While I hadn’t officially heard the term ‘working garden,’ before it was requested by four separate clients these past two months, it did conjure up images of toiling through the warm summer months growing fruits and vegetables in urban backyards.
I decided to do a ‘Google search’ and found that the term was difficult to pin down, to a clear and definite definition, however growing their own food, it turns out, is exactly what our clients want us to help them accomplish- with creativity and beautiful design, rather than the stereotypical rugged, untidy and ‘throw em up quick, with what ya got’ construction.
During the individual consultation visits with each client, I learned that while the end goal was the same, to grow their own food, the reasons for doing so varied from wanting to break away from the high cost of Organic produce, to wanting fresh and readily available, nutrient rich (tasty) food, to insuring their food is pesticide free and non GMO (genetically modified organism) to simply having more time to spend in the garden after retirement.
In any case, we are thrilled to be pursued for such a honorable task, as it is not only highly satisfying to provide a space that our clients will actually get out and work in, rather than just admire, but has provided an opportunity for our growth; learning what kind of trellis to build for growing table grapes as opposed to what we were familiar with for beans and peas, planning for what soil and planting conditions Blueberries require and figuring and designing the necessary dimensions to grow a grocery list of produce and herbs as well as of course learning the term ‘working garden!’
The vision for each unique scenario incorporates our Utopic feel with functionality for four gardens, with diverse space requirements and restrictions, sun exposure, and lack thereof and varying budget investments- we’re excited to watch these gardens grow and will post pictures as we complete each project!
