2013 is the first real season for the garden, which was planned and started in through the summer and fall of 2012. Like the tiny houses, the garden has to be designed to maximize use of limited space- in this case a 1/11 acre plot, partially shaded, with half the area occupied with the houses/container/parking, and a sizable area remaining open green space. Previously limited by a postage stamp backyard and 15 years of gardening one 5×10 community garden plot, for me (Brian) the garden work has been a real joy, as exciting as constructing the small house. Below is a catalog of what has been planted to date, with more pictures/updates to come as the season progresses.
Fruit: Currently planted are 15 fruit trees including: 2 apples (Honeycrisp, Fuji), 3 cherries (Montmorencey sour, 4/1 combo sweet), 2 pear (D’Anjou, Seckel), 2 fig (Paradiso, Negronne), 1 kumquat, 1 apricot (Blenheim), 2 plum (Santa Rosa, Green Gage), 1 serviceberry, 1 pomegranate (Angel Red). Many of the trees are dwarf or semi-dwarfs that will be judiciously pruned. There’s also a blackberry bush, 3 raspberry, 3 rhubarb (Victoria), 1 grape (Concord), and 2 blueberries (Reka and 3/1 combo). While many of these trees will take a while to reach full production, we’ll certainly have apples, figs, cherries and berries this season. Special thanks to Casey Trees in DC for subsidizing purchase of the fruit trees, and the great folks at Snell Nursery in MD.
Herbs: Around 23 types of herbs are in now, including garlic chives, traditional chives, Kentucky mint, bronze fennel, borage, red veined and French sorrel, French thyme, green lemon thyme, purple sage, pineapple sage, sweet marjoram, French tarragon, green fringed lavender, sweet lavender, Italian oregano, hot/spicy oregano, dill, Salem rosemary, Tuscan rosemary, lemon verbena and several types of basil. Thanks to Debaggio’s in Chantilly, VA for perhaps the best selection of culinary herbs on the East Coast (as well as tomatoes and peppers).
Flowers: Sunny areas include a wisteria vine and Carolina creeper vine, rose bushes (x4), zinnias, sunflowers, hollyhock, speedwell, salvia, coneflowers, bee balm, verbena, anise hyssop, marigolds, beard tongue, coreopsis, and 75 tulip bulbs. The small shaded flower garden includes asters, bleeding heart, geraniums, and a lonely but lovely peony.
Veges: There are 10 4×8 garden boxes for vegetable planting, where all sorts of things are now growing. Harvested already this season: kale, chard, arugula, lettuce, endive, turnips, carrots, snap peas, snow peas. And coming up soon: fava beans, beets, eggplant, heirloom tomatoes, brussel sprouts, carrots, summer squash, cucumbers.