Spring has sprung and so has my garden! I cannot wait to make some amazing fresh dishes this summer. One of my favorite things about living in Wake Forest is our yard. Corey built me 4 raised beds last year for our first successful garden. We had soooo many plants though I felt we were sort of wasteful. Although I did share them are much as possible. Anyway, this year I decided to only plant the things that I felt we will actually eat regularly.

Of course we wanted to keep growing tom’s & cuc’s because we constantly are buying those and they are delish! Anyone else grow up on tomato sandwiches ?? (just add bread and dukes mayo, NOM). Jalapenos, banana, and green peppers are another repeat from last year. I love having some spice to add to a dish. I also brought back Okra as it was a favorite of ours last year. So excited for all the veggies to start growing! New this year we have added Swiss chard which I am super excited about because it is such a pretty plant with its colorful stalks, but it is also packed with vitamins and nutrients. Another new addition this year = strawberries!!! Ginny has already gotten into them once so we shall see how long those last.. (damn dog)

On top of just eating clean and healthy, I love to plate my dishes with pretty garnishes that add lots of flavor — so herbs are a must for me. This year I have parsley, cilantro, basil, thyme, rosemary, and mint. I also planted some flowers to give some extra pops of color and also keep the mosquitoes away!

Lavender & marigolds are spread through out and guess what?!? They are also edible!!! Marigolds are slightly spicy and is referred to as the poor mans saffron. Lavender is a great garnish for drinks or added to a dessert. I also have a box rose bush and recently found out those are edible as well!! Who knew so many flowers were edible?! There are actually ALOT! Last year we had squash growing and the blossoms are incredible. Stuffed with some ricotta and bake. OMG YUM! Squash bugs freak me out though so I decided not to plant those this year. Pansies are another super cute garnish for food or drink!

I can’t wait to continue sharing my summer garden journey with you all! Let me know if you have any tips for gardening! I always love advice and feedback. Xoxo