Backyard Chaos

I am a little embarrassed by my backyard because I haven't given it as much TLC as the front and it shows. It has however been productive in some ways.

The best thing I've got going here is my cilantro bed. Everything in here is self-sown and though I should probably weed it, it is mostly cilantro. In addition to cilantro are chives and numerous mitsuba, a japanese herb that I am not fond of but I haven't had the heart to eradicate. I did however pull up the original generation of mitsuba and replant it in a dark corner. That is why there is some bare soil here. I also poked in a couple tall growing snapdragons just for fun.

This white queen tomato is my centerpiece. In front of it is some giant red mustard, all self-sown. To the right behind it is some birdfeeder sunflowers that I transplanted here. There's more stuff in the background. I'll try to get to that later on.

Here's the Dr Wyche straw planting. I have tided up this area a little bit. The bark mulch helped a lot but I think Iwant to lay down some sort of stepping stones as well. I might want more bark mulch too in other bare spots.

Here's a spot that was planted with a thyme groundcover that has turned into weeds and parsley. The jug has some weed tea. I am trying to really go all organic and LOCAL, as far as fertilizer is concerned. So far I think it is working out pretty well. I feel I'll feel certain as to whether this really works for me when this growing season ends.

Backyard

I've been doing something with the back. I recall Bob Flowerdew's advice in his book the no-work garden, not to do too much at a time. I haven't finished reading this book but have found some good advice. There really is no such thing as a no-work garden but that's besides the point. The point is to make the work you do seem more like fun. If you are breaking new ground, like I am you will enjoy it more if you start on a small scale and you are more likely to succeed.

I started this raised bed last year. I intend to plant a tomato here. I don't think it will grow as well as the ones in front as it is less sunny, but I'm out of room! The majority of plants here are haphazard, the exceptions are the barely visible just planted leeks. Remaining life is giant red mustard, birdseed sunflowers, cilantro, roman chamomile and burnet.

Here's my raised beds. I covered the surrounding ground with shredded bark. It was a weedy, muddy mess. I think that this will be a good spot for things that like it cooler. Currently present are bull's blood beets, lettuce, arugula, peppers, chamomile, radicchio, lemon basil, red russian kale, fennel and corn salad.

Here is a view of the boxes from the other end. I transplanted almost everything from the front yard. It took a few days for them to get over transplant shock. Most have survived.

I've noticed that robins seek out gardens. I think that they've noticed that we often do things that bring worms to the surface, like watering. Framing the robin is some very healthy dandelions, a laundry basket filled with straw that I will plant a tomato in, and a very large sewerpipe that my landlord insists on storing here.