More Than A Square Foot Garden

Last season, all the space I could afford was a for a square foot garden, which, all things considered, was remarkably productive and beautiful.

Since moving to Blaine, I have been busy creating a moderate garden and landscaping around the house. I am almost finished with phase one. Here are some photos:

Here is an overview of the vegetable garden. It was designed with inspiration from both the French Biointensive school of thought and the Permaculture school of thought. Permaculture has certainly been the primary inspiration for my overall sight design.

Leeks

Swiss Chard

Radishes in need of thinning.

The pea harvest is just beginning.

This mini-greenhouse has allowed me to get some peppers (already!) and should help with some of my Basil and Tomato harvest.

A Jalapeno!

An experimental Tomatillo.


At the edge of the garden is an herb spiral. It is a beautiful permaculture design element that provides a large variety of soil moisture and microclimite conditions in a very compact area. At the top it is hot and dry, at the back left it is cool and wet, and at the front it is warm and wet. It is planted with Sage, Oregano, Rosemary, Tyme, Lemon Verbena, Fennel, Chives, Garlic Chives, Parsley, Peppermint & Spearmint.

The larger landscape has been designed to maximize food production and wildlife value. A pond, hummingbird feeder, nestboxes (unfortunately unoccupied), and bird feeders are elements that the local wildlife enjoy. As a side note, the gentle gravel beach at the top right portion of the pond is critical for birds to enjoy it. There is almost always a bird bathing or drinking there. Before I constructed it there was nearly no bird activity.

An overview of the front yard, where much of the smaller fruits are planted.

A Fig (desert king).

Red Currents forming.

Grapes.

Other fruit producing plants in the yard include a Peach tree (frost), Cherry tree, Apple trees, Plum trees, Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Saskatoon Berries, Honeyberries, Lingonberries, Lowbush Blueberries, Cranberries, Huckleberries, Black Currents, and Maypop Passionflowers. Most of these were purchased from Cloud Mountain Farm and Raintree Nursery, and Territorial Seed Co. I have been very pleased with the products I received from all of these operations -especially Cloud Mountain Farm in Sumas.