Photography by Gillian Carson.
When we moved our family of four from Bath, England to Portland, Oregon in 2012 little did we know that we would spend the next three years transforming a disused rose garden into an English kitchen garden, complete with vintage-style greenhouse.
The problem was that the garden, though once beautiful, hadn’t been tended for roughly six years.
The old rose garden became my new kitchen garden. We felled a dying tree and asked a local greenhouse maker (SturdiBuilt) to build a bespoke wooden frame (measuring 10 by 16 feet) to sit on a red brick base.
I brought this Haws watering can with me from England. It’s quite simply the best watering can I’ve ever had.
When we arrived, the fountain was in disrepair and full of dead plants.
Before
After
Brick paths edged with box give the vegetable beds structure and provide evergreen interest during the winter months.
I raise all of the vegetables and herbs in the kitchen garden from seed in the greenhouse. I also added a fan-trained Peach (Q18) which is resistant to peach leaf curl and does very well, even in our wet climate.
I like to shell peas outside my greenhouse next to a grapevine trained along the fence.
Luckily, I had decided to ship all my tools from the UK, even though I had to scrub each one with disinfectant to comply with US import laws.
The first thing I added to my greenhouse was a length of Union Jack bunting.
One of the pieces I brought with me from England was this rhubarb forcing pot. It’s fantastic for making long, sweet, pink rhubarb stems.
I love old terra cotta pots and galvanized tubs and try to use them whenever I can.
The design of the old rose garden lends itself well to growing vegetables.
I mix vegetables with flowers.
The benefit of having a fully stocked kitchen garden is that you can use the produce to give as thank-you gifts.
I love to grow the un-buyables: unusual or interesting varieties of artichoke, heirloom tomatoes, and peppers saved from seed.
Picking is a huge part of what I grow.
Each year I let at least one vegetable go to seed. I’m always surprised at how many beneficial insects the flowers attract.
In the evening there’s nothing better than taking a last look around the garden, closing the gates, and putting the tools away, until tomorrow.