Blenheim Street Garden

When you see the two planter boxes of corn bordering the front sidewalk to a house, you know something more is going on in the front yard. I seem to remember seeing these boxes (only one of which is pictured here) on display at the "Backyard Bounty Market" (see my blog of October 2) held in September as part of the Dunbar Harvest Festival, but the corn plants were greener and more attractive then.


The front yard garden is not easily seen from the sidewalk, so my apologies for the inadequate photo. However, the garden is still thriving in late October; there is a keen gardener here.

At least some of the raised beds appear to built from recycled wood, especially the one in the left corner, perhaps from a drawer or a shelf unit? This is certainly fine to do (I've done it myself), and since we gardeners often change our minds about the design of our gardens, it is practical since little cost is involved. In order to be extra safe growing food, things to avoid are lead paints/varnishes, particle board, laminated wood from Ikea cast-offs, "treated" lumber, creosote finishes, maybe more. Our throw-away culture results in many items discarded in the lanes, and all the demolitions produce even more potential finds. We see this too often in our Dunbar neighbourhood: