Starting Our Garden: The Details
Lately, we have been spending more time than usual in our outdoor spaces…
and in The McGee Home, that means spending more time in our new favorite spot: the garden!
Our team has been getting questions about The McGee Home garden, and you might have seen some of our process photos on our Instagram story. Today, we wanted to dive deeper and share some of our gardening FAQ’s, inspirations, and tips!
What was the process of building your garden boxes like?
We worked with our contractor Tyler at Killowen Construction to build custom boxes using 2×6 Cedar boards. Cedar is not only a beautiful wood, but it’s also a great choice for withstanding the elements and staying healthy over the years. Plus, they tie in with the cedar shingles on the roof!
Our fence is also built with Cedar, which makes everything feel cohesive. I pulled some inspiration photos and noticed that a few of them had these ledges on the sides, and I’m so glad we incorporated that element because it’s a great place to store clippers or supplies and even sit on!
What have you grown in your garden?
I have always wanted to have a garden, but in the past, I had only grown the kind of herbs you can pick up at Trader Joes. When we began our garden, I knew I wanted a mix of herbs, so we started with Cilantro, Parsley, Basil, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Tarragon, Chives, Dill, and kind of distributed those in the boxes closest to the home for easy access.
Next, we planted the vegetables – lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, spaghetti squash, etc., and then the flowers. I did David Austin Roses, Koko Locos, Peonies, Dahlias, and Scabiosas.
There’s even more still in the seedling phase, it’s a constant cycle!
What has been your favorite garden project?
Our Romaine Lettuce has been a favorite, and we’ve been making so many salads with it lately, I’ll be sad to see it go! One of my other favorites are our Espalier Trees, they are apple trees that grow to the side, they were such a good addition, and it’s been a fun project to work on.
One of our Espalier Apple Trees!
Our little garden shed waiting for flowers in the windows
How did you plan the backyard area around your garden?
We used weed barriers underneath the whole area, and then spread pea gravel everywhere so we can walk all over it without worrying about it! One of my favorite parts is these Round Teepe Trellises that are really great for giving the veggies support but are a prettier than the typical ones.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned in your garden?
That things really do grow! I think I was skeptical about it actually working, but it’s amazing to see everything growing. My kids are really invested into it, too, and it’s become something we love to do together!
What is your number one gardening tip for beginners?
Just start! I was very nervous that I wasn’t going to know what I was doing, but I’ve learned along the way by watching. You start to notice what needs some extra love and adjust from there. Also, Google is your best friend!
More garden inspiration & accounts we love!
@yolorenzo ‘s dreamy garden
From one of our favorite accounts @hillhousevintage
One of our favorite garden accounts @alysonsimplygrows
@velvetandlinen ‘s beautiful farm and garden
Beautiful garden! What kind of climbing roses and David Austin do you have in your garden?
Inspiration!! ?? Did you have to line the garden beds before filling?
What is reed barrier? Did you lay that on the ground?
I think maybe she meant weed barrier? I thought the same thing though!
Did you stain or varnish the planters?
What are the dimensions of each raised bed?