuttings.
I'll be posting the pictures from the project next!
Here are some other garden layouts and landscape plans I've made:
The Circular Raised Bed
As you might know if you followed me on Facebook we had a fantastic weather weekend! Which of course meant what? TIME IN THE GARDEN!
After being cooped up all winter my daughters and I hightailed it to the backyard and spent the day outdoors digging in the dirt. We accomplished many of the chores I mentioned on Friday (wait they weren't chores because I enjoyed doing them!). One of those tasks was a rearrangement of the vegetable garden. I wanted to move four small raised beds out of the center and install a retaining wall stone raised bed. The obvious advantage to stone for raised beds is that it won't rot like my old wooden beds have done. In fact I noticed that the small raised beds I put together last year have some significant rotting along the bottom (see my last picture in this post). They might make it through this year but definitely not another garden season. Because they are wooden they feed the soil as they break down but in the long run they are more expensive to keep replacing than the stone beds.
Here's a closer shot of the circular stone bed. It's about four feet across. The ground slopes downward to the left which made leveling the circle a challenge. It's not set like a retaining wall should be with layers of gravel underneath but it doesn't need to be. It just needs to hold the dirt inside.
Three of the beds that once occupied the area are now in a U shape. Mostly because I thought it looked neat but also because they are easy beds to reach across. These may end up being our greens and beans beds.
The fourth small bed was moved over an existing 4'x6' bed which turned it into a tiered raised bed system. The left side will get more shade which might be conducive to growing greens a little longer into the summer.
You can see how much those boards that were new last year have rotted in one season. It all depends on the moisture. Dry years will help the boards last longer but it's been very wet lately. That's not a bad thing, unless you are an unpressure treated raised bed!
After being cooped up all winter my daughters and I hightailed it to the backyard and spent the day outdoors digging in the dirt. We accomplished many of the chores I mentioned on Friday (wait they weren't chores because I enjoyed doing them!). One of those tasks was a rearrangement of the vegetable garden. I wanted to move four small raised beds out of the center and install a retaining wall stone raised bed. The obvious advantage to stone for raised beds is that it won't rot like my old wooden beds have done. In fact I noticed that the small raised beds I put together last year have some significant rotting along the bottom (see my last picture in this post). They might make it through this year but definitely not another garden season. Because they are wooden they feed the soil as they break down but in the long run they are more expensive to keep replacing than the stone beds.
Here's a closer shot of the circular stone bed. It's about four feet across. The ground slopes downward to the left which made leveling the circle a challenge. It's not set like a retaining wall should be with layers of gravel underneath but it doesn't need to be. It just needs to hold the dirt inside.
Three of the beds that once occupied the area are now in a U shape. Mostly because I thought it looked neat but also because they are easy beds to reach across. These may end up being our greens and beans beds.
The fourth small bed was moved over an existing 4'x6' bed which turned it into a tiered raised bed system. The left side will get more shade which might be conducive to growing greens a little longer into the summer.
You can see how much those boards that were new last year have rotted in one season. It all depends on the moisture. Dry years will help the boards last longer but it's been very wet lately. That's not a bad thing, unless you are an unpressure treated raised bed!
I hope your weekend was as wonderful as ours was!
On the Garden Fence...
I've mentioned that with my newly redesigned garden layout that I would like to put a fence around it. Partly to keep the rabbits and groundhogs out but also to add an air of formality around the garden. I have two ideas in mind that I'd like to gather some opinions about. In the drawing below I have a standard picket fence on the left side and a capped picket fence on the right. The pickets on the right would be framed in by the rail cap and wood on the bottom.
The posts on the corners will hold hanging baskets or some other fun item like hummingbird feeders and will be capped with a solar light post cap. These little gadgets are pretty neat. They fit on to a standard post and absorb energy through the day and release it at night as light. I just thought it would be cool to see the outline of the garden in the darkness. Alternately I could hang solar lanterns from the hangers on the posts. The front and the back of the garden would be the same. The sides would not have the arbor but would have tall posts in the middle that would carry the same theme around the garden.
The rabbits might still be able to squeeze through the fence openings (at least the bunnies might) so I'll retain the wire mesh fencing I have around the garden right now to use on the inside of the new fence.
The fence will most likely be the big summer project as long as financing is available! Otherwise it may have to wait. Either way it's good to have a plan ready to go. What do you think? Side A with the traditional picket fence or side B with the capped fence rail. (You can click on the picture to open it up in a larger window.)
The posts on the corners will hold hanging baskets or some other fun item like hummingbird feeders and will be capped with a solar light post cap. These little gadgets are pretty neat. They fit on to a standard post and absorb energy through the day and release it at night as light. I just thought it would be cool to see the outline of the garden in the darkness. Alternately I could hang solar lanterns from the hangers on the posts. The front and the back of the garden would be the same. The sides would not have the arbor but would have tall posts in the middle that would carry the same theme around the garden.
The rabbits might still be able to squeeze through the fence openings (at least the bunnies might) so I'll retain the wire mesh fencing I have around the garden right now to use on the inside of the new fence.
The fence will most likely be the big summer project as long as financing is available! Otherwise it may have to wait. Either way it's good to have a plan ready to go. What do you think? Side A with the traditional picket fence or side B with the capped fence rail. (You can click on the picture to open it up in a larger window.)
My Herb Garden Layout
Herb Garden Layout
I've been debating on exactly what kind of herb garden to implement and after making up some rough sketches of various ideas on paper I decided to throw this basic design together. It has a somewhat formal look yet should be relatively easy to maintain.
I was considering trying to do a knot herb garden but that just looked like more work than I wanted to do, at least at this time. My second thought was a parterre herb garden layout but again to keep it looking as it should regular pruning is a necessity. I also considered a random arrangement to allow it to look fairly natural. The design above is sort of a hybrid of all three with a formal look that won't need real high maintenance pruning.
The stepping stones (1) divide the 8 foot bed into four sections. Each section will have similar plantings except for the outer edge. The centerpiece of this herb garden will be the rosemary (2) (which is a perennial) and should grow quite large over time with the occasional clipping for kitchen use. Outside of the main rosemary four other plants will help create an evergreen mass. Next to the rosemary and the stepping stones a purple leaf basil (3) will add some color. In between the purple leaf basil another basil variety will be planted. Possibly a large leaf Italian basil (4). On the outside edge other herbs like thyme, parsley, mint (only in pots), and cilantro (5). I may add other herbs to fit into the open spaces. Mother of Thyme would probably do well in between the stepping stones.
One day I may try the knot herb garden. Maybe when my garden helpers are old enough to be out working!
I've been debating on exactly what kind of herb garden to implement and after making up some rough sketches of various ideas on paper I decided to throw this basic design together. It has a somewhat formal look yet should be relatively easy to maintain.I was considering trying to do a knot herb garden but that just looked like more work than I wanted to do, at least at this time. My second thought was a parterre herb garden layout but again to keep it looking as it should regular pruning is a necessity. I also considered a random arrangement to allow it to look fairly natural. The design above is sort of a hybrid of all three with a formal look that won't need real high maintenance pruning.
How The Herb Garden Layout is Designed:
The stepping stones (1) divide the 8 foot bed into four sections. Each section will have similar plantings except for the outer edge. The centerpiece of this herb garden will be the rosemary (2) (which is a perennial) and should grow quite large over time with the occasional clipping for kitchen use. Outside of the main rosemary four other plants will help create an evergreen mass. Next to the rosemary and the stepping stones a purple leaf basil (3) will add some color. In between the purple leaf basil another basil variety will be planted. Possibly a large leaf Italian basil (4). On the outside edge other herbs like thyme, parsley, mint (only in pots), and cilantro (5). I may add other herbs to fit into the open spaces. Mother of Thyme would probably do well in between the stepping stones.
One day I may try the knot herb garden. Maybe when my garden helpers are old enough to be out working!
Vegetable Garden Layout - Parterre Style!
The other day I posted about the next evolution of my garden on its way to becoming a more formalized vegetable garden. Today I'll show you the layout of what I hope the vegetable garden will eventually become. There are some distinct advantages to the layout changes that I am planning on making that I'll share with you below the diagram of the vegetable garden layout.
First a Short Description of the Vegetable Garden:
I want to divide the garden into 4 main sections that curve around a center circle bed. Each bed will be lined with retaining wall blocks (most likely cast concrete) to define the beds and keep the soil inside. The central path and circle path in the middle will be approximately 4 feet wide. The pathways to the left and right will end with a couple of large pots filled with herbs as an edible exhibit. The corner beds will be 12 feet long on the outside edges and about 6 feet long along the straight edges of the pathway. Stepping stones will be placed inside each garden bed to allow easy access to the areas hard to reach from the pathway.
The Advantages of this Layout:
The Implementation of My Scheme (Scheme sounds a bit more dramatic than "plan" doesn't it?):
Rome wasn't built in a day neither will this garden be. Over time I can add the stone borders for the raised beds. The first step will be to make the circle bed in the middle and mulch the remaining grass area. That stone is already resting in the vegetable garden waiting for the gardener to get with it! Fortunately (for the garden but not our budget) we just had to replace our refrigerator and I saved the box for use as a weed blocker in the vegetable garden. I'll lay the cardboard down and mulch over the top which should be all I need to get rid of the grass. The cardboard will last through this season and maybe some of 2012 before it completely disintegrates into the soil. I may sneak some newspapers underneath it for good measure and to recycle the newspaper - we sure have enough of it stored in the garage!
First a Short Description of the Vegetable Garden:
I want to divide the garden into 4 main sections that curve around a center circle bed. Each bed will be lined with retaining wall blocks (most likely cast concrete) to define the beds and keep the soil inside. The central path and circle path in the middle will be approximately 4 feet wide. The pathways to the left and right will end with a couple of large pots filled with herbs as an edible exhibit. The corner beds will be 12 feet long on the outside edges and about 6 feet long along the straight edges of the pathway. Stepping stones will be placed inside each garden bed to allow easy access to the areas hard to reach from the pathway.
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| Vegetable Garden Layout in Parterre Style |
The Advantages of this Layout:
- It divides the garden into four main beds which is ideal for organizational purposes when you are considering crop rotation.
- The 4 ft. wide pathways give easy access to wheel barrows and equipment and make maneuvering around the garden a piece of cake.
- The stone edged beds won't rot like my wooden beds have. They can also be stacked higher to make deeper raised beds. My plan is to begin with one layer and add more height over time as needed.
- Stone borders will also heat up faster and retain heat over the night hours which may improve the length of the growing season some. In the summer the stones will be shielded by the foliage and won't absorb as much heat.
The Implementation of My Scheme (Scheme sounds a bit more dramatic than "plan" doesn't it?):
Rome wasn't built in a day neither will this garden be. Over time I can add the stone borders for the raised beds. The first step will be to make the circle bed in the middle and mulch the remaining grass area. That stone is already resting in the vegetable garden waiting for the gardener to get with it! Fortunately (for the garden but not our budget) we just had to replace our refrigerator and I saved the box for use as a weed blocker in the vegetable garden. I'll lay the cardboard down and mulch over the top which should be all I need to get rid of the grass. The cardboard will last through this season and maybe some of 2012 before it completely disintegrates into the soil. I may sneak some newspapers underneath it for good measure and to recycle the newspaper - we sure have enough of it stored in the garage!
Update:
Step 1 - The Circular Raised Bed is now put together!
My Raised Bed Vegetable Garden Changes for 2010
Each year I try to expand the vegetable garden a little bit more. The first year in our home I didn’t have time to put together a garden before the growing season started and we missed out on any vegetable garden.
I’ve debated on the strawberry situation as the runners always seem to want to take over the garden – and maybe the world (it could worse, it could be kudzu!). My second option for the strawberries would be to create a completely new bed for them somewhere else in the yard but that might be problematic when the annual invasion of the bunnies begins.
Raised beds are one of the greatest things you can do to increase your chances of success in the backyard vegetable garden (if you want to see why take a look at the Benefits of Raised Bed Gardening and if want advice on building a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden here are some things to think about!). This is just the basic layout of the vegetable garden and I intend to get more specific soon by putting together a diagram of where everything was last year and where I want things to be this year. Crop rotation is something I try to practice but it’s not always practical – especially when you try to squeeze too many tomato plants into the garden!
The "L" Shaped Raised Beds:
The second year I put together a set of raised beds that were arranged in an “L” shape. The idea was neat but I left grass around the beds that I had to mow around and it became very difficult to keep the area neat. “L” shaped beds would work great if you have a nice low groundcover – like thyme – or some sort of mulch (either hardwood or gravel based) to replace the grass.Potager Vegetable Garden with Raised Beds:
In 2009 I got smarter. I rearranged the raised beds into a grid with a combination of small raised beds, large raised beds, and two large in ground planting areas. 2009's raised bed vegetable garden was a very good and functional layout. It allowed me to move around all the beds easily (until the cherry tomatoes went wild and took over) and was pretty good for arranging my soaker hose irrigation system.Raised Bed Changes for 2010:
This year I’ll improve on the previous garden layout by adding a few more beds. There’s no need for a remake I’ll just change the two large ground beds into four 10’x2’ beds and add an extra long bed for perennials like strawberries.I’ve debated on the strawberry situation as the runners always seem to want to take over the garden – and maybe the world (it could worse, it could be kudzu!). My second option for the strawberries would be to create a completely new bed for them somewhere else in the yard but that might be problematic when the annual invasion of the bunnies begins.
Raised beds are one of the greatest things you can do to increase your chances of success in the backyard vegetable garden (if you want to see why take a look at the Benefits of Raised Bed Gardening and if want advice on building a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden here are some things to think about!). This is just the basic layout of the vegetable garden and I intend to get more specific soon by putting together a diagram of where everything was last year and where I want things to be this year. Crop rotation is something I try to practice but it’s not always practical – especially when you try to squeeze too many tomato plants into the garden!
You’ve never been guilty of planting too many tomatoes have you? ;)