What's Growing In My Garden

I figured I'd start off with a list of everything I have growing in the Sanctuary Garden along with some pictures.  Basically, there are two gardens that flank the sides of my house, one on the east side, one on the west.  The east garden is for veggies, potted fruit trees and fruit bushes (and one large nectarine tree).  The west is the "orchard".  I use that term loosely because, although I have several variety of fruit trees growing there, I have simply stuck them in the ground without a lot of planning and given them absolutely no care whatsoever.  I hope to remedy that situation this winter with an orchard makeover.  In the middle of the two gardens is our backyard that will soon, hopefully, be torn up to accommodate a swimming pool with a large screen enclosure. 

So here goes the garden roll call:

West Garden a.k.a The Orchard

Brogden Avocado

Doni avocado

Anna Apple (2)

Golden Dorsett Apple

Wonderful Pomegranante (2)

Magnolia Fig

Ischia Fig

Kadota Fig

Blood Orange

Variegated Pink Eureka Lemon

Loquat (unknown variety)

I also have the following small citrus in containers:  Lakeland Limequat and Meyer Lemon

East Garden

This is everything that doesn't fall under the vegetable category

Sunraycer Nectarine

Pineapple Guava (2)

Blackberry-Prime Ark (3)

                  Natchez (3)

                  Ouachita (2)

                  Apache

Tayberry (2)

Mysore Raspberry (2)

Calamondin (potted)

Meyer Lemon (potted)

Arbequina Olive (potted)

Bay Laurel (potted)

Camelia Sinensis (2) (potted)

Piper Nigrum (black pepper vine)

Banana-Cavendish, Ice Cream, Raja Puri, Dwarf Cavendish (about a dozen total plus numerous pups)

Blueberry-Jewel, Sunshine Blue, Emerald (all Southern high bush)

Kiwi-Hardy Kiwi (unknown variety), Issai

Coffee Arabica (2)

Glenn Mango (potted)

Muscadine Grapes-Southern Home, Sunshine, Nesbitt, Carlos, Florida Fry

Numerous Herbs and Seasonal Veggies (so many of them, I will try to list the regulars)

     Squash/Pumpkin

     Tomato

     Peppers-Sweet/Hot

     Lettuce/Greens

     Beans

     Peas

     Potatoes

     Sweet Potatoes

     Broccoli

     Cauliflower

     Cucumber

     Onion

     Garlic

     Melon

     Carrot

     Radish

I think I got most everything, but I'm sure I forgot something.  Also, I'm always adding one or two veggies into the rotation.  If I like it and it grows well, it gets a permanent slot, otherwise, I don't waste time.  In the beginning, I planted one of everything thinking I needed variety to be a real gardener.  After three years (and composting every single okra and papaya that I grew), I realized that growing only things we really liked, growing them well, and growing enough to feed all of us was the way to go.

     

Is it a lot of work keeping up such an ambitious garden?  Absolutely.

Am I an expert?  By no means.  Seriously, not even close.  I am learning as I go.

Does it help to have a flexible work schedule and a family that supports my "hobby"?  You bet!

Can anyone do this?  Yes!  Start small and grow slowly.  (I may have skipped that second part).

Here is a shot of the East Garden.  It is roughly 25'x40'.  It's actually a SE exposure andgets sun almost all day.

The same area of the garden from the opposite direction.  Sweet potato vines are in the foreground.  They are almost ready for harvest.  We have a conservation area behind the house that must be kept "in a natural state".  That means wild grape vines and kudzu that completely covers the oak trees.  

A very poorly taken picture of the Orchard (sorry, still figuring out this blog photography thing).  You can see it is in need of some serious TLC.  During pool construction, the blood orange tree to the right will be taken out( it has been in the ground for several years and never produced an edible fruit), the smaller avocado will need to be potted temporarily, and all this sod will be removed to give the the bobcat access to the yard.  Still not sure how this area will turn out.  I envision the apples, pomegranates and figs espalier style along the fence and a row of avocado and citrus between the fence and house/screen enclosure.  Oh the possibilities!

Grape vines on our pergola.  The pergola will need to go when the pool goes in but I plan to reassemble it as a freestanding grape arbor this winter.

The Eureka lemon tree on the right in front of the fence (the orchard is behind the gate) and the loquat that I planted this spring in the front yard.  Boy, I need to work on this side.  So many weeds and sod in need of replacing.

The nectarine tree.  It's been 18 months since planting and it has really tajen off!  Gotta get in and summer prune it before it gets much bigger.  I should have pruned it at planting to branch out much lower to the ground.

Thanks for reading!

Jen