When Betty moved into her unfinished house in May, 2009, it sat amid dirt and rocks. To the rescue came Green View Building and Design’s Alexa Venturini, who designed and planted the front flower garden of native species and also designed the raised-bed vegetable garden that lies below a partially blasted rock formation. She placed the vegetable garden adjacent to the study, using the west side of the house and the rock as enclosure on two sides and fencing the rest with cedar and wire. The fence keeps out deer, but chipmunks and a female snapping turtle present annual challenges, and there’s perpetual learning re pests and pestilence. Betty grows mostly from seeds and solely tends the 19 raised beds that produce delectable vegetables through late fall. “Crop rotation” this year meant re-thinking where to plant in May and early June. On your visit, look for early leafing from many of the following: green beans, black & cannellini beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, varieties of lettuce, watermelon, parsnip, peas, zucchini, acorn & butternut squash.

View the Wojtusiak garden.

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