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I needed a shed. That's how my thought process started: not a massive shed, just a dry place to stash the weed whacker, pool supplies, and fire pit tools. I was first planning to do a lean-to shed in the back corner near our parking spot, but every option that really fit our needs and matched our old house and garage were very expensive. I considered building one, and even designed a build, but ultimately knew I didn’t want a shed. I have a garage and should be able to use that for a lot of these things, despite some inconvenience. Then we removed a few trees at the back of our lot (two were dead ash trees in the alley) and the space we had available was a lot more usable than it had been before. Now with far less shade than we ever had, it made a lot of sense to use that space somehow. With a large spot and a lot of gardeners, there was a great opportunity to make a greenhouse work! 
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This year, we finally integrated our last vego garden bed into the vegetable garden, swapped the front beds for shorter ones, and are trying our hand at a new irrigation system. After a lack-luster vegetable garden last year (so many volunteers... and so many squash beetles), we revamped the beds with fresh soil, and took down the chicken wire enclosure. Without the netting over the top and the fence proximity, it wasn't the deterrent we needed, and made it more of a pain to access the garden. Plus, the squash explosion last year proved it wasn't quite what we needed when it pulled a whole side down. Since May is plant sale season in Minnesota, I was able to stock up on a lot of different things! Getting them into the ground can be a little tricky: we went from freezing most of the day to blistering hot when the sun is out in a matter of a few days! So, there were days of good bursts to get things put into the beds and into the ground, and we worked whenever the sun wasn't a major setback.  As we get to the end of the growing season, I'm inundated with herbs from across the yard. In our front yard, we often plant annual herbs like sage, basil, and rosemary. For the past several years, we've grown perennial chives, oregano, thyme, and mint. We're in USDA agricultural zone 4b, which really helps us know what will grow well here and how to plant and care for each plant, though we've been in a drought this year that has been really hard on a lot of our plants.  It's the end of the season for our vegetable garden, so it's time for us to do a little maintenance on the garden beds! We use the Vego Garden beds, because I like that they go really well with the designs we used in the backyard, and they are able to be altered and shifted to fit what we need. This is the second configuration, and while I plan to adjust the trellis situation, I do like how this layout works in our yard.  |
Katie SwansonI am a parent, creative spirit, and old house lover. My big passions are sustainable design and preservation. Bringing these together is key to moving existing homes into the future. * By subscribing to the monthly newsletter, you consent to receive links this month's blog posts and other relevant blog updates, a round up of things I love, and as a throwback to my DIY days, I may toss in an exclusive knit or crochet pattern of mine. Archives
July 2025
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