This is a section of my back corner garden. It has my ghetto bean teepee that is half full of fava beans right now. The raised beds have several tomato cages in them that I use to try and keep the dog from running through them when she's chasing cats or squirrels. Ignore the mismatched fences- that's what you get when you have one neighbor who is willing to get a new fence, and another who doesn't. The neighbor who doesn't is fearful that taking out the fence would kill her ivy. If only that's all it took.
These are not weeds. This is actually arugula that I allowed to go to flower. On purpose. I swear.
These are our worm bins. I can't see spending 50-100 bucks on a fancy worm bin when Rubbermaid bins work just fine. Sure, they look a little white trash, but if they get ruined, I won't be heartbroken. Besides, the worms seem happy.
Yeah, that's a shoe. I don't think you can walk ten feet in my backyard without either coming across a shoe, a dog toy, or a pile of dog crap. These are all signs that the backyard gets USED. I don't think that's a bad thing.
Yes, that's a dead tree. I could yank it out, but it's serving another purpose as a trellis for pea's right now.
This is the future garden site. Yeah- it takes over half of my front yard. No, I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do with this space. I'm not a designer, all I know is I have a few ideas of what I do want in this space (seating area, mostly edibles) and a few ideas of what I don't want (lawn!). Right now I have zero dollars to finish this project, so my neighbors will just get to look at dirt for a while. Maybe I'll spread manure all over it when I get paid next month. That will smell lovely.
Or maybe I'll stick some of these lovely tomato cages in there? I had thought I would have at least a small section of the front yard ready for vegetables, so I kind of committed my other raised beds in the backyard to garlic and shallots, and now I left no room for my 25 tomato plants. Guess they'll have to go in the front, whether it's ready or not.
Still in the front yard, you can see where I've taken out some of the old cement curbing to try and play around with the space. This will be a future patio. That big window will eventually be french doors, leading from the kitchen to our new kitchen garden. And I have ZERO dollars to spend on this project, so it will stay like this for quite some time. This has become our dog's favorite nap spot while I'm working in the front yard.
This is our front corner. Again, you can see I'm still thinking about what to do with the space. There is still some of the old cement curbing in place, mixed with additional pieces that I tore out from other areas while I try to figure out what to do with the space. My husband is really hoping I figure it out soon, but as far as I see it- it could look a lot worse.
This is the gate to the side yard. Eventually I'm thinking I'll install steps here but I haven't decided what kind. Maybe an arbor of some sort. Or maybe I'll leave it like it is. For the next five years, I'm guessing it will stay like it is.
In the meantime, I think my garden could look a lot worse. And for now, I like it just the way it is.
Your garden isn't really ugly, it is more buttaface than ugly.
ReplyDeletebtw, I added you to the post on GardenBloggers.com
(in case you can't tell that is a joke)
That is awesome! I snorted out loud when I read your comment about the spreading the manure in the front... I think that looks like a LOT of fun. Who cares what it looks like if it makes you happy and meets the needs of your life? You go girl!
ReplyDeleteOMG I love that you have a lone shoe in your garden. Me too! I'm just not as brave as you to take a photo of it. Solo garden shoe wearers, unite! Now where did I put that other one?....
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh -- if I had that amount of space I'd be annoying my neighbors BIG TIME :-)
ReplyDeleteYour garden is awesome. I thought I was the only one that left my shoes in weird spots in the garden...
You know the really sad part about that shoe? It's my daughters. It's been in the backyard since last summer. She doesn't even fit in them anymore. Yet, for some strange issue I can't bring myself to bend over and pick it up. Yet I could bend over and take its picture. Hahahahaha....
ReplyDeleteWhat a delight to have a space like yours to wonder what to do with! I'd suggest wildflowers.. by seed.. inexpensive & a lot of color until you think of another plan. sort of an intermediate plant :-)
ReplyDeleteWait...I thought you said your garden was ugly??
ReplyDeleteI love that your neighbors don't like your garden. Mine too. I live next to Mr. ChemLawn who yelled at us because the birds in our yard were pooping on his house! I am a landscape designer but you'd never know by my garden. It is a complete mishmash of edibles and plants I am testing - so it never looks quite done! But it's still my paradise and I love it.
ReplyDeleteThat's one attractive "ugly" garden you have there! (Shoe and all :)
ReplyDeleteNice post. Besides if our gardens were perfect, what would we have left to do?
ReplyDeleteI absolutely LOVE the snaky windy curves you're building into the gardens! Soo organic. And you're so lucky to have such a huge space to work with.
ReplyDeleteIn November, I newspapered and mulched a 3rd of our front yard to prepare for a border garden, totally freaked out the neighbors who ALL stopped by to 'discuss' my plans that day. Most of whom I'd never met.
Since that load of mulch left me with not much budget to buy plants, I'm sprouting what I can from seed (hence my continued pleas for sweet woodruff seed sources). Oh also, am sprouting lots of swiss chard as colorful filler. You could probably get away with sprouting a lot of ground cover seedlings to save money.
Your shoe shot has also given me the courage to go out tomorrow and take shots of my 2.5 bales of straw sitting and rotting by the garage, the trash can lid that the squirrels keep turning over to collect water, leaf-stained white plastic IKEA chairs, the rain barrel that's still sitting under a tree, and the twig pit (don't ask).
What a great post idea. I think many gardens go through an ugly phase, whether in the process of implemtating a design or just a seasonal ugliness. Can't wait to post on my ugly garden...when the snow melts, that is.
ReplyDeleteChristine in Alaska
I wish my garden was as "ugly" as yours!
ReplyDeleteI don't see a whole lot of ugliness here Carri. What I see is lots of prime gardening space. If you want ugly -- come over and see the half landscaped backyard. With piles of dirt here and there from arbor and grape planting efforts -- piles of mud in compost -- well -- it's looked better!
ReplyDeleteNot ugly, Carri...
ReplyDeleteThe garden of dreams. If a garden isn't a work in progress, it was put in by a landscape designer by people with money and no vision...I like vision and no money better.
PS-With the crazy house across the street, no one should be complaining about your yard.
Wow, your yard looks so much bigger now that the grass is gone. I think it looks great and you will be the envy of all of your neighbors when they see all of the fruit and vegetables that you will be producing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit! I loved the tour of your "ugly" garden. So often, we garden bloggers only photograph our gardens from the most flattering angles, and then we all end up intimidated by how good everyone else's gardens look. My ugly garden pictures are here.
ReplyDeleteits beautiful babe! NO WEEDS (like mine) and full of glorious potential. Favas are my favorite too!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you posted something new. I know you have been preoccupied. Me too. Now, I have to post something new. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThis is great, Carri! I love the lines, and the open palette on which you get to play, and the lone shoe...I have some of those, and some odd gloves, because like you, our place gets used. And loved. And neither of them are ugly gardens. Bravo to you for weighing in on this so wonderfully.
ReplyDeletecarri -
ReplyDeletei think your front yard has so much potential, and the zero-scaping (the ha-ha comment at katies caringbridge, was funnier than ...). one thing you might consider, go vertical a bit. get some nice moss boulders/rocks to delineate some raised beds in the front yard would give you the ability to define and refine different sections on the yard and also offer the eye some appealing areas you will appreciate later.
and dont worry about taking time, a good garden/yard design truly benefits from some percolation time in the old noggin, my yard design came out of months of cycles and for the better - oh - its never really done..
garry
Thanks for sharing your garden images, Carri. The as-yet-undefined portions of your garden strike me as young, full of daydreams ... and that's exciting. Like your family, we haven't the money to pursue all the visions we have for our outdoor space right now, but each year we carve away more lawn and introduce new plants. I'm fond of the work-in-progress and the food, wildlife and joy it brings. Happy day! --Kelly
ReplyDeletedamn, you have a lot of space. Soooo jealous of your ugly garden :)
ReplyDeleteI love your garden!! It isn't ugly -- it's lived in! I wish I had even a quarter of the space you had... I think your neighbors are just jealous... happy planting and enjoy the Spring!!
ReplyDeleteGreat .. ugly garden :) Love it!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is beautiful! I'll bet you and your neighbors really get along just fine--but that's because I always read between the lines which is also how I garden and that's why mine is REALLY ugly--except when I get down and get to weeding and so on--and love it because there's always a surprise. AGAIN--your garden looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI like your garden...you should see mine. I'm quite sure your neighbors wouldn't like it either! :-) At least you've got your raised beds up and filled...
ReplyDeleteGardens are a ton of work, and there's always other stuff (like life) going on.
Anyway...thanks for sharing. Enjoyed reading your blog.
Wow is really very dry garden it looks like a dog been running on the grass.
ReplyDeleteI think your neighbors are nuts. You've been creative and done a lot with little. I'd say that's quite resourceful. I like the idea of using the dead tree as a trellis. It's art in progress.....your art. Love it.
ReplyDeleteAmazingly awesome! I have never seen such a nice blog.... I want to thank you for this informative and inspiring post.
ReplyDeleteAwsome post! Rock on, "ugly yard" ... Show those wasteful full grass lawns who is the real beauty... ;)
ReplyDelete