Well, the children are back at school and all is quiet here. The school break was definitely helped by some decent spring weather. Much of our time was spent in the garden sowing seeds, planting out and enlarging the run for the chickens who were feeling a bit cooped up! It feels like the garden is coming together now with the raised linkaboard beds. They seem a great way to grow veggies and are made from recycled plastic.
The chicken run needs some plants to soften it off but the chickens now have tons of space. If anyone has any tips for chicken friendly plants I'd love to hear them. Now I've just got to cross my not-so-green-fingers that I can coax a few decent veggies from the seeds!
Chicken friendly plants ?????!!!!!!! As far as I know, it's usually chicken who are not very plant friendly :-D
Posted by: FilleAinee | April 27, 2009 at 05:23 PM
Lovely to see the veggie plot update and chicken news. It all looks very organised, Julie.
Posted by: Zoe | April 27, 2009 at 05:36 PM
Great chicken run! The only things that ever grew in my chicken run were nettles!
Posted by: Danielle | April 27, 2009 at 05:38 PM
Wow, you should get lots of veggies from all of those beds, they look very organised
Posted by: The Antidote | April 27, 2009 at 05:44 PM
i think so long as your plants are not actually terminally poisonous then chickens will find them very friendly ;-)
Posted by: trashalou | April 27, 2009 at 06:11 PM
Your garden looks fab! We're in the middle of turning an old sandpit into a lettuce-and-carrot bed - no way I'm trogging to the allotment every time I want a lettuce!
Posted by: dottycookie | April 27, 2009 at 06:53 PM
Thanks for the info on linkaboard. We've been talking about putting in some raised beds but neither of us is very 'handy' with tools. Hope they're availble here in US.
Love you wicker cloches too!
Posted by: Georganna | April 27, 2009 at 09:00 PM
Wow, you have been busy! I'm very impressed - makes my 4 tomatoes & two pots of pak choi & one of beans look very meagre!
Posted by: Caroline B | April 27, 2009 at 09:02 PM
Welcome back!
It's all looking very snazzy out there. I seem to remember reading something about chickens liking clover? Or perhaps it was something about chickens liking everything...
It seems Mr Boyfriend has backed out of the chicken plan - my brainwashing plot can't have worked! I'll have to get started on a midnight "you-want-a-goat!" mantra instead =)
Posted by: Emily | April 27, 2009 at 10:07 PM
What a great garden. I love to hear about your chickens, too! This city girl would love to have some but hubby just gives me the "are you nuts" look when I mention it.
Posted by: MiaSophia | April 27, 2009 at 11:05 PM
the veg beds look great!! well done!
Posted by: susetheslowknitta | April 27, 2009 at 11:06 PM
Gosh, your vegie garden is so cute!
Posted by: Child of the New Forest | April 27, 2009 at 11:24 PM
Everything looks fantastic! The chickens look like they're going to be veeery happy in their new run. Makes me want to come over for a cup of tea! As for chicken friendly plants...well I can tell you my girls luuurve to dig up my pansies and petunias! Oh and it's the quick or the dead if you want a strawberry and they're out and about!
Posted by: jenny | April 28, 2009 at 12:20 AM
We have friends in wisconsin who have chickens
and they have a large dead branch for them to sit on they like it alot sometimes to get off the ground and hang our just clumps of natural grass is good too
great to see a wonderful us of space and good luck on the garden fun
ter
homestead cabin retreats tell patsy we sent ya sarahs grove quilters
Posted by: ter | April 28, 2009 at 12:41 AM
What a lovely garden! I wish we could have chickens... I really want them!
Posted by: Kendall Micayla | April 28, 2009 at 01:03 AM
Wow Julie, your garden looks stunning! So neat and gorgeous!
I was horrified to read about the Rosie Cosie and so was Mr P. I've read about one or two other cases like this. Awful - so sortry. I hope the letter is a step towards making amends. Emma x
Posted by: Emma | April 28, 2009 at 09:08 AM
Wow! Love the big run and the new raised beds! Our big raised bed has arrived and I've put it together.... so now having seen yours I'm really inspired to shift some soil/compost and Get On With It! Lettuce and carrots here we come! My friend keeps chickens and they too have a branch to sit on...but beware...a hen of eccentric behaviour did keep laying eggs from a dizzy height from time to time!!
Jenni
Posted by: Jenni Kemp | April 28, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Your veggie boxes look great and I love those wicker (?) cloches! The chickens have a very spacious and stylish home too!
Lucy x
Posted by: Lucy Locket-Pocket | April 28, 2009 at 04:37 PM
Amazing setting, Julie...I loved it! I ALWAYS enjoy your blog!
By the way, I'm giving away another Pat-A-Cake Baby doll this Friday on my blog. Don't know if your daughter still enjoys dolls or not, but you might want to take a peek.
Blessings and hugs,
Dianne
Posted by: Dianne | April 28, 2009 at 05:40 PM
Wow, you've been busy! It all looks great Julie - so neat and tidy. Look forward to hearing how your garden grows!
Posted by: Mary | April 28, 2009 at 05:41 PM
What a lovely tidy garden! I wouldn't plant anything IN the chicken run as it won't last a second, but you could trail some sweet peas or something up the outside?
Posted by: JuliaB | April 28, 2009 at 06:35 PM
Loving the veggie beds. We are using old recycling boxes for our veggies as our council has just given us shiny new wheelie bins to put our mountains of recycling in. We kindly took about 20 off their hands - all for freeee!!!
I wish we could have chickens but alas not enough room!!
Cxx
Posted by: Glitterbee | April 28, 2009 at 09:44 PM
What a great back yard and garden.
Posted by: Judy | April 29, 2009 at 03:25 AM
I just got chickens and for now, their pen has grass but I'm sure it'll be destroyed by them soon enough. I've been told that trying to keep something green growing with chickens is a losing battle, unless you have a large area. In that case, you could try broadcast seeding a ground cover but you'll have to keep seeding as they peck and scratch it all to death eventually.
Posted by: casey | April 29, 2009 at 07:00 AM
Your yard looks fabulous, so productive! Our chickens love to eat all of my parsley, which is annoying as we love to eat it too!
Posted by: Leah | April 29, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Oh, your garden is really LOVELY!
Posted by: Gallinavecchia | April 29, 2009 at 01:01 PM
Ha Ha! Cooped up ~ very good Julie!
Your garden looks terrific ~ I am quite green with envy!
Marie x
Posted by: marie | April 29, 2009 at 05:00 PM
loving the beds
Posted by: suzie sews | April 29, 2009 at 07:15 PM
If you get to know of any plants that the chickens WON'T eat, do let me know. Mine devour everything so are firmly penned in now (in not such a smart pen as yours, I hasten to add!) They have eaten all my comfrey, which I grow for tomato feed! Grrrr!
Posted by: Dragonfly | April 30, 2009 at 10:15 AM
If you can find something that grows and doesn't get eaten/dug out by your chickens please let us know.
Wonder if such a plant exists??
Posted by: Sheryl | April 30, 2009 at 01:59 PM
They look wonderful, and so neat and tidy. Come to my house and help me PLEASE? lol
Have a wonderful day!
Debbie
Posted by: Debbie Grothe | May 01, 2009 at 08:40 AM
Oh my goodness you have a busy but organised garden there! How gorgeous! And I love your bunnies :)
Posted by: Stacey | May 01, 2009 at 10:43 AM
You can try narrow garden beds with a mesh cage raised above the bed inside the chicken pen if there is enough light. These garden beds are great for root vegetables (sweet potato is a good choice) The chickens can climb onto the frame and eat the leaves that grow through and fertilize at the same time. I love the yard, it is such an inspiration. Well Done.
Posted by: Jenni | May 02, 2009 at 07:54 AM
What an amazing looking garden! I took pictures of mine & will NOT be putting them on my blog until everything is in full bloom, it was desolate looking.
Yours looks great & very organized, will be a good summer for growing!
Posted by: tammy | May 03, 2009 at 01:36 AM
Love the garden and the chickens'run.....my thoughts are the same as most folk....chickens wiil eat anything you plant!!
Posted by: nannisandi | May 03, 2009 at 02:31 PM
There was an article in Saturday's Daily Telegraph about keeping hens & plants happy. If you don't have a copy I still have mine and I would be happy to send it to you.
Posted by: Maxine | May 03, 2009 at 04:57 PM
a gorgeous little garden and a chicken run. Fabulous. Such a cute yard you have.
Posted by: * TONYA * | May 04, 2009 at 06:55 PM
Your garden looks amazing Julie! We are hoping to grow a few veggies this year and then next year set up a proper veggie patch. Our garden is tiny though! Sadly no space for chickens - I'd love to have some!
Posted by: Tasha at Children's Books for Grown-ups | May 04, 2009 at 09:08 PM
Hi Julie
thanks for your lovely words a few weeks back on the email. things are easier. i have been enjoying catching up on your posts today and wanted to say how fab the garden is looking, you can tell theres been a lot of work in organising and planting and i'm sure it'll all pay off.
the LCR in the plant pot has a gorgeous dress!
I must say how much mine particularly the whisper you made have been of great cheer to me over the hard months, little quiet companions when time had to be spent resting on my bed alot.
so thanks for that honey, much love today to you A and T, Kat xxxx
Posted by: Kat | May 05, 2009 at 05:55 PM
wormwood keeps parasites away and i grow wheat grass in trays so they can nibble on them lynnie
Posted by: lynnie jones | May 06, 2009 at 07:49 AM
Hi Julie, I've just ordered a double tier linkbord and trellis today, and if I like them I'll probably order some more! All I have to do now is decide what to plant!
Your garden is looking lovely, by the way.
Hope you have a lovely Summer and grow lots of lovely yummy produce : )
Posted by: kate newmarch | May 08, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Your garden looks so lovely! I like those little wicker basket covers on the plants! I'm going to have to take a look at the link. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Kim킴 | May 08, 2009 at 07:26 PM