Are you ready for summer gardening? The forecast for the next few days here in Washington state is SUN SUN SUN — music to my ears. I’m genuinely excited about starting a backyard garden. I don’t claim to have a green thumb, but gardening feels like a fun project my son and I can learn together.
We didn’t close on a new house as quickly as I expected because the sale of our Portland place fell through, so I’m still renting for now. That won’t stop me from planting.
I discovered a great collection of ideas for small-space container gardening in Sunset Magazine’s online articles. Container gardening is ideal if you don’t have much room and it’s a perfect approach for renters and beginning gardeners like me.
To get my hands into the soil and lift my spirits this week, I added a few annuals to the pots on my front porch. It’s a small step toward turning this area into a summery outdoor room — a kind of summer office — but those bright pots already make the space feel more like home even while the future remains uncertain.
I’d love to add many more plants. The porch overlooks the lake, so it will be a cool, pleasant place to enjoy the sun and watch my son play in the yard.
On a related note, I borrowed my mom’s sewing machine and plan to recover some pillows with a striped, nautical fabric. If you’re wondering whether sewing is the right choice for me, the last time I sewed was in home economics when we made aprons — so I’m approaching this with cautious optimism. We’ll see how it turns out.
My son and I also planted parsley seeds in a container on the back deck. It’s not a full garden yet, but it’s a start and that counts!
Are you planting a garden this year?
Do you use raised beds, containers, or a greenhouse? Are you planting flowers, vegetables, fruit, or herbs? Share your experience, tips, or photos — I’d love to hear about your plans and any ideas that worked for you.
Top container garden inspiration: Sunset Magazine Online
Second photo: my front porch!