My name is Kerry and I live in Portland, Oregon. When I moved into my home eight years ago, the small side yards consisted of concrete and a chain-link fence. Over time, my husband and I replaced the fence and added green. We love our small garden!
A world of difference in this small space!
On the north side we painted gutters and window boxes and hung them on the fence. Here the strawberries growing in the painted gutters are beginning to produce.
The catmint (Nepeta × faassenii, Zones 4–8) growing in the window boxes on the fence is beautiful, and the hummingbirds and bees enjoy it too!
We planted a variety of succulents on the ground along the fence, which we divide as they grow. (This looks like it might be purple ice plant: Delosperma cooperi, Zones 5–9).
On the south side we built planter boxes, where we grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers. We added rain barrels for watering during Oregon’s dry summers.
To maximize growing space, we used hanging baskets, containers, and trellises. I enjoy all of the colors and scents as I walk by.
A nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus, annual) is in one of the hanging baskets.
‘Mr. Lincoln’ rose is a classic variety famous for its rich dark red color, beautiful shape, and strong fragrance.
We lined part of the fence with a small espalier apple tree. The tree is grafted so that each of the three rows is a different variety of apple. Our dog’s favorite is the Honeycrisp! (Want to learn more about making espaliers? Check out this article.)
We painted a wooden pallet, planted it with succulents, and positioned it on the back of the fence. The succulents spread to the surrounding area as well.
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
If you want to send photos in separate emails to the GPOD email box that is just fine.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
You don’t have to be a professional garden photographer – check out our garden photography tips!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.
Get our latest tips, how-to articles, and instructional videos sent to your inbox.