March is here and we’ve been making plans for our garden! Last year the munchkin and I created an awesome snacking garden on our apartment balcony. This year – with a big yard and a patio at our disposal – well, let’s just say our imaginations are running wild.
Here is what we know for certain:
- We’re going to do a mix of container gardening on the patio and raised bed gardening in the yard. (We’re bringing back all the plants we snacked on last year, plus a few more.)
- The munchkin’s cottage is going to be moved onto the patio and we are going to surround it with pots brimming with herbs and flowers.
- Some of the raised beds are going to be “pizza patches” filled with edibles like zucchini, bell peppers, onions, garlic and a few varieties of tomatoes. (Things that make good pizza toppings.)
- We’re going to plant a pumpkin. (The munchkin insists.)
Since we have more space (just under 1/2 an acre in the back yard) I also want to incorporate a couple play areas this year. Here are some ideas I’ve gathered from Pinterest:
An outdoor mud kitchen stocked with thrift store finds. (Image credit: PepperPaints.)
Or a tree stump mud kitchen! (Image credit: Free Play Network)
And this idea from The Homes I Have Made is brilliant. We have an old bookshelf that will be perfect for this project.
Somehow I have to fit this car tunnel into the garden. It’s too cool to pass up and only requires a PVC pipe, some rocks and dirt to pull off. (Image credit: Lowes)
And given the size of our rock collection, this tic-tac-toe setup is a must. (Image credit: Pinterest)
(We have an entire Pinterest board called “Things To Do With Rocks,” that’s how big our collection is.)
I think whimsical touches are fun to have in a kid’s garden too. (Truth be told, I love them as much as the munchkin does.) So we’ll be bringing back our glowing turtles, gnome houses and painted animal rocks from last year. I’d also like to add…
Gnome doors to the trees. (Aren’t these just the cutest?)
And use some of our rocks to make garden markers. (Image credit: Whimsy Love)
And I’ve been saving leftover yarn all winter to make this for the birds. They take strands of yarn and weave them into their nests! (Image credit: Juniper Moon Farm.)
What about a bird bath made of terra cotta pots? (Image credit: Patricia’s Pots.)
Of course, there is a whole new aspect of our garden that I’m busily researching on my own: how to attract birds but prevent them (and the deer/squirrels/moose) from eating our garden! Stay tuned for strategies we’re using and monthly updates about our snacking garden! :)
Are you planning a garden this year?
My name is Ari. :) I'm a work-at-home mom and entertainment director for my 3-yr-old son, a.k.a. The Munchkin. We love doing fun art activities, singing songs and making tasty things in the kitchen. Nice to meet you! 
These are awesome ideas! We also have a huge backyard now to take advantage of, plus the landlord has given us permission to use the garden plot. I’ve been holding on to your snacking garden idea since last year, and we’ll be doing that finally this Spring. My favorite idea here, I think, is the mud kitchen!
Woohoo, so glad you have a yard! And how exciting that we’ll both be doing a snacking garden this year. I want to learn how to can this time so we can enjoy some of our summer bounty in the winter. :)
I learned to can using a kit from Ball that just uses a regular stockpot. It only holds four jars at a time but it was perfect for starting out & I still use it.
I love these ideas! I enjoyed reading about your garden last year and can’t wait to see what you do this year!
Thank you Naomi! Can’t wait to see what we do either. :)
I’m not planning a garden this year. My yard is way too shady and I’ve only gotten the smallest number of things to grow (strawberries and blueberries in the front and 1 or 2 peppers a year in the back). However, I’m keeping these in mind for the future when I will hopefully have a bit more light to work with in my yard.
It was the same with us for the longest time. Last year we lucked out with a super sunny balcony. When we started house hunting we vetoed any house that didn’t have sunny spots for gardening. :)