Monday 23 July 2012

Kitchen garden

One of my earliest memories as a young girl was the vegetable garden in our backyard. It was huge, enough to feed a family of five. As I got older I couldn't understand why my parents just didn't go and buy all this stuff from the market instead of working each weekend tending to the massive plot.

Thinking back now, our homegrown produce tasted so much better - and the quality and freshness was far superior to anything you could ever buy at the shops. Plus there was the added bonus of knowing it was 100% organic.

Now I don't claim to be a green thumb, but one thing I definitely want somewhere in our yard is a kitchen garden - nothing huge, just a couple of raised beds.


We've always had something edible growing in our garden: various herbs, tomatoes, even some heirloom carrots. Since we moved into the apartment, I haven't bothered growing anything - even though we have room on the balcony. I really miss not having fresh herbs on hand.

Plants generally need about 6 hours of sunlight to grow successfully, so the problem we're facing is finding a spot to suit. The backyard faces south, so it will cop a fair bit of shade, particularly during the Winter months. The block of units next door also creates some overshadowing, but as it's on the western side, it's actually a good thing. At least it will block out the hot afternoon sun during Summer to keep us a little cooler. There's really no room down either side of the house so the only alternative is the front yard. Is there a way of growing edible plants in your front yard that doesn't make it look like a community garden?


My only other option is a potted garden I could create on the back terrace - at least it would be nice and close to the kitchen.



5 comments:

  1. Go the pots, I think proximity to the kitchen is important. Or maybe a vertical potted garden like Brad and Lara on The Block. Mind you, despite our large yard the possums have eaten everything I have tried to grow, so frustrating to have to cover everything with nets. melx

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  2. When you have a garden that blooms like this, an outdoor kitchen will be a great idea! This will allow you to cook the veggies easily and can retain its farm fresh goodness. If you have enough space, you can have built-in stoves near your kitchen. In case you have a smaller space, you can use a deck that faces your garden. This will not just make cooking easier, but it’ll also make outdoor cooking a fun family activity. :)

    TittleBrothers.com

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  3. An outdoor kitchen can be quite a thing to have. You don’t have to worry about ventilation while cooking, and you can eat out on your deck. It’s especially great to have for functions and get-togethers. Though while it does have a certain allure, the problem would be maintaining and preventing wear on the outdoor stove or grill, particularly during bad weather conditions.

    Arthur
    Contractor Express

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  4. Hi, Caroline! Any update on your outdoor kitchen plans? Your idea seems aspiring! If I were you, I would do my best to push this plan. It's great to have such wonderful space in your home. You can have a cooking area and entertaining space at the same time. You can provide your friends and family good, healthy, and delicious meal while you enjoy the nature.

    David Larkin @ DAL Builders

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  5. Wow ! Amazing information showing through your blog, it's a beautiful decoration things.Thanks for sharing.
    House Renovations in Camberwell

    ReplyDelete