Photo by Melody

Dave's Garden

Low Budget Midwest Garden 2020

by volantis 3 comments
  • Our old well had a rotten wooden cover. In 2020, we replaced the wooden cover with a wishing well from reused bricks and lumber. The bricks and lumber came from an old house we tore down on our property. The materials if bought new cost about $750, but we only needed to spend about $50 to build this thanks to a gift from a friend and old mortar from a lumber yard. Our old well had a rotten wooden cover. In 2020, we replaced...
  • Our gingko tree turns a beautiful yellow during the fall just before we harvest leaves for our tea supply. Our gingko tree turns a beautiful yellow during the fall jus...
  • We also grow tree frogs, who happen to like spawning in our rain barrels. This frog is only a half inch long. We also grow tree frogs, who happen to like spawning in our...
  • We found a variety of perennial mums by chance. These mums grew from a single plant left over from the previous year. We will further divide them all over our property for 2021. Mum flowers have medicinal purposes, and the flowers feed numerous insects and bees. We found a variety of perennial mums by chance. These mums g...
  • A good garden is filled with insects, both beneficial and those that are food for the beneficial insects. We plant extra of everything to make sure that our insect friends can do their part for maintaining the garden and still get what we need. A good garden is filled with insects, both beneficial and th...
  • This is the second year for our Nanking cherries to the left. Our Jerusalem artichokes are the tall plants in the middle, and yarrow and squash vines are in the tires. In the background can be seen our pergola covered in purple pods. This is the second year for our Nanking cherries to the left...
  • Naked ladies in bloom in front of our wisteria vine. The wisteria vine rests on a trellis made from old radio antennas and old pipes. Naked ladies in bloom in front of our wisteria vine. The wis...
  • Using an old ceiling fan and spare parts from around the yard and shop we made a functioning decorative windmill. We replaced the cardboard fans with cut pieces of plexiglas for 2021. Using an old ceiling fan and spare parts from around the yar...
  • Our culinary herbs are planted in old square fiberglass sinks that we painted. Our culinary herbs are planted in old square fiberglass sink...
  • We grow thornless blackberries over a wooden frame that provides support. These berries were a second flush of fruit that came unexpectedly. We grow thornless blackberries over a wooden frame that prov...
  • Our Santa Rosa plums produced fruit for the first year since planting them. Our Santa Rosa plums produced fruit for the first year since...
  • We made a pergola from old pipes. This year we grew purple pod peas, which completely covered the structure by the end of the season. We made a pergola from old pipes. This year we grew purple p...
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comments (3)

RebeccaLynn Mar 11, 2021

Everything is neat and well cared for. Evidence of lots of love and work!

loucam May 18, 2021

The mums are just gorgeous!

hazael May 27, 2021

Awesome garden!

24 photos Alma, IL, United States
Age of Garden:
Over 10 years
USDA Zone:
6a
Garden Style:
Container, Herb and Vegetable
Type of Garden:
Residential
Climate:
Temperate and Continental
Soil Type:
Amended Soil, Humus or Compost
Budget:
Under $1,000
Plants:
Acer Species
Wisteria
Chrysanthemum
Ginkgo Species
Colchicum Species
Chrysanthemum