Beginnings

Starting out.

We’d made attempts at gardening this awkward side yard off and on for 30 years. If we were lucky we would have tomatoes – at least until the summer heat hit and they needed regular watering to survive. This "regular watering" thing was never my strong suit. I’m probably the only person alive who has planted a whole six pack of zucchini and had narry a squash to eat. Obviously, gardening was too difficult, and I simply didn’t have the proverbial green thumb.

Three things happened recently. First, I retired. One does not need to be retired to have a wonderful garden. But for me it eliminated my ubiquitous whiny excuse “I don’t have time”. Second, I read Michael Pollen’s book “The Omnivores Dilemma” which, to be honest, gave me a whole new perspective on this whole food thing and the value of being more involved in its production. Third, the teacher who took over the position from which I retired, was becoming a father, and asked me to substitute for his classes for a couple of weeks. Suddenly, I had $1000 that was unexpected and, more importantly, unspoken for.

Time to build a real garden. A few books were an initial requirement – just how does one go about this if one actually wants to grow something. A plan was drawn up and supplies were ordered. A dozen 2 inch by 12 feet boards, nails, screws, organic garden soil, material for trellises and, the all important components of a drip watering system.

I designed, my husband sawed and together we nailed and screwed and came up with 8 raised beds of assorted shapes to accommodate the triangular shaped plot of land. The 2’ paths were covered with “weed fabric” and bark. A watering system was installed and trellises were build of pvc pipe and rebar.

Off in one corner we put two “eco-compost bins" - I was taking Pollen seriously. Waste turned into compost, which would nurture the plants, which would feed us and create more waste. Something like that.

In the center of this garden was an empty spot, a triangle about 5 feet on each side, a central hub of sorts. Seemed a waste of space; I put a large pot of strawberry plants and a cheap molded plastic chair there, for lack of something better.

It was a thing of beauty – if you overlooked the air-conditioner on one side, and the far point that still retained an unkempt jungle feel and, of course, that ugly chair in the middle.