Over the past few weeks I've been mulling over extending the existing herb garden to turn it into more of a cottage/kitchen garden.

Well, I got a burst of energy on Monday despite the temperamental weather and got out there and dug up half the grass! Where I dug into wasn't really a very useful area for anything. The area sloped down slightly and was lumpy and bumpy and a bit rocky (it forms a retaining wall at the edge of our front yard with our fence on it). So I got in there, and from the fence to about 2 metres in I dug up the grass.

Simon then managed to find a trailer to borrow and went off and found topsoil to backfill the sloped area and build up the soil (it was a combo of sand, clay and stones!) - we needed two trailer-loads to do it. I then convinced him to go back today during his lunch-break to bring me back a trailer-load of compost to add in. I then got to work loading that lot onto the garden and have the aching back, arms and abs to prove it. Then was able to pop all my excess herbs in, some sunflower and silverbeet seedlings needing a home, as well as a few sprinkles of lettuce/herb/flower seeds. I divided up some of my existing herb plants to fill in some more space and found a few weeds that I wanted to cultivate. I have plans on putting a half-dozen tomato plants in one area and that only leaves a smallish shady area to fill. While I was at it I dug up my entire circular herb garden, composted that and divided and replanted the plants (I hope they survive!).

This morning I also sowed all my seeds into pots so they can go out mid-late October when the weather is hopefully a bit more stable.

By incorporating the top garden to include the silverbeets, lettuces and tomotoes, it means that my lower garden can concentrate on the bulk crops as well as those that need spreading space (pumpkins, corgettes, etc)