This April saw many big changes in the garden, including expanding our planting space and adding multiple new beds.

This began with a bad storm, as we often get this time of year, that left a big Ash tree leaning towards our garage.

Our arborist said it definitely needed to be removed and so we had it cut down, likely another victim of the emerald ash vine borer.

When we hired out our first tree job I was reading over the contract and noticed that they included a charge to haul away all the wood chips. I immediately contacted them and asked if they could leave the wood chips on our property instead, and remove the fee, which they were happy to do.

We used those wood chips to have a garden path made, and a picnic area chipped out.

This time I again asked that they leave the chips, and that was the beginning of our garden bed project laying them down as mulch.

Our city provides free compost, and so we’ve been bringing in lots of it, and have created a garden space in an area I’ve been eyeing with since we moved in.

This new space in front of the house will be a big herb garden right off the kitchen so I can easily grab some herbs while cooking. I’ll include potager style food and flowers mixed amongst one another, and the planting has begun.

Next we have what I call the “cross garden”, with paths in the shape of a cross and garden sections that will have all my tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and string beans. I’ve added in some basil and chives as well and can’t wait to see the seeds come up.

For May I plan to put the rest of the seeds and plants in, add more compost to our regular flower beds and garden, fix fencing, and continue to enjoy the flowering bushes and trees.

Happy gardening friends!

Michelle