When I installed the green driveway in April, I did two more things to benefit my garden: I installed an irrigation field (also known as an infiltration gallery) from the downspout, so that rainwater could be stored and percolate into my front yard, and I had them build me a box garden, 1′ wide and all along the length of the fence down the middle of the shared yard — about 24′ long. You can see the pics at the link above. In it and elsewhere, I planted many, many vegetables—and they’ve done so well, I have to share photos!

A baby courgette!
Another baby courgette – probably Delicata
Tomatos, but also I see Morning glory in there
A mid-yard cucurbit – probably cucumber but not necessarily
A melon! Cantaloupe, specifically
Glorious growth!
Pickling cucumbers and a grape vine trained against the median fence
Pepper plant from the garden giveaway
A mature pepper plant from the Ville plant giveaway
More courgette flowers
Beans (successive plantings), Swiss Chard, and kale grow all season long
One of my many tomato plants
Finally, a good and large zucchini

I would be remiss to not mention the ground cherries. I bought many of these plants as seedlings from the company that helped me with the driveway work, and they specialize in urban potagers. So compared to starting things from seed, it’s greater expense, but it’s a jump on the growing season. The reward: I have quite a large bush of them this year.

One other factor about this incredible growth and harvest: I applied a lot of chemical fertilizer this year. Previous years, it was only compost. I’m a little disappointed that it is such a necessity, but it actually is.