My dreams started in the garden…
I remember gazing over the blank slate each Spring with a vision of an overflowing edible cottage garden. A place where butterflies, bees and birds congregated to enjoy the landscape together.
It has taken a long time, a lot of labor, many costly inputs and laughable failures to arrive at my dream garden. When sized up to the space in which we grow seed and vegetables for our small farm business- my garden pales in comparison. Yet, I have a piece of refuge that is one of the most valued growing spaces on our landscape.
There are many other attributes to appreciate outside of girth. When I close my eyes in my garden I can hear the hum of life. I can smell the perfume of the flowers and the oils of the herbs. The song of the Pine Siskin echoes in my ears as a gust of the Palmer winds nearly knock me over. This space is a reflection of my spirit and I all the things I wish the world to be.
As we begin to design, outline and prepare for the growing season, I am drawn to my exceptional parterre and the moments of peace I will find there. I reflect on the tenets of garden design, color application and edible landscaping. It is apparent that we have borrowed these themes from the original architect.
The sun is returning and now is the time to observe all the charm that nature has to offer. The components of diversity, structure, shape and color are the details I would like to replicate into my garden.
I am incorporating more local flora to allow this cultivated space to transition seamlessly into the surrounding forest. As a mirror of my life I wish this space to be less structured and more wild and free.
Happy Dreaming!
Alaska sown-Alaska grown