We got ourselves a garden

A few weeks back, during our long, cold spring, I joked to some friends that I was susceptible to saying yes to anything that involved key summer-related words. Boats. Picnics. Lakes. I was so ready for those warm-weather activities - really, just warm weather - that I was ready to fill my summer schedule with them.

One of those words was garden, but this is no impulsive whim. I've wanted a nice space for vegetables for a long time. I've tried my hand at herbs in pots and flowers in window boxes over the past few summers, with mixed successes, but limited sunlight and space mean that I can't do much more than that.

But this summer will be different! I found out about community garden plots available at a local rec center for neighbors without yards or gardens of their own. I talked it over with Josh, we decided to sign up, and in a lucky turn, we got the last space available out of the 50 that were created earlier in the spring. We have a garden! Yahoo!

We scouted out our space last night. This will serve as a "before" picture. The two plots that Josh is scrutinizing are ours. I think he is thinking about where he will put all of the chili peppers he wants to grow.

I think we will plant this weekend (or next week, depending on the weather). Our CSA vegetable box will still be arriving weekly in the summer, so we wanted to plant vegetables that we could either 1) never get enough of or 2) freeze for the cooler months.

Here are our ideas:

• Tomatoes
• Basil (lots)
• Chili peppers (a few kinds) for cooking, roasting and freezing
• Green beans
• More herbs (mint will stay at my house and away from this garden)

Now I need your help! I've already gotten great guidance from some master gardeners around me, but I know there are more of you lurking out there. What else is fun to plant? What tips do you have for a first garden? What do you wish you would've known when you started gardening? And if you could have one vegetable all summer long, what would it be?