Creating the Cottage Gardens

Typing hurts my hands. My thumbs have been cramping up, and my biceps and back muscles ache painfully. I haven’t been this sore since college days, when I’d go from sitting for 8 months, to working full force on my parent’s farm!

This past week, I must have moved 12,349 pounds of rocks, dirt, tree trunks and tree branches. I’m in pain, folks. In real pain!

Why have I been foolish enough to spend my days, lugging these items around our farmstead? Because spring is here, and I’ve been busy clearing land and creating the cottage gardens!

 

I’m So Very Happy About It All

If you’re thinking these activities are premature for us, you’re right. Our mountain cottage doesn’t even have siding yet. Shucks, we’re still living in the 8×12 shed! But after my man’s oldest brother came to help with some finishing work, I felt like we were on top of things again. You can watch my latest video to see what all went down in his visit!

The day he left, I decided it was time to start in on the gardens.

I know! I know! It’s too much, and I shouldn’t be pushing myself so hard. And you’re right. I shouldn’t be.

But I can’t help myself! Spring is here. Weeds and thorns will overtake the freshly worked soil if we don’t tend to it now. Remember: this is a wild piece of land! Besides, I’ve longing to get at the dirt, to begin creating and working outdoors. 

And if you don’t understand this urge of mine, try spending the entire winter in an 8×12 cabin. Things will come clear in a hurry!

Enough said? Let’s move on!

 

Welcome to My Cottage Gardens

If you’ve been following our crazy land-buying, house-building journey, you know we started piling large rocks on the property shortly after we bought the place. Ain’t no shortage, and I knew they would make a beautiful border for my cottage garden beds!

This spring I finally had the opportunity to put them to use! I’ve been loading rock. Hauling rock. Dumping rock. Smashing fingers while arranging rock, rock and more rock along our future garden beds.

I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to stand upright again, but the results are quite charming, no? These beds run along both the south and west sides of our home.

Some day, these beds will overflow with annual and self-seeding herbs, some flowers and also a mixture of vegetables. I can’t wait to artistically and creatively fill these spaces!

Same goes for the beautiful, L-shaped, stone-lined bed that runs along the parking area and driveway. I have beautiful plans for perennials and such. And to expand this growing area further into the yard (which is currently a rock-littered, dirt field).

But it ain’t a-gonna happen this year. We’re in survival mode, folks!

We can’t possibly put in all the garden space we need this year. So, the cottage garden beds will proudly display a variety of veggies that we will happily eat (and preserve) all summer long!

It’s been lots of work, putting in the cottage gardens. And did you know, they actually aren’t the primary cause of my aching body? Nope! Most of it can be chalked up to the kitchen garden we’ve been working on. 

 

A Sneak Peak Into My Kitchen Garden

I’ve long been desiring a garden just off my kitchen, a place where I can grow herbs, flowers, salad greens, cucumbers, peas and other summer vegetables. I’m thrilled it’s becoming a reality, but creating this kitchen garden has been…something else!

The rock-lined beds were lots of work, but so far, they ain’t got nothin’ on my hugelkultar beds!

Here! I’ll give you a quick peak of the beginning stages. This is the layout. What do you think?

If I live through the creation process, I’ll tell you all about it. This garden deserves to have it’s own blog post and a video to boot. Coming soon!

But for today, I’m delighted to announce that the cottage gardens are in. The rock work gives them the perfect touch, and soon, I’ll be planting seeds. And in this, my aching back shall rejoice.