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Terri, Terri

Quite contrary

How does your garden grow?

With sand pits and old bins all in a row.

I hope you aren’t offended by my creative license with this famous Mother Goose nursery rhyme, but it illustrates well how I have combined the Frugal Fam core values to produce my rather unique patio garden. As you can see in the pictures, I have re-used an old sand pit for my cucumbers and a busted kitchen bin has been converted to a home for my tomato plant.

Even the orange buckets were re-used from last year’s garden. I used them instead of actual flower pots, because they were more in line with the core value of saving money. The buckets cost about a pound at the hardware store, while large pots cost as much as ten times that. I simply used my husband’s drill to make small holes in the bottom for drainage. The tomatoes can’t tell the difference; they taste just as good.

One new addition though is the lovely flower spin wheel that Emily got for being such a good girl at the doctor’s last week. She continues to be a large part of this gardening experience. Some of my favourite memories as a young teen are centred on our family garden. Warning…no laughing at this picture of a thirteen year old me standing in front of our garden with our puppy. Those hours spent primarily with my step-father allowed us to bond and helped me to become the woman I am today. I can only hope that my daughter will remember these times as fondly.

So how about a quick review of why my garden fills the Frugal Fam core values:

Family First. As I said, my memories of the time spent with my step-father in our family garden are some of the happiest of my youth. I try very hard to include Emily in as much of the gardening as I can, although she has broken a couple of plants. I have even been known to borrow her gardening tools when I don’t have the adult version.

Saving Money. Alright at this moment, my hubby would argue that we have way too much invested in this garden. Although I have not bought planters, the seeds and the dirt were rather expensive. Unfortunately, the wormary did not produce enough compost for all of my plants this year so I had to purchase some. But all things considered, we have not spent that much…about twenty quid. Even a modest yield will more than recover that investment.

Environmentally Friendly. Let’s see…zero food miles, re-using plastic containers as planters, and organically grown. That just about says it all.

Healthier. Did you catch the organically grown part? With the cost of organic fruits and vegs these days, growing your own is about the easiest way to eat healthy.

And on top of all those wonderful things, there is taste. I can almost remember even now the taste of my first cherry tomato I grew myself. There is nothing like it, warm from the vine. That alone is worth the time, effort and money invested in my garden.