home > article > Vegetables in the Front Yard

Masher

Vegetables in the Front Yard

• by Laura
• Leave a comment (5 so far)

A couple of years ago, my family moved to a smaller house on a small plot of land, the events of which are chronicled in my book The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken. Even if you haven't read the book, you can probably guess why we'd do it. Partly the influence of Italy, where people live in smaller spaces. But surely even more it was that search for that slippery ideal known as simplicity and less stress. Can't say for sure that we've achieved it. That's another post. Or maybe another book.

In the meantime, son number two ran into my office today, the first day of spring, and threw a clump of flowery weeds and its muddy rootball at my feet. He giggled and ran out. It was a seven-year-old's prank, and he was delighted with himself. I picked it up and was taken by the wonderful smell of spring's wet earth and envious of children who get to spend time messing around on the grass.

Now that we're here a while in this new place, we are thinking about the garden and land around us. The backyard is quite shady but the front yard gets full sun. My dear neighbor and friend suggested we dig up the front lawn and plant a vegetable garden. We're ready. Maybe even offend the rest of the block with raggedy tomato plants right in full display a few feet from the sidewalk.

I pledge, today, on the first day of spring, to do this. And I'm thinking about the gardens I saw all over Liguria where fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers all mingled quite beautifully in the front yard.  I will plant borage for my ravioli, and true tender Genoese basil for pesto.  To give myself inspiration, I watched this video about edible estates, an organization that says it's attacking the American front lawn.  Count me in.

--Laura

http:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7JgenD4fdw

--LS

Tell a friend about this article: