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Cistern
Planter
The two beautiful castle-wall-block planters
offer close-in growing spaces with collocated cisterns, at the same
time serving as appealing architectural features. This planter,
located by the deck, has been used as an herb bed—including
oregano, thyme, basil, chives, horseradish, and celery—conveniently
located for the busy cook.
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Cistern Planter #2
The other cistern/planter/pump complex, identical
to the one by the deck, has just been added on the south side of
the house. Both cistern planters have their own dedicated roofwashers,
pumps, and hoses.
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Walkway Garden
The semi-circle between the front walk and the
house blends shrubby food plants like blueberries and hazelnuts
with flowering and vining plants to provide beauty and food, at
the same time enhancing energy efficiency. These are shots from
two different seasons.
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Bench Planter
A large, attractive, built-in bench/planter on
the east side of the house has vining spinach growing on it. The
vine crop is edible and reduces the summer heat load on the
house from the late morning sun. It's a nice shady place to take
a break from gardening on a hot, sunny afternoon.
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Beds on South Side of House
Garden beds border the whole south side of the
house. The southern exposure and thermal mass of the brick make
this an idea location for heat-loving crops like tomatoes and peppers
and a good place to put covered beds to make the most out of the
early spring and late fall growing seasons.
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Fruit and Nut Trees as Landscaping
Many of the fruit and nut trees on the property
are relatively close to the house, substituting for less useful
non-food trees. This photo shows the front yard, which has nine
fruit and nut trees.
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Perimeter Fruit and Nut Trees
This photo shows the first portion of a line
of fruit and nut trees that follows the edge of the property, all
the way from the driveway entrance out past the main garden beds.
A total of 46 fruit and nut trees/bushes—including apple,
peach, pear, Asian pear, plum, cherry, apricot, persimmon, mulberry,
figs, che, pawpaw, almond, pecan, hazelnut—surround the house
and gardens.
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Bush Cherries
Bush cherries are easier to manage than tree
cherries. I've picked more than 30 gallons of cherries off these
bushes over in a single fruiting season! The variety is Carmine,
which is renowned for hardiness, fruiting capacity, and a sweeter
taste compared to the average pie cherry.
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Storage Depot and Triangle Bed
The 'storage depot' is a rectangular graveled
area nestled among the cherry bushes and the leaf bin. In the gardening
season, it's used for storing gardening items that are OK to be
out in the weather. Also in this area is a triangular framed bed.
For the last several years, this bed has grown beneficials—plants
that bring in pollinators and pest predators.
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Grape Trellises
A double grape trellis features natural cedar
posts and Candice grapes.
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Berry Lane
This is a 200-foot triple row of various berries
that has been affectionately named 'Berry Lane.' It is loaded with
red, yellow, and black raspberries; blackberries; and blueberries.
The blackberries are thornless Triple Crown and Chester, both with
large sweet berries. The red raspberries are Heritage, with crops
from August through October. The two outer rows are trellised for
blackberries (and some of the raspberries). The inner row has plants
that don't need trellising. Atop the trellis posts is a bird-netting
support system. Birds are only occasionally a problem here, but
the option of installing netting over this high-capacity growing
area ensures that I can maximize the harvest. Berry Lane has two
remote hose bibbs from the main cistern complex, as well as remote
power. The left photo is looking from the north, the right photo
is looking from the south.
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Yummmm!
A photographic sampling of some of the property's
perennial produce. From top left: hazelnuts, Heritage red raspberries,
mulberries, Reliance peach, Rubel blueberries, Triple Crown blackberries.
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