Long, Skinny Garden? Hear How We Tweak This Space

From Lush Ornamental Foliage to Lush Edible Leaves

Not sure what to do with a long, skinny, straight-edged garden beside a driveway, patio, or building?

In this episode, we take a long, slender ornamental garden and reimagine the space with edible plants.

The garden we’re thinking about is actually a little sliver of the Joan of Arc Garden in Quebec City. But these same ideas work well in in many home-garden situations.

We talk about:

• Crop ideas (kales, Thai basil, borage, shiso, and fern-leaf parsley)

• Groupings vs. individual plants

• Urns for adding height an interest in this skinny space

• Plants that last into the fall vs. plants that fade with fall weather

If you’re looking for more on edible flowers like borage, check out this article about edible flowers.

Picture of the Space

Want to Switch Out Your Annuals? Try These Herbs Instead

From Coleus to Culinary Herbs

Do you have a garden where you use traditional annuals, but you want to switch it up for something edible?

Herbs are one option.

In this episode, we look at a space that has a tidy, slightly formal feel.

We replace the tightly clipped shrubs with edible alternatives.

And then we change out the annuals for herbs.

If you’re looking for more on using edible plants instead of traditional bedding plants, check out this post.

Picture of the Space

Hear How We Tweak a Public Space to Keep the Aesthetic but Add Edibles

A Container Garden Makeover

Wondering about adding edible plants to an existing gardening without spoiling the aesthetic?

With the right plant choice, along with an understanding of how the space is used, you can add edible plants without spoiling the looks.

In this episode, we take a public space and reimagine it with edibles.

It’s a big space, with lots of lawn. We talk about plant choice for this shady spot, and about plant placement that doesn’t interfere with how this space is used. We include:

• Edibles as bedding plants

• Using height to make a focal point

• Edibles for colour

• Edible perennials

• Fruit for shade

If you’re looking for more on crops for shade, check out this post.

Picture of the Space

From Geranium Glut to Playful Herb Planter Box!

A Container Garden Makeover

Thinking of veggies for your container garden? Or planter boxes with herbs?

In this episode, we look at a patio surrounded by planter boxes that are filled with red geraniums...nothing but red geraniums.

Our goal? Transform this linear container garden from a continuous line of red into something varied, colourful—playful—and edible.

Hear two different approaches to reimagining the planter boxes so that they’re a low-maintenance edible container garden.

If you’re looking for more on the sub-irrigated planters from this episode, find out more here.

Pictures of the Space

Potager Style or Grazing Garden?

The Challenge

In this episode, the challenge is coming up with a creative food-gardening concept for a zone 3 garden.

Right now, the space is bare ground. It’s hard clay soil.

The garden space is nestled between a pathway and a retaining wall. There are nearby spruce trees, so there’s only morning sun.

There’s also a “hell strip” on other side of pathway, with a skinny little band of ground between the pathway and a greenhouse.

Challenges (apart from cold winters) include deer and rabbits.

Tune in below to hear me share two completely different concepts for this space!

Pictures of the Space

The main growing space, located between a low stone retaining wall and a pathway, with spruce trees on one side.

Looking at the main space from another view. Note the “hell strip” on the right, between the pathway and the greenhouse.

Approaching the space, which is just around the corner on the pathway.