Spring has fully arrived in Upstate New York, and this first week of May 2025 brought the kind of rain that gardeners dream about. With soft, consistent showers soaking the soil, it’s been the perfect setup for some major progress on our backyard garden project. From building raised beds to transplanting herbs, flowers, and veggies, this weekend has been both productive and grounding.
🌧️ Rainy Weather That Worked in Our Favor
Unlike the heavy storms that tend to wash everything out, this weekend’s rain came just right — light, steady, and ideal for root development. The moisture made the freshly turned soil perfect for transplanting young plants, and it brought a noticeable greening to the lawn and surrounding trees.
🛠️ Garden Build Progress: Raised Beds & Lattice Panels
As you can see in the photos, the new raised garden area features wood-framed beds backed by lattice walls, which serve both function and beauty:
- Improved soil control in each bed
- Vertical support for climbing plants like cucumbers and pole beans
- Aesthetic structure that defines the garden space beautifully
Solar lights were staged for installation and seating was added to make the space inviting and usable during evening hours. Gravel paths help with drainage and make the space easy to move around, even after a rainy day.
🌿 Herb Bench: Parsley, Cilantro, Lettuce & More
One of my favorite additions this weekend was repurposing a white metal bench to host our potted herb garden. We planted:
- Curly parsley
- Flat-leaf parsley
- Cilantro
- Leaf lett
- Strawberries (not technically an herb, but they fit right in)
This herb station will stay mobile in pots for now, making it easier to move between shade and sun as needed.
🌸 Flower Installations: Hanging Baskets & Perennial Beds
We also installed hanging baskets full of vibrant petunias, verbena, and yellow bidens, adding a splash of color against the wood trellising.
Out front, the flower bed along the walkway received its first round of lilies, a young Japanese maple, and pink rose bushes. These selections are deer-resistant and thrive in partial sunlight, which is perfect for our wooded location.
🌱 Seed Starting Station & Soil Prep
A black tray filled with seed plugs sits prepped with markers for upcoming planting — a mix of heirloom veggies and companion flowers will be started this week.
We also brought in a full load of organic soil (as seen in the wheelbarrow), hand-turned into each raised bed and prepped for direct sowing.
🎯 Goals for the Rest of May
By mid-May, we plan to:
- Transplant tomatoes and peppers into the beds
- Add trellising wire to the lattice for cucumbers
- Lay out solar lights and irrigation soaker lines
- Begin training vining flowers to climb the trellis walls
This garden is designed to be low-maintenance but high-output, focusing on herbs, vegetables, and flowering plants that can thrive together.
🧠 Lessons From This Weekend
- Start small, but build smart — raised beds and trellis walls are a solid investment
- Rain is a blessing if you’ve already done your prep
- Repurpose with purpose — benches and containers don’t have to be traditional planters
- Design for enjoyment — the seating and lights make the space usable, not just functional
📍 Closing Thoughts
This garden space is a work in progress, and I’m enjoying every minute of it. May is one of the best months to get your hands in the dirt, and the payoff is already showing. If you’re thinking about starting a backyard project, don’t wait for perfection — start with what you have, where you are, and let nature do the rest.