I grew up in rural Pennsylvania surrounded by rolling hills and some of the most beautiful farmland imaginable. The prevalence of fresh produce meant that mealtimes often included fruits and vegetables from our local orchard or from one of many roadside farm stands. We also had the kindest neighbor, dear Mr. Trout, who could be counted on to drop by with a basket of surplus tomatoes or cantaloupes from his garden. To this day, I don’t think anything tastes better than a sun-warmed, fresh-from-the-garden, tomato slice with a pinch of salt!
I’ve been thinking of my rural roots lately and dreaming about having a kitchen garden here in the Charleston suburbs. Something along the lines of Bunny Williams’ sprawling potager (pictured above) would be nice, but I’d settle for a couple of raised beds filled with lettuces and herbs. Ha!
We do have a sunny side yard that is currently going unused despite being fully fenced. It’s the perfect location for a future European-style kitchen garden, and my husband agrees that we should tackle the project! We’d like to add a series of permanent, brick-bordered garden beds, pea gravel walkways, a fountain or other element to serve as a focal point and perhaps a bistro table and chairs for casual dining or to sit and enjoy a glass of wine in the evening. In this dream of ours, you can bet that I’ve transformed from someone who struggles to grow basil to a master gardener who can sustain her family on homegrown produce!
Dreaming can only get you so far, so I’ve also been reading all about gardening and have discovered a book that I’d recommend to anyone looking to create their own. I’m loving Nicole Johnsey Burke’s Kitchen Garden Revival: A Modern Guide to Creating a Stylish, Small-Scale, Low-Maintenance Edible Garden. It’s the perfect manual as it provides lots of inspiration, along with practical, step-by-step instructions for novices like me.
In addition to her useful tips and guidance, Burke’s gardening philosophy and the connection she makes between creating a kitchen garden and better mental health really resonate with me. “When you learn to grow yourself you literally grow your self, ” she says. “The biggest reason to have a kitchen garden is for your happiness.”
I’m looking forward to seeing our kitchen garden take shape and know that tending to it will serve as as joyful pursuit for our entire family. Listed below are a few resources that I’m finding helpful during the planning stage:
Helpful Resources for Cultivating a Kitchen Garden
- In addition to Kitchen Garden Revival, Burke’s Gardenary website has a wealth of information for getting started.
- This article from Under a Tin Roof is a good one!
- I also have this book, Gardening for Everyone.
- This article from The Gardenista features ten expert tips.
- On Garden Style by Bunny Williams is gorgeous and informative.
Do you have a kitchen garden? If so, I hope you’ll share your tips and experiences in the comments!
Marilyn
Interesting, well written post, Lori, as always! The homegrown tomato and the ripened cantaloupe have me yearning for summertime!
Lori Winkler
MarilynMe, too, Marilyn! Thank you for following along, and I’m so glad you enjoyed today’s post!
Mark
Thanks for your blog, nice to read. Do not stop.