How does your garden grow?

Growing up as a kid, I always remember my grandma out in the garden, taking care of the beautiful vegetables that she would make delicious meals with.

I would help her pump the water from the well into buckets, and carry them down to the garden to water the plants.  

I remember all the work and love she put into her garden, and knew when I had a yard, that I wanted to grow tomatoes and peppers just like her.  

My grandma's garden was huge, she had all kinds of vegetables in it.  It was so big, that she canned the items that we couldn't eat, and they lasted until the next summer.  

While searching around on the Internet I found these beautiful and inspiring  gardens  I would love to have a huge space to grow several varieties of vegetables, herbs and fruit.

Aren't they gorgeous?  I want them.  For the past 3 years, I have had a very small garden with tomatoes, garlic and peppers.  This year, I only have tomatoes and garlic.  Of course I have my basil and rosemary, but it's much smaller this year than in the past.  I didn't realize how much work even a small garden can be.  I wonder how my tiny, little grandma could take care of the garden she had, all by herself.  Planting the plants is the easy part, taking care of it, is the hard part.  Watering it, pulling the weeds, tying up the tomatoes, pulling the weeds more, it's hard work, and the larger the garden, the more work!

Here is my little garden.

 I have 4 tomato plants this year, Mr. Stripy's, they are so yummy on sandwiches!

20 garlic plants, that probably won't last me until next summer.  Luckily my uncle has a garden and has enough to get me through.

D eats the cherry tomatoes right off of the vine, as soon as they turn red, they are his!

There is nothing better than vegetables straight from your garden.  You know how they have been grown, what was used to keep the bugs off of them, and how much love was given to them to grow!    When you walk into a grocery store, what do you know about that produce?  Not much right?  I feel much safer feeding my family fresh, homegrown food that they love and are good for them, than buying from the grocery store.

You don't have to have land to grow your garden.  Buckets, barrels, and pots can be used to grow your fruits, vegetable or herbs.  If there's a will, there's a way.  Use your imaginations and grow some delicious love!