How does your garden grow?

When we bought our house, and year and a half ago, we were delighted by the beautiful garden the previous owners had created to the side of our backyard. When we first saw the house, it was in mid-June and the garden was looking great. But, yikes! Then it was OURS and WE had to maintain it! I went at it enthusiastically last year, but by September, it had turned into the Jack and the Beanstalk garden...totally out of control. I planted squash and didn't realize you had to pick them early. I grew a 2-foot zucchini. We had a 12-foot weed that we were convinced was going to turn into a flower. Sooner or later.

To my credit, it did look good for awhile, and I grew some yummy tomatoes, basil, and various herbs. The main problem was, I didn't realize how BIG everything would get, so it all imploded on itself! Early this spring, I would look at it with trepidation...how am I ever going find the time to clean this mess up to try again? 

My sister and her family came to visit a few weeks ago, and my sister looked at it and said..."oh, let's garden, this will be fun!" 

"It will?", I thought. Off she went with my brother-in-law, John, and my two nieces, and had a go at it (with Jake looking on in his high chair eating Cheerios). Within an hour and a half, the whole mess was cleaned up! I can't even tell you how relieved I felt. Sometimes a sister knows exactly what you need.

Here is the work in progress:

Yesterday, with a burst of Super Woman energy I went to the local nursery and then began to plant. Here's my plan. We'll see if it works this year!

The garden has 4 quadrants around the center circle of herbs. There's a rectangular area toward the back with that iron thing which I added string to for climbers.

1. Tomatoes, basil, and marigolds in back left quadrant

2. String beans along the back left

3. Morning glories along the back right

4. There's a little trellis as you walk in which will have clemitis growing on it.

5. Two of the quadrants will have snapdragons and pink celosia

1. The center circle has some basil, oregano, chives and a few other things that grew back from the previous owners.

2. Morning glories along the back rectangle

3. & 4. Light and dark pink roses grow along the fence...really pretty!

5. Allium come up along the back fence...almost blooming!

6. Snapdragons and celosia in the front two quadrants

Wish me luck!

Want to see what others are hooked on this weekend...check out Julia's blog party here!