My garden is a 4‑year‑old food garden at a rental property. The backyard used to be a twist of out‑of‑control bougainvillea and lawn, but within the first three months I hand‑clipped the bougainvillea back and cleared the ground for planting. Another three months later, I had a veggie garden established. Since then, I’ve worked within the limitations of renting and planted a mix of annual and perennial edibles.
Over the seasons, I’ve learned that the annuals don’t survive the extreme summer heat, while the perennials remain unscathed. Against my original intentions, I began planting more and more fruit trees in the ground, and their growing shade is now helping protect the rest of the garden. If I owned this property, I would add swales, rainwater tanks, and other permanent structures to create a better microclimate for the vegetables.
