A Busy Garden Year Ahead

I have a very busy garden year planned for 2012.  Aside of doing a bit of clean-up work on the existing ornamental garden beds after moving here in September of 2011, we had done only basic yard maintenance and planning.  So far, we have determined the ornamental garden beds have to be completely revamped.  The two umbrella trees and arbor trumpet vine need to be replaced with something less likely to maim.  I am definitely leaning towards morning glory for the arbor and silver birch trees.  The hard, jagged rock bordering some of the ornamental beds is coming out.  I think it is ugly and a safety hazard as does my husband.  The ornamental beds will be mulched with red cedar as an accent colour that will go nice with the colour of our house while providing a bit of natural insect deterrent.  We will prune the fruit trees then it will be ready to get the vegetable and herb gardens going.

This is a smaller property so the vegetable and herb beds will be raised, planted in the square foot garden method.  I am considering making the beds a bit deeper and using something a bit more elegant than plain pine, perhaps with a nice finished ledge along the top for additional potted plants or sitting.  Deeper beds will allow some of the vining fruit and vegetable plants to tumble over as well, softening the look a bit. 

I need to establish the following long term beds: rhubarb, asparagus, strawberries and herbs.  These will be the first beds to go in and aside of the herbs, do not have to be raised or planted in the square foot garden method.  I would really like to work in some raspberry canes and a few blueberry bushes but that is going to be iffy since the pool takes up a good portion of our backyard.  I have picked out a spot for a grapes too.

I know these are a lot of plans and some won't get finished this year.  I will be happy getting the long term beds in along with the raised beds built and filled.  My husband is talking of replacing the fence so I need to keep that in mind as well.  All in all it should be an exciting but very busy year for gardening here!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
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