It has been so fun to hear from so many of you about the gardens you have been planning! It makes me so happy that you are enjoying these blogs. I am sure many of you are missing working in our school garden during this time so I hope some of these ideas will help you create something lovely at home. A garden of any size is a marvel so if it is a window box, a raised bed, or a small plot in your yard, you have created something magical!  

 

The creation of a garden is a journey to be savored over time, not a daunting overwhelming task. It starts as an idea, a thought, an inspiration; it can become whatever you imagine. It is not just about growing plants; it is about planning, creating, executing, nurturing, taking responsibility, and being rewarded in the end by the fruits of one’s labor. We now have time to focus our attention on something completely new, with new lessons to learn and satisfaction a result. Or, we may simply learn not to give up if we fail with our first attempt, but that it is important to try again. I cannot begin to count the failures I have had during my gardening years, but I learned that success far outweighed the failures and even though over the years I have done less and less gardening, I am finding renewed excitement as I now revisit many of my old garden ideas. I would have never had thought to share these ideas if it wasn’t for making the most of this new norm.

 

During the late 1980’s and 1990’s, when we began the restoration of our 1835 plantation, we did a lot of research and part of that research was visiting other historical properties, which had been thoughtfully restored.  I was always fascinated with the gardens around these properties and the fact that they were necessary and meaningful to the existence of the people who planted them. It struck me as more than planting just a garden; it was entwined in what was important to the household survival. It was then that I became more interested in growing plants for a reason, not just planting plants. From this point onward I began thinking of plants with a purpose.  I started with my focus being on herbs and their uses and eventually the meanings each herb had (but that is for another day)!

My first theme was a kitchen garden, I chose this as I was more familiar with these herbs because of my love of cooking. The kitchen herbs listed are easily obtained locally! It is also fun to mix herbs, flowers and vegetables together in a garden. I will start calling the following combination a Pizza Garden, a fun way to start if your family loves pizza.

Start by picking your garden spot making 

sure you have enough sunshine and space for what you want to plant. Plants will need about 6 hours of sunshine daily also make sure you are able to access water easily for your plants. We all know our plants need water to grow and Georgia can get hot! Make sure you are following the spacing and height directions carefully so your plants can grow and stretch to perfection.  Second, you need to get paper and pencil, as you will plan your garden on paper first before planting. If you are planting in a rectangle, place the tallest plants to the back so they don’t shade the shorter ones. If you really want to get fancy, you could plant in a circle like a pizza, but that might be a lot for a first try. If you don’t have a space in the ground, you can always plant in a container or a raised bed; the benefit to this is you know you will have good soil. Don’t forget to label your plants!

Now for the plants, I am providing lots of choices for you.  Remember plants need space and some will need support, like tomatoes, so they don’t fall on the ground when they grow taller and become laden with fruit.

Plants: Plum or Cherry Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Onions, Garlic, and Zucchini

Herbs: Rosemary, Oregano, Basil (Genovese), Parsley (Flat Leaf Italian), Thyme, and Chive

For Color: Marigolds (keep bugs out) and Red Salvia
                                                                     

 

I hope this inspires you to start planning and making your own pizza garden.