Custom Garden Design: A Family Kitchen Garden
Families Growing Together
I know you’ve heard me say that gardens can be a place where the whole family comes together to spend time (you know, instead of in front of a television screen), and this is living proof! We just installed this beautiful kitchen garden for Sandy, the mother of a client that we worked with last year. Now Sandy is adding a garden to her property, so mother and daughter can grow together.
Both families have the goal of improving their lifestyles, teaching their kids and grandkids how to grow their own food, and becoming just a little more self-sufficient. And now they are all set for a summer full of bounty!
Custom Garden Design: A Family Kitchen Garden
Client: Sandy (& family) in Mt. Pleasant, WI
Sandy is the mother of a previous client. Now that he has been inspired to start her own kitchen garden, this is turning into a hobby the whole family can enjoy together!
Custom Garden Design:
128 sq. ft. vegetable garden
16 sq. ft. salad garden
Arch trellises for cherry tomatoes
6' obelisk for vining plants to climb
Raspberry patch with five different varieties to ensure fresh fruit all summer long, including red, black, and yellow raspberry bushes
Garden Installation Process:
I love when clients choose to add fruit and perennial crops to their gardens. We had fun choosing the different raspberry varieties. Succession planting was kept in mind while planning so that the clients will have fresh raspberries throughout the summer.
For this family kitchen garden, we chose to use raised beds for every aspect of the design, which allows for improved aesthetics and lower maintenance (less weeding!). There a bunch of different raised bed styles - from a custom design standpoint, I've been obsessed with the different colors of Olle beds.
Family Kitchen Garden Highlights:
Sandy’s dear friend Alma also participated in this new gardening experience, which turned this family kitchen garden into a full on party with friends! Alma is a long-time in-ground gardener, we had fun exploring this new, raised-bed intensive-style gardening together. It is always fun to learn from other gardeners and it’s a good reminder that there is never just one way to grow!