"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Edible front garden raised beds update.

Somehow we ended up with another nice day today!  It was fairly cloudy, but they were big puffy cumulus clouds with blue sky behind them and plenty of space for the sun to shine through.  I think it got into the mid 50's and it was probably the first day I've felt like spring might really be coming.  I've been having so much fun buying and planting seeds for our new raised beds in which we plan to grow all edible plants.  Anything from vegetables to fruits to herbs to flowers.  This has probably been the most exciting planting project I've had in years. 
I thought I would share what I've got planted so far, although it doesn't look like much now it should look great in another month or so.  Then I should be able to plant some of what I've got started indoors as well.

Looking down the biggest of the two raised beds.  So far in here there are three types of lettuce, mustard greens, two types of beets, bush sugar snap peas, garlic and onions as well as herbs, Dahlias, blueberries and Violas.

I never thought about growing Mustard Greens until the Littlest Gardener handed me a seed packet of 'Ruby Streaks'.  What a pretty color they are already.

Rosemary, garlic and you can just see the Sugar snaps sprouting.

Pretty Violas add lots of color now (and they are edible).

Lettuce sprouting!

Looking down the smaller of the two beds.  Not much happening... yet.  I've got radishes, Swiss Chard and carrots planted as well as herbs, blueberries, dahlias and Violas so far.

After looking at lots of pictures of edible front gardens I've decided to plant most of my greens and root vegetables along the front of the beds and will plant taller things like tomatoes and eggplants in the middle.  I should be able to grow greens for much of the year and they will add some interest when the tomato plants are looking ugly at the end of summer.  I'm also following advice I read about planting colorful varieties of what I plant such as the Mustard Greens 'Ruby Streaks' and the Swiss Chard 'Bright Lights'.

I'm going to try to take at least monthly pictures of how these beds are looking and keep track of what is doing well.  I want it to look pretty as well as grow yummy food since it's our front garden.  What is your most colorful variety of edible plant that you grow?
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress. Pin It

41 comments:

  1. Oh yes, chard is so showy. I've always admired it in my in-laws' garden, though I don't enjoy it on my plate. Are you going to make candied violets? Although it sounds beautiful and interesting, I've never been that ambitious.

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  2. Your raised bed looks great! Good job. It is going to be so fun this summer.

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  3. I love those raised is it possible to have raised bed envy

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  4. Looking good in your front garden! Kale will decorate the garden all winter long. There are a few varieties of ruffled leaf kales that turn a deep burgundy when they are kissed by frost, which is also when they become the sweetest tasting. (No one in my family likes kale until it's been hit by frost and then we love it) Scarlet (and other colors) runner beans can clamber over your picket fence, and there are climbing purple and yellow podded sugar snap peas that are attractive as they are tasty. (Also casual passers by probably won't recognize them as being something to eat) Daylily buds are delicious in stir fries. Nasturtiums are probably the ultimate edible ornamental. A salad with nasturtiums and violas is really pretty.

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  5. Chard--bright lights fronts my garden rows for year 2x 3! times as much.
    Kale comes in so many shapes and colors it is amazing--and tasty on the bbq with chard and collards.
    And many colors of lettuce would work out too!
    Cabbage?

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  6. Hi Catherine, I'll be excited to see how your front garden grows! It's a lovely large bed! You should be able to grow a lot :) It will be fun to see updates monthly! Cheers, Jenni

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  7. Catherine hello
    your garden is growing very well! I wait to see new plants all blooming flower beds.
    are working really well

    saluti
    Simonetta

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  8. It is looking good and it all sounds delicious, especially blueberries! Hope you have some more warm days to work!

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  9. Lovely garden! I come from Spain and I like your wooden bed structures; you can not see them here.
    I am thinking in making one for growing my vegetables and yours will be a very good example.
    Thanks a lot!!

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  10. Your raised planters are marvellous...such a good size. I'd be excited, too! Right now, I just have envy for what you're doing and your super beds!!!

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  11. You are going to have such lovely beds filled with so many good things to eat. I really look forward to seeing the monthly progress pictures.

    Have a lovely Easter Catherine.

    Hugs ~ FlowerLady

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  12. I can just imagine the fun you are having planning and planting these beds. I love the various color of green in the leaf lettuce that I grow all together in a large stand up container. Where are your strawberries?

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  13. Catherine,

    The garden bed looks great! You might want to think about hooping a portion of it and have a cold frame for those greens and carrots. It gets so hot here most of what you planted will be bolting here soon. Meg's classroom Sugar Snap Peas are flowering like crazy already.

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  14. Catherine, these beds are going to look great. You will have lots of people stopping to see what you are growing.

    Eileen

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  15. I love your plant choices! Even the label for the Rosemary. :) I haven't seen one like that before but that's a great idea.

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  16. It already looks so pretty now I can't wait to see it next month.

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  17. It is good to see you are having fun with the new raised beds Catherine. Sounds like you have your gardening spark back again. Now if we can keep the weather cooperating.

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  18. It's all coming along nicely. Those mustard greens are a pretty color. I like your rosemary markers. You have a lot of space, but it will fill in quickly. Enjoy the nice weather.

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  19. Very nice! I specifically like the variety of mustard greens you are growing. That is a very interesting color.

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  20. Your beds are looking great!
    We have rhubarb coming up now and it's rather colorful, we're also growing rainbow chard.

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  21. We started raised beds a few years ago. LOVE THEM! You get a lot of produce out of a small space. I had just posted last years gardening on my site. Our peas ended up over 10 feet tall. Have fun!
    'hugs from afar'

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  22. I can feel your excitement with the new beds! You worked so hard and now the really fun part starts! Monthly pictures are the way to go…

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  23. It's looking good Catherine. I think it's gonna be pretty colorful with what you've chosen. I would take those photos. The only edible I planted this year is a tomato and only one plant of it too. Hope you're having a good day.

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  24. Ahh..it's so glorious to see newly-planted beds...and I agree...the mustard greens are beautiful!

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  25. That sounds like a fabulous selection of plants, I can't wait to see how the beds unfold in the coming months. Probably the most colorful and unique edible we have planted at the moment is the Red-Veined Sorrel. It's tough, having survived all winter without so much as a blemish, but is a fun and colorful addition to our spring salads. The chickens seem to love it too, but overall it's a lovely ornamental looking edible!

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  26. Sounds like a feast! And I love the way you're sneaking in some designer touches like colorful foliage and edible violas.

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  27. Your raised beds are so amazing. I can't wait to see their progress. Love the little seedlings!

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  28. I love that you have raised beds in your front yard. How cool.

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  29. Catherine--I'm inspired! I have a plan for new raised beds our our front yard...now to inspire my "muscle".
    Can't wait to see how this bed evolves..

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  30. Your garden looks great already. Its nice to see little seedlings coming up, especially purple ones. Chard 'Bright Lights' is a great plant, although the slugs like to nibble on mine.

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  31. Looks like it's coming along! You'll be eating out of there before you know it!

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  32. I used to in Virginia, but don't grow too much edible ornamental in the new garden.
    You sure have lots of little babies coming up.

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  33. Like the colour of your "Ruby streak" mustard green very striking. We are growing 2 varieties of okra, one which is green pod and the other one is burgundy.

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  34. Catherine your raised bed and the site is so neat and pretty, It's the perfect place for those yummy snap peas, beets, garlic, onions, and mustard greens picked by your helpful little gardener.

    Can't wait to check back to see them in full bloom.

    Happy Easter to you and Family!

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  35. HI! Your raised bed looks great! I love raised beds too. I have peas, carrots, onions, arugula, lettuce, and kale planted as seed (except onions) so far but had not thought about mixing in Dahlias. I love that idea as sometimes after the cool season is over and it is really hot (in Boise area) I have some dead space in my raised bed. Thanks for the idea!

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  36. Your beds look fantastic! I can't wait to see how it progresses throughout the season. Good luck!

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  37. How wonderful this bed will be for edibles! It looks as though you've got some wonderful choices. One I like to grow is Trionfo Violetto, which has pretty purple blooms and beans. I look forward to seeing this bed grow.

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  38. The plant beds look nice so far, I'm sure they'll do great. There's nothing like growing your own fruits and vegetables and eating them fresh from the garden.

    You could also add peppers, they bring a bit of colour too.

    Also, I wanted to wish you happy Easter!

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  39. love that you will have edibles in the front!! and that is a TON of space to do it in compared to your old veggie beds. can't wait to see how it develops!

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  40. Thank you all for your great ideas for more colorful edibles! Can't wait to be eating it later this year.

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  41. It looks like a good place to have it as the amount of strong light there will make it grow. I will be anxious to see the plants maturing in the raised bed.

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