Typing hurts my hands. My thumbs cramp, and my biceps and back ache like they haven’t since college, when I’d go from months of sitting to full days of hard work on my parents’ farm. This past week I must have moved what felt like tons of rocks, dirt, trunks and branches. I’m in real pain — but it’s the kind that comes from making progress.
Why spend my days hauling heavy things around the property? Because spring has arrived, and I’ve been clearing land and creating cottage gardens. Even though our mountain cottage doesn’t have siding yet and we’re still living in an 8×12 shed, I couldn’t wait to get outside after my partner’s oldest brother helped with some finishing work. His visit energized me, and the day he left I dove into the gardens.
Yes, I know I pushed myself too hard. I know I shouldn’t have. But when you’ve spent all winter in a tiny cabin, the urge to be outside and work the soil is almost irresistible. The land here is wild and will run rampant with weeds and thorns if not tended now. I wanted to get my hands in the dirt and start shaping the space.
I’m So Very Happy About It All
Welcome to my cottage gardens. If you’ve been following our land-buying and building journey, you know we started piling large rocks on the property shortly after we moved in. There’s no shortage, and I knew those stones would make a beautiful border for garden beds. This spring I finally had the chance to put them to use.
I’ve been loading rock, hauling rock, dumping rock and arranging them — sometimes smashing fingers in the process — to form borders for the future garden beds. It’s back-breaking work, but the results are charming. These beds run along the south and west sides of the house and will eventually overflow with annuals, self-seeding herbs, flowers and a mix of vegetables. I can’t wait to fill these spaces creatively.
There’s also a beautiful L-shaped, stone-lined bed by the parking area and driveway that I plan to fill with perennials and to expand further into the yard. For now, however, we’re in survival mode, so the full vision will have to wait. This season the cottage garden beds will focus on vegetables we’ll eat and preserve through the summer.
Although building the rock-lined beds was a lot of work, most of my soreness actually comes from the kitchen garden project. I’ve long wanted a garden right off the kitchen to grow herbs, salad greens, cucumbers, peas and other summer vegetables. Turning that idea into reality has been intense — especially the hugelkultur beds.
A Sneak Peek Into My Kitchen Garden
The hugelkultur beds have demanded hefty effort, but I’m excited by the layout and potential. Here’s an early view of how it’s shaping up. If I survive the build, this garden will deserve its own post and a video to show the full process.
For today, I’m delighted to say the cottage gardens are in. The stonework gives them a finished, cozy look, and soon I’ll be planting seeds. My back may protest now, but when the beds bloom and the first harvests arrive, I’ll know it was worth every sore muscle.