The view from the window in mid April doesn’t tell much about the plantings, but if you look closely you will see a few cut up log pieces along the back of the garden. Our neighbors had a tree come down and shared their logs with us. The Hugel has begun. The Hugel is our hugelkultur effort to control standing water in the garden. We’ll see how it works.
May arrives with the green of spring. It looks like plants have survived the winter, and the Hugel is taking shape with additional logs collected from friends.
Towards the end of May you get a clear idea of the construction of the Hugel.
A mere month later and the view from the window shows that the Hugel logs are covered by 8 yards of a soil and compost mix, and Mr. Demers and his crew have put in a beautiful stone wall to turn the practical, functional Hugel into a beautiful space. Additional soil was spread in front of the stone wall to help correct the grade, and aid in drainage. Also, again, notice carefully the bed to the right where several heucheras have been planted. The bed and the curves have been enlarged, allowing for a few new plants.
Another month has passed during which we did not do too much, because we were also busy all month with the kitchen/bath/laundry room renovation. However, we could not let a month go by without a bit more progress. Hence the enlargement and curves of the river birch bed and the weeping cherry bed. As usual, we used the lasagna method. Curves will need to be refined, and perhaps a little more widening of the beds.
What will have been accomplished by the end of August? All interior work will have been done. Maybe we will have figured out how to handle the area in front of the stone wall. We are not done yet. Well, a garden is never done, is it?
I didn’t know of what you speak – Hugel? – but Google helped me out. I have a big brush pile in the “back 40” that ordinarily I would deliver to the county compost site. But now I am thinking of using it in my raised beds. I am learning SO MUCH from the Garden Blogger Flingers!
Oh my it is looking so much more like a garden…your garden. I like the way the Hugel is turning out. I hope it keeps the water at bay as you hope it does. I so admire stone walls. I would like to have one. Stone is so expensive here. We were in the Dakotas a few weeks ago. The farmers have huge piles of stones and even boulders they hope people would take away. If only we lived closer. Happy gardening.
Lisa – Today I am celebrating the 2 inches of rain that has fallen the last 36 hours. I am hoping it is really setting up the hugel – not only trapping the rain, but soaking the logs so that irrigation of the plants I want to add will not be necessary. The hugel is intended to offer a double benefit. Less standing water, and less irrigation needed.
bitten – The Minneapolis trip was so educational! It was great to meet so many skilled gardeners and get so many new ideas. I assume you found hugelkultur on Google. This permaculture technique will (I hope) provide me with two benefits – less standing water in the garden, and less irrigation needed.
All this inspires me! After my new entry is finished, the ground needs to be graded to carry rainwater away from it. I’m hoping to have it done in curves, perhaps hard to do in such a small space, about 20 feet from (straight) lot line with a rectangular house on south side, straight road opposite, on North; straight and short driveway bordering the side – and I need parking space within this small rectangle, but you make me undedrstand that space needn’t be strictly rectangular, only big enough for a good-sized car. Thanks!
I love the stone wall to give your Hugel garden a more formal look. What a great way to deal with your high water table issues.