"Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder." - E.B. White

When you visit my kitchen garden, you might notice a wide mix of objets d'art; a stone sculpture named Autumn, a relic from my grandmother's garden; a rustic hand-hewn trellis bought on a whim, and now wish I had bought two. A bevy of whimsical geese forms a backdrop for wild poppies.

Stopping to pause, to look more closely, to find that sweet spot in the landscape for a comfy bench, or build an arbor for the birds to perch, and climbing roses to ramble, this is how I start my garden season. Planting the garden happens only after I have everything in place.

Similar to preparing a mis en place when preparing a meal, I'm always thinking about blending flavors and fragrance, yet also setting the stage with elements that bring everything together in unexpected ways.

Once a very practical gardener, when I tended a four-acre market garden, the idea of taking away precious growing space for pleasure did not exist. Yet now, my smaller kitchen garden has become an extension of my home, where I make it more inviting for myself, and others to visit.

Adding style and personality to the garden adds to the feeling of comfort and sanctuary. Keep finding fresh ways to turn work into play. Grow a beautiful food garden, an edible painting just outside your kitchen door.

As Always,
Ellen Ecker Ogden

www.ellenogden.com
Author of The Complete Kitchen Garden and The New Heirloom Garden. Designs, Books, and Classes For Gardeners Who Love to Cook.

Cookbook Writing Class Starts on May 6th

My kitchen garden is filling with cold-hardy herbs, salad greens, perennial chicories. Like a well-timed symphony, the peas are emerging just as the rosy red knobs of rhubarb stridently push upwards. Soon, I'll be baking ginger rhubarb pie, and rhubarb strudel to give to neighbors. Cooking from the garden gives me that glass-half-full kind of feeling.

Starting May 6th, my next cookbook writing class begins. How to Write a Family Cookbook is a six-week online series, taught on Zoom. It covers all the basics to get you started collecting your best recipes and designing your own cookbook for family and friends. The class is limited to 10 students, for lots of sharing and individual attention.

To learn more and sign up to reserve your spot, here's a link. Offering free introductory class as a primer.

"Life begins the day you start a Garden." – Chinese Proverb