THE KITCHEN GARDEN - FENCES + GATES

The kitchen garden, which we hoped to finish last fall, is now a spring project. The weather has been unseasonably warm as of late (hello, 70 degrees), so we'll need to move quickly if we want to plant our veggies and flowers for this year's growing season.  The finer details are still being developed, but I am currently envisioning raised planter beds with 6" high weathered steel edging, bluish/grey compacted gravel paths, and circular timber post fence with transparent mesh infill. I've heard that the perimeter fence should be at least 9' tall (!!) to keep out nibbling deer, but I'm hoping that we can get away with a 6' fence, adding netting over the beds later if need be. See below and above for fence and gate inspiration. I LOVE the idea of adding a bit of color to the fence, whether it's through a blue door or red fence post finials.

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.