Welcome to My Garden Shed!
Spring is officially here!
It's time to prepare the garden spot again! I hear everyone's tillers have been broken! Maybe
it's time to buy a new one! Our lawnmower, tiller, and weed-eater bit the dust this year. You'll
Herbs and their uses at the bottom of the page.
Grow an organic garden.
What's organic? Organic food is grown without using any or most of the conventional
pesticides. Nor are any petroleum-based fertilizers, bio-engineering, sewage sludge-based
fertilizers, or ionizing radiation used. Turkey manure is great for the yard and garden! You
won't be able to keep pesticides out of your garden all the time. Japanese beetles have been
proven difficult to eradicate in the U.S. You may need something stronger than organics to get
rid of them. If you have to use a chemical fertilizer or fungicide, make sure you wear a face
mask and shower afterward (you don't want this in your house.
Growing an organic garden is not difficult. Natural fertilizers and pesticides (usually herbal)
can keep your food free of chemicals, make you healthier (no chemicals in your food), and
help maintain a safer environment for everyone. Organic produce isn't as "pretty" as other
produce (you may have noticed this in the market) but it will benefit you in the long run.
Natural foods and organic foods are not the same. Organic food is grown without chemicals
(usually no chemicals have been used in the soil from 3 to 5 years before planting), not all
natural products are. Don't depend on the FDA to keep your foods supply safe. Unsafe
products have hit the market in the past. Take a proactive stance and grow your own organic,
chemical free garden this year.
Why just settle for the run of the mill garden or back yard?
With today's recession, providing food for the dinner table is getting more difficult for
everyone. People are growing their food more and more, but you don't have to settle for a
plain looking garden or the run of the mill looking back yard. Many of us are putting off that
vacation to the Islands, but you don't have to miss out on the feeling of being there!Create
your own botanical garden or tropical oasis. We did!. Grow an herb garden or blend them into
the yard. Our vegetable garden is far from the ordinary. Don't have a back yard? Not a
problem. Live in an apartment? Still not a problem. You can grow live plants in window boxes,
the front porch, deck, or kitchen window! Don't have a green thumb? Not a problem. Get an
air plant. They're attractive, easy to care for, and they add color and warmth to your home.
Have a green thumb but not much time to spend in the garden? Then I'll share my secret with
you!
I grow a garden every year. It's not as large as some, we live in the city, but it produces like an
acre of land. What's my secret?I use mostly organics, composting when I can, and sparingly
use pesticides or fungicides (for those stubborn pests and diseases). The most important
thing I use (and have for more than 20 years) is landscaping canvas. It keeps the weeds out,
makes the garden much more attractive, easier to move around in, keeps the ground and
plants moist (good thing, we've been under drought conditions for about a year now) and will
help provide more nutrition to the garden.
How? When you put the canvas in the rows and around the plants, lay hay or your favorite
natural ground cover. As the ground cover begins to decompose, it seeps into the ground
feeding your plants naturally. When the season is over, leave the cover there. Remove it next
spring, till the garden, and put it back. Sound like too much trouble? Try kneeling hours a day
pulling weeds. Or hoeing once or twice a week in the heat.
Have pets?
We have two very spoiled Labrador retrievers. We have to use pet safe fertilizers in the
backyard. Our backyard is dog friendly, in other words, we left certain areas alone so they
could dig (only natural) and lay up under the bushes. Occasionally, we have to put a plant or
two back in the ground, but not very often.
Our back yard is large, not the tiny area you get with the newer homes being built today. We
treasure our space and the feeling of being alone in our own little tropical paradise. We've
filled our back yard with perennials, tubers, bulb plants, bushes, and trees. Soon we'll add a
few annuals.
What did we use in our back yard?
Let me tell you how and why we changed a plain backyard with no landscaping into an area
we live in during the spring, summer, and fall.A few years ago, our back yard had around 20
trees lining the fence. They produced a lot of yard trash, no shade, kept the side to wet and
dark to grow grass, so we had a muddy side yard. I fell a few times and was seriously injured.
So we removed the trees. After Hurricane Katrina and Ivan, more of our trees fell, including
our beautiful pecan tree that provided all our shade in the back. Our yard was now naked and
uninviting.
We decide to do something with all that wasted space!
We wanted to replace all the trees (birds and squirrels need homes too). We also wanted an
area to grow a vegetable garden, keep our garden shed, and have a place to relax in the sun
when it wasn't too hot, or in the shade if it was. We wanted it to have our favorite flowers and
features along with some our parents and grandparents had.I designed the patio and garden
myself from all that and a restaurant we went to in the Bahamas.
The patio and garden are quite, like you live in the country, except we live in the city with
several thousand cars passing each week. You can't hear the noise because of the trees in
the back 40. There is a shallow cement pond with large gold fish and lilies. We have a
resident toad that irritates the dogs with his croaking during the spring. On one side is a
waterfall and a statue of a young boy, on the other is a birdbath with hens n chicks and stone
crop. Around the edges of the pound, are stones similar to that of Stone Hinge.
The patio is surrounded by tall bushes, different colored azaleas, lavender, hibiscus, a red
delicious apple, green apple, yellow apple, tartarian cherry, and Scarlet Japanese Maple
trees. Here in the South, no yard is complete without the colorful Hydrangea bushes. Our
trees are large enough now to put antique rockers under them where we sit and relax.
There is a stone walkway leading past the cherries to the bananas and perennial garden. An
arch covered with Carolina jasmine creates a romantic spot, along with a concreted bench on
the end of the patio. Before you get to the archway, a large bird condo made from scraps
from our cedar fence is perched on a 45 degree angle with a feed hanging below it.
Muscadines and succadines trellis the deck. On the edge of the patio on one side is fire
bushes, roses, dwarf arbivados, mums, gardenias, canna lilies, hostas, carnations, blue
fescue, and mondo grass. Ornamental grasses and canna lilies line the faux stream which
runs the length of the garden. This year we will add a faux bridge joining the walkway and the
stretch of green grass in the center of the yard.
Grapes, kiwi, muscadines, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries are planted in a circle
on the hill, just above the swing under the tree. Next to the berry circle is our garden shed. In
front, are two evergreen Lelands and a flowering bush. The garden is in front of the swing on
the left side of the yard.
An open area of green grass remains for the dogs to play on. At the back gate, we've created
a court yard effect. A small patch of grass as you open the gate has a Rose of Sharon in the
center and yellow bells to the right. The deck is to the left and the patio and pond directly in
front. Spices and herbs line the fence for color and cooking delight. There are fragrant
roses, lavender, gardenias, and jasmine. We have more than 100 varieties of fruits, spices,
herbs, and flowers in the garden, including pond flowers. My favorites are the white Peruvian
lilies and the Florida lilies. There is shade during the summer and a fire pit to keep us warm at
night.
What more could you ask for? No, we don't have a massive backyard, but it is larger than
those in the new subdivisions they are building these days. We've tried to utilize our space for
aesthetics, comfort, and function, and I believe we have succeeded. Come back later and I will
put up a new photo of the garden in bloom. Oh, and the vegetable garden too!
It's time to prepare the garden spot again! I hear everyone's tillers have been broken! Maybe
it's time to buy a new one! Our lawnmower, tiller, and weed-eater bit the dust this year. You'll
Herbs and their uses at the bottom of the page.
Grow an organic garden.
What's organic? Organic food is grown without using any or most of the conventional
pesticides. Nor are any petroleum-based fertilizers, bio-engineering, sewage sludge-based
fertilizers, or ionizing radiation used. Turkey manure is great for the yard and garden! You
won't be able to keep pesticides out of your garden all the time. Japanese beetles have been
proven difficult to eradicate in the U.S. You may need something stronger than organics to get
rid of them. If you have to use a chemical fertilizer or fungicide, make sure you wear a face
mask and shower afterward (you don't want this in your house.
Growing an organic garden is not difficult. Natural fertilizers and pesticides (usually herbal)
can keep your food free of chemicals, make you healthier (no chemicals in your food), and
help maintain a safer environment for everyone. Organic produce isn't as "pretty" as other
produce (you may have noticed this in the market) but it will benefit you in the long run.
Natural foods and organic foods are not the same. Organic food is grown without chemicals
(usually no chemicals have been used in the soil from 3 to 5 years before planting), not all
natural products are. Don't depend on the FDA to keep your foods supply safe. Unsafe
products have hit the market in the past. Take a proactive stance and grow your own organic,
chemical free garden this year.
Why just settle for the run of the mill garden or back yard?
With today's recession, providing food for the dinner table is getting more difficult for
everyone. People are growing their food more and more, but you don't have to settle for a
plain looking garden or the run of the mill looking back yard. Many of us are putting off that
vacation to the Islands, but you don't have to miss out on the feeling of being there!Create
your own botanical garden or tropical oasis. We did!. Grow an herb garden or blend them into
the yard. Our vegetable garden is far from the ordinary. Don't have a back yard? Not a
problem. Live in an apartment? Still not a problem. You can grow live plants in window boxes,
the front porch, deck, or kitchen window! Don't have a green thumb? Not a problem. Get an
air plant. They're attractive, easy to care for, and they add color and warmth to your home.
Have a green thumb but not much time to spend in the garden? Then I'll share my secret with
you!
I grow a garden every year. It's not as large as some, we live in the city, but it produces like an
acre of land. What's my secret?I use mostly organics, composting when I can, and sparingly
use pesticides or fungicides (for those stubborn pests and diseases). The most important
thing I use (and have for more than 20 years) is landscaping canvas. It keeps the weeds out,
makes the garden much more attractive, easier to move around in, keeps the ground and
plants moist (good thing, we've been under drought conditions for about a year now) and will
help provide more nutrition to the garden.
How? When you put the canvas in the rows and around the plants, lay hay or your favorite
natural ground cover. As the ground cover begins to decompose, it seeps into the ground
feeding your plants naturally. When the season is over, leave the cover there. Remove it next
spring, till the garden, and put it back. Sound like too much trouble? Try kneeling hours a day
pulling weeds. Or hoeing once or twice a week in the heat.
Have pets?
We have two very spoiled Labrador retrievers. We have to use pet safe fertilizers in the
backyard. Our backyard is dog friendly, in other words, we left certain areas alone so they
could dig (only natural) and lay up under the bushes. Occasionally, we have to put a plant or
two back in the ground, but not very often.
Our back yard is large, not the tiny area you get with the newer homes being built today. We
treasure our space and the feeling of being alone in our own little tropical paradise. We've
filled our back yard with perennials, tubers, bulb plants, bushes, and trees. Soon we'll add a
few annuals.
What did we use in our back yard?
Let me tell you how and why we changed a plain backyard with no landscaping into an area
we live in during the spring, summer, and fall.A few years ago, our back yard had around 20
trees lining the fence. They produced a lot of yard trash, no shade, kept the side to wet and
dark to grow grass, so we had a muddy side yard. I fell a few times and was seriously injured.
So we removed the trees. After Hurricane Katrina and Ivan, more of our trees fell, including
our beautiful pecan tree that provided all our shade in the back. Our yard was now naked and
uninviting.
We decide to do something with all that wasted space!
We wanted to replace all the trees (birds and squirrels need homes too). We also wanted an
area to grow a vegetable garden, keep our garden shed, and have a place to relax in the sun
when it wasn't too hot, or in the shade if it was. We wanted it to have our favorite flowers and
features along with some our parents and grandparents had.I designed the patio and garden
myself from all that and a restaurant we went to in the Bahamas.
The patio and garden are quite, like you live in the country, except we live in the city with
several thousand cars passing each week. You can't hear the noise because of the trees in
the back 40. There is a shallow cement pond with large gold fish and lilies. We have a
resident toad that irritates the dogs with his croaking during the spring. On one side is a
waterfall and a statue of a young boy, on the other is a birdbath with hens n chicks and stone
crop. Around the edges of the pound, are stones similar to that of Stone Hinge.
The patio is surrounded by tall bushes, different colored azaleas, lavender, hibiscus, a red
delicious apple, green apple, yellow apple, tartarian cherry, and Scarlet Japanese Maple
trees. Here in the South, no yard is complete without the colorful Hydrangea bushes. Our
trees are large enough now to put antique rockers under them where we sit and relax.
There is a stone walkway leading past the cherries to the bananas and perennial garden. An
arch covered with Carolina jasmine creates a romantic spot, along with a concreted bench on
the end of the patio. Before you get to the archway, a large bird condo made from scraps
from our cedar fence is perched on a 45 degree angle with a feed hanging below it.
Muscadines and succadines trellis the deck. On the edge of the patio on one side is fire
bushes, roses, dwarf arbivados, mums, gardenias, canna lilies, hostas, carnations, blue
fescue, and mondo grass. Ornamental grasses and canna lilies line the faux stream which
runs the length of the garden. This year we will add a faux bridge joining the walkway and the
stretch of green grass in the center of the yard.
Grapes, kiwi, muscadines, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries are planted in a circle
on the hill, just above the swing under the tree. Next to the berry circle is our garden shed. In
front, are two evergreen Lelands and a flowering bush. The garden is in front of the swing on
the left side of the yard.
An open area of green grass remains for the dogs to play on. At the back gate, we've created
a court yard effect. A small patch of grass as you open the gate has a Rose of Sharon in the
center and yellow bells to the right. The deck is to the left and the patio and pond directly in
front. Spices and herbs line the fence for color and cooking delight. There are fragrant
roses, lavender, gardenias, and jasmine. We have more than 100 varieties of fruits, spices,
herbs, and flowers in the garden, including pond flowers. My favorites are the white Peruvian
lilies and the Florida lilies. There is shade during the summer and a fire pit to keep us warm at
night.
What more could you ask for? No, we don't have a massive backyard, but it is larger than
those in the new subdivisions they are building these days. We've tried to utilize our space for
aesthetics, comfort, and function, and I believe we have succeeded. Come back later and I will
put up a new photo of the garden in bloom. Oh, and the vegetable garden too!
Trying to save money or just eat healthier? We found a way to do both. We save up to 75%
on our fresh produce bill by growing our own vegetables, herbs and spices, and fruit. And it's
healthier because we don't pollute the soil with chemicals (or our bodies). Plus, we don't
spend it on water. We put in a misting system for our flowers and a gray water system for the
garden. You can save money this year by putting in your own garden and gray watering
system like we did. Our affiliates have everything you need!
on our fresh produce bill by growing our own vegetables, herbs and spices, and fruit. And it's
healthier because we don't pollute the soil with chemicals (or our bodies). Plus, we don't
spend it on water. We put in a misting system for our flowers and a gray water system for the
garden. You can save money this year by putting in your own garden and gray watering
system like we did. Our affiliates have everything you need!
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