Wednesday 20 August 2008

Food from our front garden



The first plums from out little plum tree. It was planted last autumn and in its first year it has fifteen plums. I wondered whether it would have any at all as it was in blossom when we had the late fall of snow back in April.


The tree is in our front garden which is a small plot about 6 x 15 feet beside the drive. It was originally lawn but it was hardly worth the effort to carry the lawn mower round from the shed in the back garden to cut such a small patch of grass so I got rid of it and planted perennials. Now I am trying to squeeze in some edible plants to make it productive as well as decorative.


In this photo the poor tree looks a bit dwarfed by the existing plants but I am making sure the area around the trunk is clear of growth so I hope it will soon be growing well, although not too well because it is only a small space!

I also have tomatoes in my front garden, three plants in pots by the front door. Not probably what you'd expect by a front door but its a good use of space and when they (finally) ripen, I think they will look good next to the red geraniums.


I also have some herbs, chives, thyme and two different variegated sage. I am wondering what else I can plant. In the winter when the sun is low in the sky the garden doesn't get any sun at all and it is quite a cold spot with the frost often staying all day so it will have to be something quite hardy. Unless I can think of anything else it will probably be spinach beet.

4 comments:

jan m said...

We have tomatoes, green peppers, swiss chard, and rhubarb all growing in a small plot by our front steps. I have flowers growing nearby, but that little area just seemed like a nice spot for a few edibles.

ginny said...

Hi Willow,
I think you have to use any available space when growing at home. My mum has some tomatoes in her front garden too and they are going to look great. When yours are ripe you can pick a few each time you go in and out!
warm wishes
ginny x

Heather L. said...

congratulations on the plums! they are beautiful! how exciting to have something on your new tree!

We've just spent an evening with new friends -- the wife is originally from Portsmouth and spent 8 1/2 years in the RAF as a controller for fighter pilots so we've been hearing lots of interesting tales!

willow said...

Thanks for the comments.

I am glad I'm not the only one growing fruit and veg in the front garden. I imagine my grandparents would have thought it very odd, the front garden was decorative and the vegetable garden was out of sight at the back of the house.

Heather
Sounds like an interesting evening. We are just over an hour from Portsmouth though I do not know it well. One university holiday, I worked in a dairy on the outskirts of Portsmouth for three months - it frightens me to think how long ago that was!