THE KITCHEN GARDEN

As part of the ever-expanding Phase 1, we're planning to install a veggie garden in the northwest nook of house. It's a fairly large space, and would need to be a tall fence (5'-6') to ward off the deer and other pesky nibblers. I'm thinking of a simple fence, comprised of transparent welded wire mesh adhered to wood frames. Compacted gravel path will separate a series of  approximately 3'-4' wide raised vegetable beds. I've chosen raised beds for their numerous advantages - they prevent soil from spilling into pathways, give greater control over the soil (it's easier to amend) and improve drainage (soil warms up more quickly in the spring). They also make it easier to set-up netting to protect individual crops and target watering and fertilizing. After we bought the house we discovered an old asparagus stand in an overgrown vegetable garden adjacent to the barn. I'm looking forward to relocating the asparagus and the very large and unruly raspberry patch (currently located in the middle of the lawn) to the new garden this fall. See below for a few inspiration photos.