Fire Pit & Garden Planning

I love it!  Byron finished the fire pit under the pergola.  Just in time for winter.  Hopefully we will use it often!  Byron and a friend from work made the metal insert....thanks! thanks! thanks! 

Then Byron dug a foundation out.  The first layer of stones is buried about 2/3rds.  Next Byron stacked three more layers and put a one foot decorative/draining ring of river pebbles along the perimeter.

Drippy yummy melted crunchy marshmallows coming up! 

See the vine in the back? It is a bushel gourd vine.  There are four gourds so far, gaining weight faster than I thought possible.

I'm constantly planning the garden.  There's not a day that goes by that I don't run and scribble some notes in my sketch book journal.  It's been ten years since the initial thoughts for this garden went on paper.  My thoughts and experience has caused continual modification to the original design.  It's so fulfilling to see the garden evolve and grow.

It really is a young garden.  Katrina happened over five years ago.  At that point everything was wiped out and we had to start the garden all over again.  There were several oaks, four pecans, two crepe myrtles, and all of the old pears.  So for all intents and purposes this garden began just about when my blog began.

In two weeks the Federated Council of New Orlean's Garden Clubs is having their annual Founder's Day Tea at my garden.  I must say I am a bit nervous.  Hopefully they will enjoy the beauty that is there and see my vision for the future.

I am making "signage" for the garden explaining what is planted in each bed.  They will perch on top of bamboo stakes. 

Garlic is something that I love to grow.  The first year I grew garlic the bulbs were lovely, but they stored terrible.  Maybe the variety had something to do with that.  It would be easier to know if that were the case if I knew the variety! 

This year there are four varieties I'm trying.  One from Wholefoods, one that I grew successfully this year (and  is storing well), and two that a friend gave me to try.  Her Father is a local grower and these are the two varieties he grows  (creole and elephant).  The little bowl in the front contains some seed balls I made with my Sunday School Children.  I'm going to throw them behind the levee and see what happens!

My well crumpled fall garden plan!