In case you missed Erich and Liz’s garden this spring, you will have a second chance this August, as part of the fall Montavilla Gardens Tour. In Erich’s words, “I’ve been gardening solo since I bought my house in 2013, but this past September my best gardening friend, Liz, moved in and we’re going wild! Beyond growing veggies year-round for our own consumption, we’re selling surplus to neighbors and friends to help payoff the greenhouse and fund future gardening expansions.
Erich explains, “You’ll see two distinct gardening styles around the house:
- Wild polyculture — Liz broadcasts seeds into her beds with wild abandon all year round and thins as plants become established. This creates a dynamic landscape of veggies, flowers, herbs and medicinals — all finding and occupying their own perfect niche.
- High-density and layered planting — I have been building up the soil around my house for five years, so have a solid 12 inches of rich dark hummus to plant in. Since I continue adding organic materials throughout the year, I am able to grow many plants in close proximity. In the space that may ordinarily be occupied by one tomato plant, I have three tomatoes, pole beans (to grow up the tomato and add nitrogen to the soil), radishes and cilantro. I’m also into cramming lots of fruit trees in small spaces, storing rainwater in my mulch pathways and discovering exciting new edibles that thrive in our climate!”
Erich and Liz look forward to opening their gardens to you all!
