kitchen garden patio small backyard spaces ideas

Summer in the kitchen garden

These little posts of our areas document the progress and change of our spaces. We will be replacing the area to the left with a round fire pit and chairs, but for now we had moved the Paddy O’ loveseat here for a photo because a magazine needs some photos to discuss my garden.

I will not let content go to waste so up it goes on the blog. The vegetable garden beds are doing well and I tossed some flower seeds in there and I forgot what they are called but they are white and look very pretty! So I decided why not toss in zinnia seeds. I may regret that as they often bring spider mites. I am having a hard problem with them right now, I might rip out that squash zucchini looking plant to the right because it always attracts bugs. In fact, I should rip out the tomatoes too but I like seeing something green so I’ll wait.

This is what is surviving right now. The salvia and rosemary. The rose bushes are fine and resting, finishing their second bloom and then hanging in there through a hot summer.

We checked on the irrigators and some were clogged and well, that’s never fun and so annoying to always check but it must be done. At this point I’m just saying good luck if anything happens I’ll just have to replace it.

A leaf blower is my best friend when it comes to making this space look really good. And a little Photoshop to remove distractions like cracks in the cement or stains so you can just focus on the pretty things.

I’m still very proud of myself thinking about the wood railing and moving it to this spot. We repurposed it and moved it here to make it feel more sealed off when it has been open for so long. Sometimes the idea just has to hit you! Our contractor Hill Farm Design closed and moved back to Illinois. Makes me so sad as I appreciated all the small jobs they took to help make our home what it is, and also the big ones like this open air car garage and my dressing room. It’s so nice to think of the people who have helped make your home feel like home.

Well I hope you are having a great summer so far!

I hope to get in a mood soon where I grab a bag and just open cabinets and drawers and start dumping things in boxes and bags quickly — things that don’t bring me joy. While most do a spring cleaning a lot of us in the hotter climates do a summer purge, haha!

If you need a kick in the butt download Decluttering at the Speed of Life, it’s a great book and will give you a new perspective on what we keep. I bought the Kindle version because I needed it immediately!