My Gardens, My World - Backyard Terraced Beds & Excess Areas

This overview of the upper terraced garden beds from the carport also shows the swing area which is my Happy Place to rest and view My Gardens, My World. 

There are four original vegetable gardens 4' x 20' that were built shortly after we moved here in 1986.  Treated wood was used but the interiors were lined with heavy plastic with the bottom left open. The wood has deteriorated over the 40 years. I'm sure the treated chemicals have leached out long ago. It is unlikely we will replace these four beds. We never used pesticides and only use organic fertilizer on the plants we eat.

There are two concrete strawberry beds built in recent years.  The swing area is lower than the area behind it that is used for extra parking. Native coral honeysuckle vine is planted to cover the trellis.  Below it is a variety of succulents, native hibiscus, catnip, and marigolds.  Between the swing and the steps is a steep clay hill planted in common orange lilies, allium, surprise lilies, and lemon balm.  

There is a 4-tier concrete decorative block garden below the carport planted in a variety of lilies, elephant ears, poppies, and Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia).  Below the strawberry beds is a native garden with blue mist, yarrow, and slender mountain mist showing in the above photo.

Overview of all terraced garden beds viewed from the shed.  On the left is an old excess garden made from treated railroad ties used for a variety of plants.  This year's come backs are Shasta daisies, red salvia, Mexican sunflowers, New England aster, fennel, and hollyhocks.  Above this garden is a boxwood hedge along the sidewalk.  On the other side of the sidewalk is the native garden also made of treated railroad ties.

Vegetable Garden #1 has variety lettuce, spinach, leeks, cucumbers, marigolds, asparagus, and nasturtium

Vegetable Garden #2 has leeks, carrots, Italian oregano, spinach, cucumber, marigolds, and currents

Vegetable Garden #3 has radishes, green beans, tomatoes, green onions, and beets 

Garden #4 looking toward the property line.  It has 3 kinds of squash, dill, cilantro, thornless blackberries, sunflowers, and a variety of wildflowers including native milkweed honey vine which is the host plant for monarch butterflies as they travel through in the fall (Supers). Most everything comes back every year.

Garden #4 view looking toward the shed has some old irises on a rocky slope.  This is the bottom end of the terraced areas.  The shed is even raised up on the backside utilizing storage underneath.

Garden #4 Batchelor Buttons

Garden #4 has a variety of wildflowers like blue batohleor buttons, four o'clocks, and thornless blackberries on the fence.

Garden #4 Thornless Blackberries in Bloom

Garden #4 Wildflowers in Bloom

This is an Excess Area that is located on the other side of the shed that defines the lowest level of the backyard.  Between this area and the street is a steep slope full of yucca plants and sumac.  This is a place for excess lily varieties, irises, and Bells of Ireland.  The recently mulched empty area had the early surprise lily (aka naked lilies) greenery that has died back and will produce the pick blooms in August.

Belles of Ireland, Irises, and Soloman's Seal

Surprise Lilies (aka Naked Ladies) in August

Excess lilies from thinning out main beds include a variety of day lilies, trumpets, Cala lilies, Asiatics, and whatever else needs a home.  The deer frequent this area to nibble the buds and have even left a little fawn here once that I know of while mama goes out and about.

This is a rocky slope between Garden #4 and the property line.  I have several native gooseberry bushes here that produce.  In view is a structure built that I call "a gravel dispenser."  It is a tall wood box full of gravel that was built for target practice that we never use.  This whole area had gravel at one time but has grown over in grass and weeds that is whipped 2-3 times a year now.

View from shed looking toward property line.  This is the edge where the terraces end and the steep slope drops to the street.  There is a wood gate that blocks the view of the dump from above where we burn stuff in a protected area. Makes it easy to wheelbarrow refuse from the landscape downhill.

Back up the hill between Garden #1 and the lilac hedge property line is the compost bin.  Above it is the stairway from the lower driveway.  This is the path from the kitchen to the compost with scraps that go into the gardens eventually.  The blue barrel is for water that can be used for the gardens with a downhill hose.  We have city water so we fill it for the chlorine to dissipate before putting it on the gardens.  Rainwater is best, of course, but it helps a little to have it.  There are  seven water hydrants available for the backyard and one for the front yard.  That's oregano to the left of the compost bin on a rocky slope.  Below it is a dill and marigold garden.

The two strawberry terraced gardens are only about three years old made of poured concrete.  The netting works okay but I would like to find an easier way to protect them and get to the ripe berries that need picking often in spring.

 

Ripe Strawberries!  This year I picked enough strawberries each week in May for both of us to each have a serving everyday!  There will be more now and then in June also.