I’m very grateful for this blog to be able to go back in time to see photos and dates. In 2004 when we moved in, the garden was weeds that covered river rock planter beds. Visit Garden Redesign 2017-2019 to see how we changed the garden and added planter beds made from black locust limbs that won’t rot.

Now, in 2026, we are ripping out the black locust to replace beds with thick-slab milled redwood. The beds will be taller with better wire to keep out the gophers. We are also planning a 7 ft. pathway to fit a tractor.

Redwood planter beds constructed at the home of our friend and handyman, Rich Wilhelmsson in Boulder Creek, CA.

March 8: Will, Teddie, and Emma cut up locust logs, hauled them to the driveway, and transplanted Valerian. Rich showed up with his drone to take aerial shots for his design map.

March 22: Our farmhand Will Burke dug out planter beds and hauled the dirt to the chicken coop. The chickens were so happy to play in the dirt and eat bugs.

March 23: Rich came over to map out 1/3 of the space. He laid out a string line with a seven foot pathway through the center. We are going to have a small Kubota tractor haul in composted horse manure from the Compost Bunker to fill the beds. We will hire Darren with Small Tractor Services to periodically come over to turn the manure and fill the planter beds. Rich and I also flagged the space for the boxes.

March 28: Teddie and Emma worked all day to move soil and remove wire.

Rich brought over 5 of the boxes he built for this 1/3 of the garden.

March 29: Another day of digging. This time we moved dirt to build up pads for the boxes in a lower section of the garden. The pathways will be filled with wood chips.