Building a Kitchen Courtyard Herb Garden in a Small Space in Scotland (Part 1)

Where Did it Start?

This area was pretty much open when we moved in in the February 2019. The trees that were a loose hedge were bare opening up onto a huge field.

Looking the opposite way towards the main garden along the side of the house

Looking along the whole side of the house.

You can read about this area in this blog Making Every Bit Of Space Usable. Building A Long Planter Raised Bed

We had to get this area fenced in asap so the kids were safe from roaming deers, dogs or anything else that bounded across the field to us.

Trimmed the trees back & had a fence put up along the edge. If we had cut the trees down we could have moved the fence another meter, but we decided to leave them to grow on the other side.

6ft fence around the main section, then 4ft fence so we could still see the view from our kitchen window

From inside the Kitchen. Couldn’t block that view with a fence right!

What Did We Do?

After getting the fence and gate up to make it an enclosed space, this was originally for a sensory play area for our eldest, Clayton (then 12) Autistic son to have water tables and tubes, sand tables with measuring and weighing items to cover his Home Education too.

That was until we found out his love for the garden, planting seeds, watering, harvesting, so this area then became our Kitchen Courtyard Herb Garden, which still only have half of the area done. This area sat doing nothing for a few months before I cleared it again and started getting some herbs in.

The paint all came off the top rails with the snow/frost in the winter and sat doing nothing for a few months.

All cleared out, weeded & ready to start taking shape.

How Did We Do It?

There was already a part retaining wall at the end, which was so cute and perfect to start the herbs right there, I bought some ready made little wooden edging, painted with Cuprinial Black paint and hammered the attached stakes in place to make it a little higher to plant in.

What Did We Plant to Start With?

In the first year 2019-2020 (April-April) nothing happened this area wasn’t ready. Fencing went up Oct ish in 2019 & sat doing nothing until the following year.

The following year, April 2020 we got started after clearing, weeding it all again & planted a row of herbs & broad beans. I wasn’t really sure if this area would get enough sun to grow in, so this first year was a bit of a observation year.

What Did We Plant Next?

Area started filling out & Strawberry baskets went up

Crimson & White Broad Beans started to flower, lettuce was added to any spaces left

Rosemary kept spreading. Lettuce in spaces

Strawberry Planters grew well here with the afternoon sun

Next We Built Another Fence Planter

Using the same methods as in the blog Building a Mini Food Forest in a Small Area. Ours is On A Fence

Our younger 2 kids got involved measuring & building these. They would have been 9 & 11 here.

Lettuce seedlings planted out interspersed with radish &

To be continued….

Look out for Part 2 where we built a large planter in the middle & added our inspirational milk carton vertical growing fence or check out the No Waste Wednesday Blog -No Waste Wednesday-How We Grow Food in a Vertical Garden Using Milk Cartons On A Fence

THIS BLOG COVERED:

Yr 1 – April 2019- April 2020

Look out for blog post for Yr 2 – April 2020- April 2021

Look out for blog post for Yr 3 – April 2021- April 2022