Custom Garden Design: Vegan Kitchen Garden
A Vegan Kitchen Garden
When Maryanne went vegan three years ago, it renewed her love of cooking and eating for a healthier lifestyle. After viewing my kitchen garden at Oglesby Gardens, Maryanne and her husband Byran called us up to design a custom vegan kitchen garden. Maryanne's garden goals included creating a sustainable garden using greener growing methods and fewer chemicals. We also focused on maximizing space so herbs, veggies, and edible flowers could all grow together in compact harmony.
Maryanne and Bryan had some past gardening experience: they dabbled in growing their own tomatoes and herbs in planters on their porch, and most recently installed a home-made 8'x8' raised bed in their backyard. But through all their gardening endeavors, they could never get rid of the weeds. No matter what measures they took to prevent them, the weeds persisted, sometimes choking out the vegetable plants entirely.
Client: Maryann & Bryan in Fontana, Wisconsin
Custom Garden Design
three 4’x8’ cedar beds
cold frames for continual growing in colder months
local custom-made moon arches
Garden Installation Process:
These raised beds were custom made to fit the pitched landscape. We made the beds on an angle to accommodate the grade for the yard. Maryanne and Bryan stripped the topsoil in the yard and put down stone so that upon install, the raised beds fit perfectly into the grade of the yard.
Vegan Kitchen Garden Highlights:
“Our kitchen garden was constructed this fall so we are very excited for the upcoming planting season. This garden will not only provide healthy food for our family, but is also aesthetically pleasing. My grandkids think the arches would be great for climbing on, so I can’t wait for them to see the tomatoes doing the climbing.” -- Maryanne
Plan to Expand:
We’ll be installing cold frames on the beds to allow planting to begin in February so harvesting can begin as soon as April. And, we are adding an extra bed just for squash!
Maryanne is a small business owner and now sources ingredients from her own garden for the famously delicious soups she serves up at The Coffee Mill in Fontana. If you’re local, be sure to check it out!
Check out the before picture below!
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