garden plans

I have looked over my past few years' garden layouts and the aerial satellite view of my neighborhood- realized immediately why my back lawn does so poorly in summer, and why my garden falters. It's not just because of the aphids, japanese beetles, and sometimes poor horticulture skills (I'm still learning). It's the trees! We have thick tree cover for all the property except one space just behind the house (where the lawn manages to do okay) and the front yard. No wonder my tomatoes always did better in large pots on the deck. The trees are great for keeping the house cooler, but...

Well in spite of that, I still have plans to start seeds early, build a second (small) coldframe and make two or three more garden beds. I sorted my seed packets today, made a rough map of where I will plant the tomatoes, leeks, cucumbers, swiss chard, parsley, green beans, carrots, beets and more from my fridge stash. Made decisions and placed orders with my three favorite seed companies: Uprising Seeds, Seed Savers Exchange and Southern Seed Exchange. I don't live in the same region as Uprising Seeds but the copy in their catalog is hilarious I just love reading it, and they have some herbs I didn't find elsewhere that I want to try. I've had poor luck with spinach, broccoli and cabbage in the past, but I want to eat more fresh greens so I'm going to attempt growing kale and collards this time.

Here's the seeds I just ordered, many new for me:

greens:
Crisp Mint Lettuce
Webb's Wonderful Lettuce
Slowbolt Looseleaf Lettuce
'Elite' Simpson Lettuce
'Strawberry Spinach' (Blitum capitatum)
Red Russian Kale
'Yellow Cabbage' Collards
'Alabama Blue' Collards
Leaf Beet Chard (aka 'perpetual spinach')
Tatsoi (asian green)
Mizuna (similar to arugula, milder)

veggies:
'Healthy' sweet Peppers
Purple Top Globe Turnips
'Tender Grey' Zucchini

herbs and flowers:
'Magnus' Lovage
Epazote (aka mexican tea)
'Black Cumin' Nigella
Hyssop
Sculpit (Silene inflata)
Blue Fengugreek
Mentuccia Romana (it's similar to oregano)
'Old Spice' mix Sweet Peas
'Peach Screamer' Nicotiana

I also received as a gift from my sister these cutting flower seeds:
Amaranth 'Opopeo'
Globe Amaranth 'sunset'
Basil 'Aromatto'
Celosia 'supercrest'
Cosmos 'seashell'
Zinnia 'Benary's Giant Wine'

Spring will be exciting this year!!