John and I are huge food lovers. When we first started dating we even took a compatibility quiz and both listed eating as one of our favorite hobbies. So it felt inevitable that we would turn a once-overgrown bed in our backyard into a productive herb, vegetable, and fruit garden—one that would supply fresh, organic produce through the summer and into the fall.
We removed most of the old shrubs, keeping a small rose bush tucked into a corner, and in March we sowed organic lettuce seeds. We also planted a $9 raspberry bush from the big-box store. To our surprise, a peony popped up later in the season—an unexpected bonus. Next we visited the local farmers market (South of the James Farmers Market in Richmond) to pick up fresh vegetables and herbs. The vendors always have such high-quality produce and cheerful bouquets.
We couldn’t resist the colorful radishes and ended up bringing home a big box of strawberries and a bag of arugula. We also added eight plants to our garden for just $10: a cherry tomato, a golden tomato, two basils, a zinnia, a parsley, a Swiss chard, and oregano. With the rose, raspberry, unexpected peony, and sprouting lettuce already in place, those new additions felt like a strong start toward a productive backyard patch.
We also wanted evergreen plants to keep the bed looking attractive in winter after the annual herbs and vegetables are gone. At Lowe’s we picked up two Winter Gem boxwoods and a Cypress King’s Gold to add structure, color, and year-round interest. Back at home we laid everything out to imagine the final layout.
With a plan sketched, we amended the soil. For a small bed, we chose to work the ground by hand with a shovel, digging about eight inches deep. It took some elbow grease, but it was manageable. We added plenty of organic compost from our backyard compost bin and topped it with nutrient-rich topsoil to give the young plants the best possible start.
After blending the compost and topsoil with the existing dirt and raking the surface smooth, the bed looked ready. While soil amendment can be tailored—sandy soils need different treatments than clay—the addition of well-aged compost is a reliable upgrade for most gardens. It improves structure, moisture retention, and fertility.
We planted each specimen, adding a bit more compost into each hole and firming the soil around the roots. Then we mulched the entire bed to suppress weeds and help retain moisture. Our dog Burger, of course, posed for a photo and stole a little of the spotlight. The three evergreens now provide a backbone of structure and greenery year-round, while the rose, raspberry, and peony offer seasonal color and edible rewards.
Plant placement ended up like this: the cherry tomato sits in front of the rose, Swiss chard in front of one boxwood, a zinnia between the boxwood and the cypress, basil flanking the cypress, parsley to the cypress’s right, and oregano tucked near the opposite boxwood. Our second tomato plant, the spring-planted lettuce, and other herbs will fill in as the season progresses.
Here’s a close-up of the colorful Swiss chard and our peony that’s about to bloom.
We already have plans to enhance the space further—adding trellises for raspberries and tomatoes, power washing the surrounding brick, and bringing in additional herbs and vegetables if these first trials go well. For now we’re enjoying the simple pleasures: fresh basil snipped for dinner, bright zinnia blooms, and the promise of raspberries soon to come.
One of the things we love most is that the garden is visible from our sunroom, which makes it easy to remember to harvest and use what we grow. I even stood on the daybed to get an aerial shot of the bed for another perspective.
Budget recap: eight herbs and veggies ($10) + three evergreens ($44.94) + mulch and topsoil ($5) = $59.94. A modest investment for a backyard that will reward us with flavor and beauty. Do you grow anything edible? Are you planning a container garden or windowsill herbs this season? We’d love to hear about your gardening plans and tips.