In the beginning of 2023 my plan was to create a small vegetable garden space in what little bit of yard I have. I’ve been blogging about some of my journey, and this page has photos of the before and after. A lot has been accomplished in a year.
When I came across these old photos from last year I thought it would be fun to show the difference.
Before…. and …..After
2023 Planning future vegetable gardens2024 Path to the back – Roselle bush
For much of the past year I have been working to create dirt spaces and pathways. Occasionally I have also grown some veggies! I can work outside year round, which is beneficial, although there is little rest.
The Roselle hibiscus bushes have grown like crazy. They were grown from seeds planted in Fall. The Moringa tree has also grown after slowing down for the winter months.
2023 Expanding gardens2024 Summer greenery
Before I had a chance to finish writing this page, the garden has filled in even more. Some plants really enjoy the extreme Florida heat and humidity.
It is now July, so this photo is after about 1.5 years of gardening.
I’ve really been touting the benefits of zinnias recently and I can’t seem to stop!
Bee in center of hot pink Zinnia
Each morning I check on the garden. The iPhone is in my pocket because usually there is something to photograph.
Sometimes the little armadillo waddles through the garden, or maybe a turtle will come up out of the woods. And there is always activity around the zinnias.
One afternoon I watched the amazing Giant Swallowtail butterfly wander from one zinnia patch to the next. I tried to get some decent photos but he was continuously flying and wouldn’t let me get too close. That orange zinnia was his favorite.
A magnificent butterflyGiant Swallowtail
The photos don’t do him justice. This is a butterfly that is larger than most I see, but his wings are also floppy, for lack of a better word.
I found this video which will show you the swallowtail flying (very beginning of video), which is exactly what I saw, but couldn’t capture. This woman goes on to mention a bunch of plants that will attract them. The wild lime tree sounds perfect, if only I had a decent size yard.
Check out this video by a woman in Alabama who raises Giant Swallowtails when she finds them on her citrus trees. I’m not sure why she doesn’t just let them live on the tree, but I guess some people enjoy raising them. Her garden is stunning! I need some citrus trees.
White zinnia, or very pale pink
The brightly colored zinnias are the ones that attract everything, but now I have a whitish zinnia! It is lovely.
Each day, very early or very late (it’s July in Florida!), I sit for a bit in the garden and just observe. It’s when I see a hummingbird flitting over the zinnia patch and drinking!
The flower and vegetable garden at the side / back of my house is very small. I can sit in one spot and see most of it.
I hope you can find time in your busy life to sit still and observe what is happening in your yard. If nothing is happening, maybe consider hanging a bird feeder, or planting some flowers. Currently, there is a blue jay family that comes for seed and water each day. The babies are noisy.
I don’t like where I live, but I’ve made it more tolerable by creating this space that is alive with nature.
My Yard Before the Gardens! Boring…
Below is a photo of how this area looked when we moved in! Some people like this nice, neat, grass look, but I find it depressing and certainly boring!
I’m sure the grass was sprayed regularly for bugs, like most people do around here. Nothing interesting at all was growing on this lot. Only the banana trees in the back corner gave this space any interest. And I think they came from the people behind us.
House backyard in 2016
Dead Zinnia Bouquet
As the zinnias get old, I pick them and bring them in. These fading zinnias will go into my seed saving box once they look completely horrible. They are no longer perfect, but I can enjoy them nonetheless. I leave the flowers growing outside for as along as possible for the butterflies and bees. I only cut them when there are plenty more blooms to feed the bugs.
Hydrangeas Blue 