In the Garden: My Plans for 2014

Last year was a disappointing year in the garden because it was the first year in 15 years that I didn't plant a vegetable or herb in my garden.  I still had my perennials, but I missed the entire garden season. Partly it was the preparing and helping care for our first grandchild. His timing wasn't ideal, but he is a joy to his parents and everyone in his life, so it's all good.  He was too little to do more than lay in the grass soaking up the sun last summer, especially when his Aunt Emily joined him.

It was also a year of failures as our rototiller broke down, and our neighborhood farmer couldn't fit us in his schedule to work up the garden area. This year, come hell or high water, I will start my new garden plot, revamp my raised bed and build my new herb garden. The herb garden will be made by using the blocks from around this tree:

For some reason, this flower bed never took off no matter how I amended it, or what I planted. We'll use the blocks for my new herb bed, and build an octagonal picnic table there instead.  I haven't mapped out the herb bed yet but I do know I want to include hardy Mediterranean herbs that are perennials in our zone. I know the following will be included:

Lavender
Sage
Oregano
Lemon and Regular Thyme
Chives
Garlic Chives

I have an old chiminea that I'm considering using as the center of the bed to plant nasturtiums each year, or possibly mint.  Basil isn't a perennial here but I'll plant as much of that as I can either in the herb bed or the vegetable garden.

I'm also going to plant sunflowers and calendula where I can fit them in amount the herbs and vegetables.  As far as vegetables, I plan on growing tomatoes, radish, kale, greens, beans, cucumbers and squash.  

I think it will be a grand garden season this year!

~Brenda