Friday, September 19, 2008

Let The Garden Begin

Tomorrow.



The turd box, drain line and drain field panels are in and covered. The physical parts and the gravity fed system passed muster with the county just fine. There was one potential problem I saw. Not with the system itself, that looked great. I won't say for the world wide web what it was, but a slight of hand may have resolved the potential problem. I'm not good at slight of hand, so I made myself disappear when the inspector man came.



There was way more disruption than I had imagined. The trenches for the drain field panels were much bigger than I expected. I had in my head french drain type pipe that would fit in skinny trenches. The interlocking panels used in this method are a good 24 inches wide. They sit at the bottom of an 18 to 20 inch deep level trench.

Just being able to maneuver the trackhoe through the forest caused collateral damage. About half a dozen small trees were lost.

When the monster Black Cherry by the turd box came down, so did a few innocent bystanders. That slope will have a bit more sun now. Sun is good for gardening.

I now have a nice stack of Black Cherry lumber I need to find a buyer for. A little bulb money perhaps.



The ground that will be my garden is still pretty rough in spots. There are broken roots and piles of brush and tree tops that need to be gathered and burned. There are plenty rocks to gather into to piles to let the weather begin the cleaning process. They can talk amongst themselves and let me know what they want to be.



Soon enough the killing frosts will come and all the bare ground will reveal itself to me again.



In reality I have the fall and winter to prepare the ground, lay out the shape of beds and the direction and flow of paths. This should come first and I have put pencil to paper to see with my eyes what the memory in my feet is from a year of walking this ground.

There are sacks of bulbs and perennials grown from seed ready to be planted now. Some planting will be done too.



A garden for a small cabin to nestle in can begin.



Tomorrow.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG Christopher. The added angle to view your little cabin puts a whole new experience of wonderment. The little valley below is to die for. Sorry you had to loose the Black Cherry but a little more sun will be good. I can vision all sorts of gardens surrounding that perfect place you will call home.

Frances, said...

Hi Christopher, you seem in a better frame of mind today, good. Such potential there. One word from an old grandma, please make the paths a little wider and less steep, going zig zag if that is possible. Someday you yourself might be glad for that, although looking at your parents traverse the mountain, maybe you are part hillbilly!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Nothing like a new palette to get an artist/gardener going, tomorrow.

Christopher C. NC said...

Lola, the little valley below the cabin is my main full sun area where the utility easement is so no trees allowed. They even came through this summer and sprayed roundup on any small trees. Just a little overspray. I think I will need a sign,"No good at Plant ID? No Spray!"

Yes Frances. I want paths wide enough for rolling carts and wheelbarrows.

Lisa, the palette is close to blank. There are some native goodies that may need to be saved and moved.

Anonymous said...

Hi Christopher! It is amazing to me how much you have accomplished. Your garden slate is ready for you now...I am anxious to see what you do. I know it will be a gorgeous garden.

chuck b. said...

Now you can poop!

Max Cooper said...

Nice blogs! I don't know what a Tree Peony is, but I agree that the photo that accompanies the article is pretty amazing. Never thought about a scanner, but that sounds about $39,800 cheaper than a Hasselblad.

EAL said...

The house is coming along beautifully! I haven't checked in in a while.

Christopher C. NC said...

Siria, this garden will be a several year project. Three I think just to get a good start and some semblence of "garden". Then many more years after that. After that it is a life time of wandering, puttering, rearranging, tending, harvesting and enjoying.

Hold your poop Chuck, not so quick. There are a few minor elements like water and a terlit before I can poop at my own house.

Howdy Max. $40,000 for a camera? Yikes. Shows you how much I know about the photography world. That was a major Poseur Alert.

Goodboy Norman Featherstone said...

You're going to have so much fun designing this garden, and the entire Winter to labor away, dreaming of the perfect plants! It's going to be great!