Help me add finishing touches to this garden.

[beavis]

OK, looking for suggestions on things to add to this garden, if any.

This is a functional vegetable garden dominated by raised beds. There are some flowers in the raised beds, but mostly vegetables that will be planted in all of the raised beds you see.

Also in the picture is my solar oven in the background and the scarecrow Sven off to the left.Both can be moved.

The two posts near Sven have Wisteria growing up them, dormant in the picture.

The garden bordered with red stones is a herb garden.

The raised bed to the far right is due to be refurbished like the other raised beds in the picture.

The cages currently piled up in the herb garden will be placed in the raised beds to protect/support crops.

I want to lay down straw everywhere to suppress the weeds without chemicals, maybe add a few solar powered night lights to guide people at night.

But I am looking at possible architectural features, garden art, plants, whatever you might suggest to add some pizazz to this garden.

Here is what it currently looks like:

Here is a closer view a few years back when the sunflowers added a nice bit of height to the overall look (and the house was grey).

What do you think?

 

[journey11]

Here is what is on my wishlist: a pergola!

I think you have a nice spot for one too, just back of Sven. A nice big, wide one, covered in grape vines, big enough to set a bench or table and chairs under as a good place to sit and sip iced tea on a hot day after working in the garden. It would make a grand entrance to your already impressive garden. I'd pave it with some kind of native stone down the middle and continue the path through the main aisle of the garden perhaps. But you can't just have a path to nowhere. It has to end in some kind of focal point. Maybe a water feature? Ah....I am living vicariously through your garden, Beavis. All that may be more expense and effort than what you had in mind!

 

[beavis]

Those two posts in the picture? From my previous pergola I build that was quite unstable and I finally took it all down except for those two remaining posts.

I thought the same thing, a nice shady spot to chill, especially in the hot summer.

 

[aussieheelr]

My brother-in-law build a cute (short) picket fence that I have around my strawberry bed. I think it would have been better being a little shorter (for reaching ease) but the white wash look really adds some "shabby chic" look to my garden that I love. My little fence is maybe 2 feet tall and I think 1-1.5 would have been a bit better. And with this hight you can easily use very little lumber and even re-purpose pallets if you wanted

 

[AmyRey]

Have you asked Sven for his opinion?

 

[lesa]

I think that is a great looking garden, Beavis! I can imagine the wonderful harvest you get! I love the grapevine idea, too. If you want to add instant height and color, you could try a few containers, placed here and there.
I always like to have a little seating area. Not that I ever really sit down! A set up, like an outside room, with a couple chairs, or a bench. I usually have a "coffee table" with a strawberry pot on it.
I am sure you have lots of creative ideas (anyone with Sven in the garden, has got to have an artistic mind!!)
Keep us posted- I am looking forward to seeing that garden in full-bloom!

 

[vfem]

Other then the fact its beautiful as it... maybe some arches at the end of some of the beds to grow some vining plants up for lots of height and hide aways?

We're going to try to make an arched entrance to the new garden so I can grow scarlet beans up for a pretty look (that's practical too). Not that its needed... just gives another dimension.

 

[nittygrittydirtdigger]

Your garden looks terrific as is. For dressing it up, what do you think about painting the wood to match the house? If I did that, I would paint the exterior wood only. Then add 6" trellises to the short ends of a couple of the beds and plant with scarlet runner beans or morning glories...or maybe a climbing rose. A gazing ball on a short concrete base would look great in the center of the herb garden. That patch of dry earth between the house and garden is calling out for a curved footpath made of decomposed granite or pea gravel, edged with more of the red brick like around the herb garden. The wire will look nice once it's covered in growing things, but in the meantime you could get some flat glass stones from the dollar store and glue a few of them along the upper few inches of the wire. That would help keep birds away, too.

I hope you'll post when your garden is in full swing. It's wonderful and has given me some ideas for my own garden-to-be.

 

[oberhaslikid]

Hey that dude needs a tan!
How about some bird baths.

 

[journey11]

Hey that dude needs a tan!
How about some bird baths.

Yes, a spray tan for Sven!