There is something therapeutic about getting your hands in dirt. From a very early age, I can remember my dad using twine and two wooden stakes to set the rows in his garden beds. He tilled, fertilized, planted, dug, pulled weeds and fertilized some more until he had a bounty to bring to the table. There was not a thought to walk out into the yard or the field, pick a ripened tomato off the vine and eat it right there. The sweet, crimson juice would run down our sun-tanned faces and stain our already-dingy shirts. But there was nothing better.
We grow lots of flowers on the property. I love the scent of blooming roses. I believe we have over 25 different roses of a few varieties. Daylillies, amaryllis, daffodils, irises, coneflowers and a myriad of other colorful petals grace the scene with their beauty from late winter through the fall. We even have a few winter bloomers like hellibores, or Lenten rose. In addition to the flowers, we grow vegetables throughout the year, and have created somewhat of a fruit orchard around the perimeter of the property. We may have had more downs than ups when it comes to growing, but as it all comes together, it makes a beautiful and tasty landscape.
We grow lots of flowers on the property. I love the scent of blooming roses. I believe we have over 25 different roses of a few varieties. Daylillies, amaryllis, daffodils, irises, coneflowers and a myriad of other colorful petals grace the scene with their beauty from late winter through the fall. We even have a few winter bloomers like hellibores, or Lenten rose. In addition to the flowers, we grow vegetables throughout the year, and have created somewhat of a fruit orchard around the perimeter of the property. We may have had more downs than ups when it comes to growing, but as it all comes together, it makes a beautiful and tasty landscape.
Building an Edible Landscape
A few years ago, we made a decision to limit the amount of money spent on flowers and put that money back into growing things we can eat. And so, our journey into permaculture gardening began- only we didn't know it had a name. After a great deal of research and swapping seeds and plants with gardeners all over the country, we can finally say we are beginning to reap the fruits of our labor. Follow along as we grow and nurture our permaculture garden.
Our Plants
Herbs
Our gardens and containers are filled with herbs. Some are for cooking or teas. Others ward off meddlesome pests that attempt to enjoy the literal fruits of our labor before we do. We try really hard to practice organic gardening. So we rely on the fragrances of mints, chives, garlic, basils, nasturtium and many other beautiful herbs to serve as the first barrier. Most of our herbs are perennials, but many are started from seed in late winter or early spring to add interest to our gardens and our dishes.
Medicinals
We absolutely cannot forget the tea garden. We are building a center garden where many medicinal herbs begin to pop up each spring. Their leaves, roots and blossoms can all be steeped to support a myriad of needs. Those that are known for calming or stress-relief are most popular here. Leaves and blooms are gathered and dried throughout the growing season for winter enjoyment. Among this collection are about a dozen different mint varieties.
Figs
We are adding new fig varieties each year. While we have several family-grown trees (Brown Turkey and/or Celeste) that have thrived in and around the SC Midlands, we are also trialing several varieties we have grown from cuttings. These include several cultivars bred by the researchers at Louisiana State University and others that adapt well to the humid south. Find out more about our figs from the blog or Facebook.
BlueBerries
Blueberries have been a welcomed friend for nearly fifteen years. While we weren't fortunate enough to have wild blueberries popping up around the property as I remember from my childhood, we have collected a nice variety that perform well in our area. Most of these have been patiently growing in pots as we've focused on building the quality of our soil. Still, we are able to pick blueberries from mid-spring through early July.
Muscadines and Grapes
Grapes are a finicky resident for the southern states, but muscadines are a true southern native. We've been sampling about 8 different varieties of bronze and black muscadines over the past ten years, and we have finally settled on two or three that will round out the vineyard. Our muscadine and concord grape jellies have been popular treats in our home and a few others across the state. We are excited about what's still to come as we expand the vineyard and learn more about these tasty treats. We will soon be offering clones of named and assorted varieties.
collards
Several years ago we developed an interest in growing different varieties of collards. The popular Bulldog Collard is what our family was most familiar with. Picking leaves from the bottom and leaving the plant to continue producing, we stretched our season long beyond the winter months. But with a growing interest in heirloom seeds, we began to do a little research and ran across a whole community of collard seed savers representing most of the southeastern states, but many beyond. We jumped right in to determine which varieties grow best here - in our climate and soils.