Half Acre on Hubbard

Projects

A growing record of productive home gardens in North Carolina, Michigan, Colorado, and Pennsylvania.

North Carolina · Front yard

Front-Yard Mini Farm

An ordinary residential lawn reshaped into planting rows for food, flowers, herbs, perennials, and habitat.

The project was developed gradually: clearing the site, shaping rows, planting, mulching, reusing bamboo for vertical support, and learning from the garden as it filled in.

Edged planting beds, flowers, vegetables, and bamboo supports leading to a house with a dog on the porch
Edged planting beds, flowers, vegetables, and bamboo supports leading to a house with a dog on the porch
The established mini farm with newly edged planting beds.
Front yard after the site was cleared for planting
Early site preparation.
New planting rows shaped in the front yard
Rows taking shape.
Mulched planting rows during early establishment of the front-yard mini farm
New planting rows mulched during early establishment.
Bamboo vertical supports spanning the growing rows in front of the house
Bamboo supports over the growing rows.
Planting rows with reused bamboo vertical supports
Bamboo vertical supports as the garden filled in.
Purple eggplant growing in a mulched mini-farm bed
Purple eggplant growing in the mini farm.
Ripening purple tomatoes growing among orange marigolds
Ripening tomatoes among marigolds.
Young cucumber growing beside bamboo support and drip irrigation
Young cucumber beside bamboo support and drip irrigation.
Front yard after the site was cleared for planting
Early site preparation
New planting rows shaped in the front yard
Rows taking shape
Mulched planting rows during early establishment of the front-yard mini farm
New planting rows mulched during early establishment
Bamboo vertical supports spanning the growing rows in front of the house
Bamboo supports over the growing rows
Planting rows with reused bamboo vertical supports
Bamboo supports as the garden filled in
Purple eggplant growing in a mulched mini-farm bed
Purple eggplant growing in the mini farm
Ripening purple tomatoes growing among orange marigolds
Ripening tomatoes among marigolds
Young cucumber growing beside bamboo support and drip irrigation
Young cucumber beside bamboo support and drip irrigation
Michigan · Home gardens

Productive Home Gardens

Several seasons of seeding, mixed raised beds, in-ground growing, harvest, and garden-to-table use.

These gardens combined vegetables, herbs, fruit, and flowers rather than separating productivity from beauty or habitat.

Michigan raised bed planted with vegetables, herbs, and flowers
Michigan raised bed planted with vegetables, herbs, and flowers
Vegetables, herbs, and flowers growing together.
Bright marigolds growing among vegetables in a raised bed
Marigolds in a productive raised bed.
Freshly harvested Daikon radishes
Daikon radish helps break up compacted soil.
Colorful Caprese salad prepared with tomatoes from the garden
From garden to table: colorful Caprese salad.
Bright marigolds growing among vegetables in a raised bed
Marigolds in a productive raised bed
Freshly harvested Daikon radishes
Delicious Daikon Radish - Great for breaking up compacted soil
Colorful Caprese salad prepared with tomatoes from the garden
From Garden to Table: Colorful Caprese Salad
Durango, Colorado · Residential garden

Mountain Home Garden Bed

A newly planted, curved garden bed set around an established evergreen beside a mountain home.

The red-mulch bed brings together young perennials, flowering plants, stone edging, and the existing tree while working with the shape of the site.

Katy seated beside a newly planted red-mulch garden bed around an evergreen in Durango, Colorado
New planting around an established evergreen in Durango.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · Residential garden

Hillside Front-Yard Planting

A steep urban front yard organized into mulched planting areas within the existing retaining walls.

Katy seated on a retaining wall among newly planted black-mulch garden beds in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
New perennial planting across the terraced front yard.
Wide view of terraced front-yard garden beds with black mulch and young plantings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The planted hillside in context with the neighboring homes.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · Residential garden

Hillside Front-Yard Planting

A steep urban front yard organized into mulched planting areas within the existing retaining walls.

Katy seated on a retaining wall among newly planted black-mulch garden beds in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
New perennial planting across the terraced front yard.
Wide view of terraced front-yard garden beds with black mulch and young plantings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The planted hillside in context with the neighboring homes.
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