Thursday, July 28, 2011

An Utterly Delicious Fence

What a difference the new fence makes. Where once there was an extremely ugly and very, very large Leylandii hedge there is now a fence. An edible one. Pretty too.
Before
After
All in all, the bit of the fence that borders the potager is about 20 meters long and in a strip of soil that's no more than 40 cm wide there grows an amazing amount of stuff. Most of it edible, some of it just because it's pretty and sometimes both.

Since June I've been harvesting purple runner beans
and lately yellow ones too, all growing against my new fence.
Nasturtiums are running riot,
pumpkins, sunflowers and hollyhocks are reaching for the sky,
Zinnias trying their hardest to fry your optic nerve,
sugar snaps melting on your tongue .....
In short this new fence of mine is a wonder to behold, taste and smell.
Smell? Of course there is scent, this is Bliss, don't you know? The Sweet Peas have been having a scented ball for months now, not only in the potager but in the house as well.
It's simply amazing how much you can grow up against a fence in a bit of soil no more than say 8m2: pumpkins, hollyhocks, sunflowers, nasturtiums, fennel, red & white currants, raspberries, sweet peas, sugar snaps, Italian runner beans, purple runner beans, yellow runner beans  and inbetween all that zinnias, beetroot, lettuce, lady's mantle, ivy and even the odd weed or two.

Who in his or her right mind would want a Leylandii hedge or a plain wooden fence when you can have all this instead? So what are you waiting for Constant Reader? Get cracking and create your very own edible & delightful fence.

copyright 2011 Y.E.W. Heuzen

15 comments:

kip said...

I really admire your garden! Mine is far more sparsly planted and already overrun by mildew, blight, insects and the like. Gah!

Lisa said...

Lovely garden. I like the before and after photos of the fence. I can see very good changes.

Lisa from Acoustic Guitar Software

Matron said...

Of course Matron thoroughly approves of an edible fence! It must have been a heck of a job getting rid of all that Leylandiiii!

freerangegirl said...

How fantastic- we have a hideous leyandii hedge too and I'm planning how to remove it and what to replace it with - yours is looking great a do you have any suggestions for edible hedging?

Helen/patientgardener said...

Fab - its amazing how much space Lleyandi take up. I removed a vast Laurel from my garden and gained so much space. And to replace it with an edible fence is a fab idea

Anna said...

Now that's a definite improvement on an unedible leylandii - you must me delighted Yolanda.

Bridget said...

Wow, what an improvement. Looks so much better, great production too.

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Alex aus dem Gwundergarten said...

Hi there!
You use your new fence wonderfully. My fence is grown over by rambler roses and clematis. Well, nothing to eat but at least something for the nose :o).
Have a nice Weekend
Alex

timmatcham said...

Let the Leylandii rest in peace! Such a transformation - I am finding more and more clients are looking to include an area for growing vegetables either as part of a veg plot or incorporated in to the garden - great example of how much pleasure and satisfaction it can bring. Well done!
Tim

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Is that a willow fence? It sure is lovely. I love the nasturtiums and peas growing over it. Nom nom. (You must not have deer?) Say hello to all the furry frie

Glo said...

Blissful indeed! Taking out the old fence certainly made a wonderful difference. Looks like you are enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of your labour!

Arabella Sock said...

that fence looks glorious. I'm growing achoca (cucumbery things) up mine - this wasn't intentional they just seem to have escape from their growbag!

easygardener said...

Your edible fence is a great improvement - so good that climbers have found it easy to navigate!

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