building the kitchen garden
August is the peak of the hot summer season and in Houston it’s a scorcher. So what person in their right mind would be working on garden projects?
.
um, let’s chalk it up to temporary insanity.
.
Last month we brought a landscape architect on board to guide some improvements to our back yard. The plan breaks the work into chunks that are easier on the bank account. No plantings will occur until the weather is cooler. This is the yard before any work occurred that first day.
The first order of business was selectively pruning limbs from that long row of trees in the rear to promote upward growth and lift the canopy. Excavation in area A, on the right, made way for the kitchen garden on my wish list, but filling in that garden with herbs is on my chore list.
Which brings us back to ** insanity **
.
Before work for areas B and C can begin (early September) I need to make progress in area A.
Plan for the kitchen garden plot:
Most of the plants are part of the permanent collection, so I want to relocate them as gently as possible. The butterfly garden section is complete and many of the herbs are in their newly assigned seats, ready for re-planting.
I am sincerely hoping that this new kitchen garden of my dreams will delight our senses.
Many thanks for dropping in today!
home sweet homemade 
Diane, I absolutely LOVE how you shared this post with diagrams!
You are so clever!
And looking at the plot of herbs you have planned for the kitchen garden, I have to say….WOW!
Yes, it’s been HOT here too. Normally July is the hottest month for us, but this year it seems that it’s trickling into August. I have really enjoyed this summer, but I can’t wait for September to bring some cooler temps.
“I am sincerely hoping that this new kitchen garden of my dreams will delight our senses.”
I’m sure it WILL!
Can’t wait to see it!
Have a great week!
Much X to you and Cristybella!
Hey Diane! Love all the plans… and that you make plans!!! I wish I could do better with that. I’d probably get more done. Man, it’s baking in Texas… but then I see the rest of the country and I feel bad for complaining. We’re use to it… most aren’t. Still, it bites that you have to “get through it” to finally get to the planting. Smart, though.
I love blue daze!!! I have always planted it and it never disappoints. Seems to love the sun and heat. It will be so pretty in front of the milkweed. Looking forward to seeing it all.
Your yard is already pretty gorgeous!!
Good lucki have to say your gardenoks pretty impressive already. But i also love the idea of a kitchen garden, mine will be made up of pots once i have finished my move in a couple of weeks, i have a very plain patio area outside the backdoor that is crying out for some herbs.
Can’t wait to see the finished product.
It looks like a very well thought out plan! I think it’s great you added milk weed. They’re so pretty when they bloom.
If you planted milkweed on purpose around these parts, they’d laugh you outta town. LOL But I love it! Mostly I love what’s attracted to it–and the pods afterwards. Ditches are filled with ’em around here. Greatest place to land when you’re wanting butterflies!
You’ve got an awesome plan….and a great time to execute it. THINK of all the cleansing you’re doing as you sweat away in the heat! LOL (better thee than me!! LOL….we did our hottest July in 70 years already–I’m loving that August has cooled down a bit.)
I can’t wait to see how it progresses. And I know the theory of cutting back limbs on those trees, but gosh….it makes me sad–the birdies LIKE those low branches around here!
hi Mel. Oh my, we have SO many bird families this year – lots of woodpecker and cardinal juveniles. We’ve loved watching them this summer. Keeping the yard habitat friendly is a huge priority. Of course, maintaining a privacy screen with the foliage is too. We were frankly nervous about the pruning, but it’s been 4 weeks and looks so much better. I’ll take another round of photos this fall 🙂