I’ve been a bit delay with my update just because I’ve been busy digging dirt just about every other day. I find myself in a zen-like state that comforts me when I am out pulling weeds and planting seeds. I am not an expert and I don’t strive for perfection, I just garden for enjoyment and it’s nice to share my oops and aahs. I’m always looking on the internet for garden pictures for ideas and inspirations perhaps these pictures will inspire you. Things have gotten a little wild out in the garden beds and I had to pull out a bit of weed and the basil went out of control taking over every little space it could find. I relocate so plants that have not done so well, expanded the area and added 2 more small raised beds, and also added 2 beds for berries and whatever ends up there. The roses that I had originally planted in first garden beds which are to the immediate left and right of the bench did not do so well after a year and to be honest, I ended up tossing them out and buying new ones. I had originally planted 6 Jackson Perkins Honeymoon Rose’s and 4 died but the 2 that are left are doing fairly well. There’s a Paul Neyron, Lamarque, and a Fantin Latour from The Antique Rose Emporium planted in this area but all the others: Monsieur Tillier, Mrs. Dudley Cross, and Mlle de Sombreuil all are not located in this garden area and doing well.
The above pics are from April 2019
A lot has changed since then I have added pea gravel walkways and some vegetables mixed in. The beds have become a mix of flowers and edibles, basically a foodscape. This was not my initial intention but it’s grown to this and it’s nice to go and pick my peppers for an Indian meal or cut some leeks for a soup. I will try to show you pics of what’s going in different areas.
So, first up is the center with a bench and I just had to add a Budha for a focal point and the calming nature in a garden. The weeds have gotten out of control because of all the rain, I will be sprinkling salt, spraying with vinegar and pouring boiling water on them very soon, it’s going to need it all.
The garden area has beds on the left of the bench and also beds to the right of the bench.
LEFT-SIDE
It’s crazy with Purple Basil, I have removed easily 10-15 plants already and I hate to pull the rest out because they are full of happy bees. I have an African iris that needs to be relocated, three rose bushes, edible ginger, towards the back there are some leeks, butterfly gingers, and a jasmine bush. Also, a planter with a key lime that I grew from a seed.
Below … Ginger, Honeymoon Rose, Leeks, and the last picture is a Pineapple hidden under all foliage of the Purple Basil.
Continuing to the left raised bed- again more purple basil, peppers, green onions, garlic, 2 globe artichokes, a couple of Amarillo carrots, a scotch bonnet turning a beautiful yellow color and 2 planters and cascading greek oregano. On the pea gravel, there is one planter with a pomegranate that I started by seed and the other is Italian oregano.
The last sections- roses with rosemary in a bed outlined with concrete borders. I have a Queen of Denmark and Jubilee Celebration both from David Austin. Also, I have a Corazon Red Rose (second row, center picture – it’s just a stick with some growth towards the bottom, I was able to root from a bouquet that I received in Valentine’s day, the roses are bordered with rosemary that I hope to shape into a low hedge around them. These beds are still fairly new and I am still trying to make everything grow and make everything aesthetically pleasing.
Lastly, my bed with the blackberries, strawberries & blueberries and another raised bed with a healthy (for now) unknown tomato plant, I also have a calabaza squash that I relocated from another part of the garden but I think it’s not going to make it.
Now for the RIGHT-SIDE of the garden area.
I’m going to zoom through these- starting from the top left picture…
The right-side has 5 planted areas just like the left of the bench – but different plant varieties.
The bed furthest left on the picture is my catch-all, back raised bed to the right of the stepping stones has lettuce and chard, the stone bordered area has roses and rosemary, very back is another berry patch.
Overview of the right-side with my furry helper 
Honeymoon rose bush 
Purple basil 
shampoo ginger “Awapuhi” with cones coming up and celery right next to it 
another rose bush (Fantin Latour) trying to hang on 
a little hidden nursery-a rose bush I propogate, chamomile and some weeds 
seedlings of some sort and a couple of tomato plants 
sugar cane 
basil 
lettuce, chard and garlic 
basil, lettuce, chard and garlic 
sage 
basil and edible ginger 
Claire Austin 
Enfant de France buds
Enfant de France blooms
blackberry 
strawberries 
blueberry and a strawberry
Seedlings in the process of being introduced to the garden, Here’s a shot of my babies in the nursery 🙂
Spinach, Thyme, Anise, and Sage in bakery containers that I upcycled. I start them inside on my art studio windowsill. I placed them outside 2 days ago to get acclimated to the outside, will be transplanting to bigger containers . 
transplants. 
swiss chard getting ready for repotting.
Here’s a comparison of the garden after sprinkling salt and vinegar to the rocks.
Salt and Vinegar slowly killing the weeds :).
Well, off I go to the garden. I’ll update on more garden pictures, and I hope to be dusting off my easel very soon since most of my sewing projects are now completed except for a few masks that I want to sew. It’s been challenging with the pandemic to get myself to paint with the children at home but I have to get accustomed to having the children at home for school.
Art by Isabel 