Some Progress with the Kids' Veggie Garden

It's so exciting (and daunting) to have an empty garden barrel just begging to be filled with plants.

I have three of these, which I'm going to put in the kids' vegetable garden.  We weren't that impressed with the garden designer's plan, so we're coming up with our own.  (So much for our raffle prize.) Revamping this little area just got an unexpected jump start when these barrels recently went on sale. 

I've cleared out most of the plants we want rid of-- mainly some overgrown rose bushes and a lackluster banana tree.  Despite their beautiful flowers, I thought the rose bushes were just a little bit too inhospitable for a kids' area. 

Each of our kids will have a barrel to call their own. Obviously, I'll have to give the little ones some added guidance, but my 4-year-old is stoked to pick out what veggies to grow in his barrel.  He's leaning towards carrots (which he refuses to eat-- go figure) and strawberries.  I'll have to research what kind of edibles can be grown alongside each other.  Since growing edibles is new to me, I have no idea about the different soil requirements, etc.

I'm much more comfortable picking out the ornamental plants for the area.  I want some color, so I'm thinking of some salvias and lavender. 

Hopefully this is a project I can squeeze in here and there while the little ones are napping.  I'd like to get most of it planted in the next couple of weeks.  We'll see...