This is my sanctuary

Last summer my garden looked like this.

But it began like this.

And this.

I’ve always liked and had plants, but never had the opportunity to really do much with them. When we bought our home the lawn didn’t see what hit it.

It’s taken about eight years. One little patch of grass at a time.

Here in Edmonton we don’t have a very long growing season, so it takes a bit longer for things to establish and we have quite limited options in what we can grow.

Small improvements have added up over time. And there have been MANY lessons along the way.

Our first (leaky) waterfall installation.

We finally really went for it and took up the whole lawn.

It was kind of scary, and it didn’t look great…

But we kept going

And the garden kept growing

Last spring we planted a privacy hedge along the fence. It will still be a few years before they can serve their purpose.

By the end of summer it felt like we had finally gotten to something resembling the final goal.

The creeping thyme lawn had filled in (that’s as tall as it will ever grow, and it smells AMAZING and the pollinators absolutely love the flowers). The wildlife found the garden and moved in.

The plants really began to thrive.

The pond got an upgrade. I couldn’t find a single picture of the big pump running, we have a small pump that runs all the time, and a big pump for when we are out enjoying it.

It’s getting harder and harder to see anything but plants and flowers now. Which is kind of the point.

We can’t seem to stop ourselves. The front lawn is gone too!

I grew squash and pumpkins, and we planted fruit trees, flowers, and berry bushes.

Even the alley fell under our spades.

The harvest is always the best part and it gets bigger every year.

Kiwis and grapes (the first harvest wasn’t much and most of it was munched right off the vine, but the flavours were heavenly)

We rarely have to grocery shopping in summer and fall.

The garden keeps on giving.

And giving

And giving

… you get it.

I’ve learned how to take care of trees, shrubs, flowers, berries, fruits, nuts, and vegetables. I’ve learned how to use a up a glut by canning, pickling, and freezing.

Our little urban plot has ten different types of berries (not including different cultivars), two types of nut tree, ten different fruit trees, and five raised vegetable beds.

I have cut flowers all over the house in summer. And we’ve begun eating seasonally based on what’s ready in veg patch.

Thanks for looking, I hope you had a wonderful Earth Day imgur.

Happy cat tax.