In the macro, gardening is reactive. Perhaps the genesis, in USA, is the bit of landscaping installed at new homes. A lawn, and bushes, with a tree. Lots of lawn to cut, bushes chosen typically grow 2 stories tall yet are sited at the home's foundation, serious pruning needed yearly once grown, and hopefully the tree wasn't sited where it will crack the drive or walkway. . Reactive landscapes. . Studying historic landscape across Europe for decades it only took the 1st tour to understand how deeply reactive USA landscaping is. Gardens in Europe are proactive in the layers, described above, and often in layers unconsidered, in the macro, in USA. More than proactive about plant choices, they're proactive almost as a civic duty to the community, their immediate neighbors, and in stewardship to whoever may live in their home next, also themselves. . Personally, vegetable gardens nailed me as a reactive gardener in my 20's. Still makes me smile at the thought of those-days. What was I thinking? . A few proactive choices for your potager & orchard. No orchard? No worries. A single fruit tree, to my way of thinking, is an orchard. Pic, above, here. Best to begin with the expensive proactive choices, above/below. Once seen, but not afforded, it's a joy discovering how other gardeners take inspiration, often surpassing expensive choices in aesthetics & function. Pic, above, here. Pic, above, here. Pic, above, here. Pic, above, here. Pic, above, here. Pic, above, here. Pic, above, here. Pic,above, here. Pic, above, here. Pic, above, here. . Before the accoutrements, above, get your garden soil properly amended. Earlier this month, went to a client's on a Tuesday, and they could not wait for one of our team to get to their small potager that Saturday. I had taken pics and made a list for our man. Priority soil. Theirs was chunky red clay, and needs tilling with granite grit, or river sand. Saw that potager yesterday. Planted with vegetables and herbs, chunky red clay threaded with potting soil churned by her local garden center. No good. I'll be proactive before fall vegetables are planted, making sure their soil is amended properly. Garden & Be Well, XO T
