THE GARDEN IS GONE

We know, you are probably thinking WHAT?!?

Another thing we decided to do, as we make way for a new house, is to make way for a new garden.

Here it is shortly after it was completed, about ten years ago.  It was gorgeous and we were proud of it.  I put a LOT of sweat equity into it.  I didn't build the fence but everything else was me.  I ran the water line, I built all the raised beds, I packed in a couple tons of soil, put down weed cloth and then spread an entire truckload of mulch, one wheelbarrow at a time. Not being out there full time, we made the best of it and learned how to remote garden (to a degree), doing it pretty well I might add:

  We got many wonderful veggies over the years that became great meals.  This was one of our favorite harvests, so much goodness in one week from a part time garden, ha.  I did a lot of experimenting to learn what worked and what didn't, what varieties grew best and what didn't, and of course we will move that knowledge forward into a new space.

But in the last couple of years, with the knowledge that we would be building new, and again, not being out there full time, we let the garden go.  We had been struggling with the decision: keep it and fix it up?

Then, in the hurricane earlier this Summer (or the derecho, can't remember which), two sections of fence fell.  I propped them back up, but we knew that the fence would have to be replaced completely, in addition a few raised beds needed to be replaced, and we'd probably have to redo the ground around the beds with more mulch and bring in more soil, etc.

We decided it was time to let it go...

Here it is one last time!

It didn't take them long to reduce it all to a pile of debris in the middle.

Then they hauled it all away and scraped it flat.  This was before the tree clearing guys did some more clearing to the left side of this photo.

Here is a view a couple of years ago from the back looking toward the barn and shed...

...and here is that same view now!

We're not even 100% sure that we'll put the new garden back in this space.  We kind of feel like we need to have the house up and us moved into it so we can see how we live in the space, how it flows, and where it would be best to put a new garden.  Closer to the house perhaps?  Maybe near the orchard area so watering is easy?  Maybe behind the barn and shed?  There is plenty of room there for something cool.

As for this empty spot, there is a possibility that this space could become something else...and we are leaning toward the idea of this being the right spot for the chicken coop and yard for them. Fenced, covered, some shade and some sun and a whole lot of space.  We have also toyed with the idea of having a covered pavilion (with a concrete slab) for entertaining or parking extra vehicles, work space etc.