Designing and Building Your Own Dream Garden Is Possible with Kitchen Garden Academy

If you were to see my very first garden, you probably wouldn't imagine I'm someone who would go on to design and install hundreds of kitchen gardens and teach thousands of other gardeners how to DIY their own dream gardens.

It's not that I suddenly developed a Midas touch for creating garden spaces that are not only productive but also beautiful. It's that, through trial and error and many lessons learned, I created a system that can be applied to any outdoor space.

I built the Kitchen Garden Academy as a way to teach this system to others. Kitchen Garden Academy is not a one-size-fits-all-program. It's designed to help each person create a custom garden, one that's tailored to meet their needs and their goals.

Here are some of my favorite before and after pictures from our latest KGA students. They started out with all different levels of prior gardening experience and each graduated with the kitchen garden of their dreams.

Lilian's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Lilian had an unused space along this tall fence, where even grass struggled to grow, despite access to bright sunlight. Raised beds allow her to start fresh with great soil, the kind that fruits and veggies love growing in.

She used an arch trellis she already had to connect the two raised beds. I love how the light gravel makes the space feel so fresh and clean.

"Creating a vegetable garden is very easy with Nicole and KGA," Lilian says.

I'd say Lilian certainly made this transformation look easy!

Barbara's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Before joining Kitchen Garden Academy back in 2020, Barbara worried about how she'd build a garden on her sloped yard in New England. The solution proved to be a lot of work but oh, so worth it.

Barbara dug down to create a sunken garden with a level bottom.

Once the space was leveled and covered in gravel with some beautiful stepping stones, she was able to install four wood raised beds and her favorite arch garden trellis.

Barbara's garden now supports tons of herbs, flowers for the pollinators, and lush vines that bear the fruits of her labor.

"I loved being part of this group," Barbara says. "The knowledge, the step-by-step instructions, the support from other gardeners and Nicole and staff was invaluable. It’s more than just a garden, it’s a source of wonder and joy. It never disappoints, and when it does, there are solutions to explore and encouragement. It’s life changing."

The change she created in this space is unbelievable. The best part is Barbara has now gotten to enjoy her garden season after season!

Jennifer's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Once Jennifer's kids had outgrown their trampoline, she was ready to make that space hers.

There's a concept I always talk about with garden installation, and that's "worst first." What I mean by this is it's important to take the time to make sure the garden space is cleared and leveled before you add your raised beds and fill them with soil. Basically, you have to do all the hard work before you can get to the fun stuff, like planting.

Jennifer really took this to heart. She carefully cleared her space and laid down landscaping fabric to control weeds and grass before installing her garden.

Jennifer added more stepping stones to her garden to match the existing path. I love the extra touches in the garden like the metal name sign and the beautiful flower container.

"KGA is a wonderful guide and resource for reaching your personal kitchen garden goals," Jennifer says.

I wouldn't be surprised if Jennifer's garden is now someone else's kitchen garden goals.

Maggie's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Maggie didn't just decide to tackle this underutilized space. She DIY'd a total land and home renovation. First things first was giving these trees a little trim to get more sunlight into the future garden.

I mean... Look at this area now! Maggie created a space for native plants and rose bushes around the kitchen garden. She has a total of ten raised beds to grow all her favorite edible plants.

"We had the elbow grease," she said "but lacked the garden know how. KGA simplified the process from planning to harvest and equipped us with the tools and confidence we needed to make our family’s kitchen garden dreams come true."

So glad we could do our small part in making this incredible garden come to life!

Danette's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Bluebonnets and oak trees may love growing in this rocky native soil, but edible plants do not! Danette needed raised beds filled with great soil and drip irrigation to help her get through the summer dry spells.

Let there be color! This raised bed is the perfect blend of leafy greens, herbs, and multi-hued flowers.

Danette says, "My experience as a new gardener growing my own kitchen garden has been incredibly rewarding."

On our end, it's equally rewarding to watch our students bring about these incredible transformations.

Lisa's Kitchen Garden Before and After

We love a transformation from container garden to beautiful kitchen garden.

This picture is proof that Lisa is a star student. She did all the "worst first" when it came to clearing the garden space and installing her raised beds.

Lisa also clearly took good notes on my Intensive Planting method.

When asked about her experience with Kitchen Garden Academy, Lisa said, "It meets you wherever you are on your gardening journey! … No matter what you think you know or don’t know, it will help you, guide you, and grow your understanding. Totally worth it!"

I can’t believe how quickly Lisa went from a few containers to an overflowing kitchen garden. What do you think—should we give Lisa an A++ for this kitchen garden?

Lilian's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Lilian had this unused strip of land between her fence and the brick driveway. Just enough space for what we call a Border Garden, which can fit just about anywhere.

So many times we put off setting up a kitchen garden because we think we don’t have the "perfect spot", when there are so many spaces that could easily become the perfect and productive kitchen garden we’ve been dreaming about.

Lilian put down gravel and installed two wood raised beds.

Lilian put in the work and ended up with this incredible kitchen garden.

The only thing better than seeing her sitting proudly on the edge of her new raised beds will be seeing her harvest baskets packed with all the things she's grown herself!

Heather's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Where others might see an old concrete driveway and some grass, Heather saw a sunny spot for her future backyard oasis.

Heather lined her garden with metal edging and assembled her Corten steel raised beds. Corten steel arrives pre-weathered, which means it still has its bare steel finish. Over the next couple of months, these beds will turn a warm coppery brown color.

Every aspect of this garden is perfection, from the copper plant tags to the inviting seating arrangement. (Seeing her design reminds me that I've been wanting to add some chairs to mine!)

Heather says KGA is "a place to keep your motivation and learn from others' mistakes—when I shared my location and saw issues or problems I was met with encouragement and permission."

I'm so glad Heather found what she needed to create this new outdoor living space where she can sit back and relax, while also growing some of her own food!

Deborah's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Prior to joining Kitchen Garden Academy, Deborah's garden consisted of a mishmash of pots and containers next to the sun porch.

Deborah's garden is in the process of getting a major upgrade, including its very own backyard real estate, thanks to the team Deborah brought in to help her make her dream garden a reality.

Deborah's garden is now packed to the brim with plants!

"The placement, quality of plants, and the soil proved the decades of mistakes that I have made," Deborah says. "I wasted time and money on unproductive plants. In less than 6 weeks, I am harvesting food. At the price of fresh food, I am so pleased! And I know it is chemical free. If I have questions there are videos for that!"

It's been so much fun to watch Deborah's progress from beginning to harvest!

Marcia's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Marcia wanted a peaceful spot in her backyard, and she had plenty of space to devote to a large garden with twin raised beds front and center.

She enrolled in Kitchen Garden Academy to get the step-by-step instructions to make this kitchen garden happen. I'm thinking she definitely passed this course!

Seeing her beds overflowing with nasturtiums, kale, and snapdragons makes me want to go plant some more plants in my own garden.

KGA, Marcia says, is "an extraordinary course that supports you through every stage of planning a garden and growing a garden. Nicole’s books and courses gave me the tools and confidence I never dreamed I had!!"

I hope this garden brings Marcia peace for many growing seasons to come.

Caroline's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Caroline is a Kitchen Garden Academy student and also a friend from my college days! I think you'll agree with me that her backyard makeover is serious goals.

A new garden means you need a new fence and a fresh coat of paint on the house, right?

I love how Caroline's makeover completely transformed her space, but she didn't sacrifice any space where her kids could play.

We've certainly come a long way from our college days!

Patti's Kitchen Garden Before and After

What's the best way to hide a patch of dead grass?

Cover it with a raised bed. And go ahead and transform your entire yard while you're at it.

I love how Patti used both cinder blocks and wood to give her kitchen garden a one-of-a-kind look that really shows off all her plants and unifies her space.

I think Patti gets a big high five for this amazing kitchen garden transformation.

Patti has some advice for those anxious to DIY their own kitchen gardens: "Make a plan for your dream garden based on your space and what you want to grow. Start small and add on as your time, interest, and expertise increases." Regarding the course, she says, "So many great ideas can be overwhelming, but Nicole helps you break it down to increase your chance of success and happiness with your results."

There are certainly so many reasons to be happy with these results!

Glenda's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Glenda's about to transform this space in a way that makes me think I need to hire her for my own team.

Not much to see here. Only incredible progress underway.

Is this pro level or what? I wouldn't be surprised if Glenda's neighbor is inspired to add some raised beds to go with her wood trellises.

Glenda says, "Nicole led me step by step and gave me the confidence I needed to design and build my new garden boxes. I totally love having fresh greens to harvest every day! We used recycled deck wood to keep the price down. Her 103 soil mix has really made a difference in my ability to grow everything I’ve planted. From buying seeds to harvesting, I’ve had the support needed."

Glenda hit on what makes having your own kitchen garden feel so life-changing to me, and that's daily salad greens fresh from the garden. Here's to many leafy harvests in Glenda's future.

Sarah's Kitchen Garden Before and After

What can you create when you have a large blank canvas and a quaint white fence?

Sarah really had fun with raised bed shapes here. The central square bed is nestled between two keyhole beds, a shape that maximizes square footage but still allows the gardener to tend the middle of the bed without awkwardly stretching. She kept the symmetry going with two arch trellises.

Top off this kitchen garden design with a bench for seating and that sunset, and you've got yourself a little slice of heaven on Earth.

"Forget searching the web for hours," Sarah says. KGA "puts all the answers at your fingertips. Now I have a kitchen garden to share with my family that will hold up to the elements for years to come."

Michelle's Kitchen Garden Before and After

When your grass is struggling to hang in there with increasing water restrictions...

This is a great example of what I call removing plants we don't like (water-guzzling grass that contributes little to the ecosystem) to make way for plants we do like (plants that grow things we can eat, plants that serve as food sources for our pollinators).

As you can see, this was a pretty ambitious project.

But I think Michelle nailed it! This is a space where she can unwind, learn new things, and grow her favorite edible plants to bring into her kitchen. So much better than a patch of grass.

Michelle says, "You will get inspired, gain knowledge, and be encouraged until your garden is a reality!"

Honestly, Michelle's reality is an absolute dream!

Debbie's Kitchen Garden Before and After

You're probably sensing our bias here, but we live solidly in the camp that kitchen garden > grass.

Debbie went through Kitchen Garden Academy and I just love the transformation she created. "Kitchen Garden Academy helped me make my garden dreams come true! Building the kitchen garden of my dreams not only transformed my yard but it transformed my life. The step-by-step process and support of the KGA community has made gardening easy!"

Debbie certainly makes it look easy. Thanks to her for this incredible backyard transformation that shows us how the garden is just so much better than grass.

Andrea's Kitchen Garden Before and After

This tired old garden bed next to the back porch wasn't giving Andrea any motivation to get outside each and every day. But with so much shade cast by the trees on their lot, she couldn't possibly grow more plants, right?

"I was inspired by Nicole’s beautiful kitchen garden," Andrea says. She took our advice on how to pick the best location for your garden and how to determine which plants you can grow based on the amount of available sun. "Following the instructional videos and watching an actual installation in the Kitchen Garden course taught us everything we needed to know to choose a good location and design our kitchen garden. Our installation was completed 4/27/2022. By May 1, the beds were planted. By May 24, we harvested cherry tomatoes. By June 17, we were harvesting black-eyed peas. This year, 2023, we are harvesting cucumbers and green beans in April. What we learned about soil, timing, planting, and maintaining from Nicole made the difference."

And what a difference!

Adri's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Adri's transformation is proof that you can have snow one month...

...and a thriving kitchen garden the next!

"I really benefited from the step-by-step video modules and gained a lot of confidence by following those guidelines. Also, Nicole is so inspiring!" Adri says.

My favorite aspect of this garden is how the stone helps the space blend into its surroundings. This garden looks like it's always belonged here.

Ellen's Kitchen Garden Before and After

This little nook isn't good for anything except the composter and maybe a couple pots. Unless you have Ellen's vision.

Ellen says, "KGA gave me the courage to tackle this project." She grabbed the 6 x 6 U-shaped raised bed from Gardener's Supply, assembled it herself, and filled it with our recommended soil blend that we teach our students in KGA. "You will not believe the yield you get with good soil! After that, I used their fantastic guidance to plan for growing in Cool, Warm and Hot seasons, and planting according to the space requirements for each plant... The planning worked out so well that I was able to harvest and replant all year long, and keeping the garden full meant I had no room for weeds. In this small 6 x 6 garden at the base of my deck, I produced so many wonderful vegetables and herbs. I was pleasantly surprised with my winter crop!"

We're a little more than pleasantly surprised by this transformation that proves a garden can go anywhere!

Stephanie's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Despite being happy with her large backyard, Stephanie always dreamed of having her very own kitchen garden. "I had zero experience and thought it was not possible because I didn’t have a 'green thumb'," she says. "Turns out, it is possible for anyone."

Inside KGA, Stephanie found "a wealth of helpful information and inspiration... I learned so much, and it was exactly the resource I needed to make my garden dream come true. I now have my own little sanctuary, aka 'my happy place'. I recommend it to anyone looking for guidance, inspiration, and a kick start in the direction of their newest and joyous experience of gardening!"

Doesn't just looking at Stephanie's happy place make you feel happy?

Kelly's Kitchen Garden Before and After

When your available yard space is basically the size of most home lots...

...you can create your own outdoor room! Kelly has so much growing space here between the four raised beds and two large arch trellises.

"Great training resource!" Kelly says of KGA. "A wealth of information! Jump in if you enjoy or are interested in gardening."

Lisa's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Some people might be intimidated by building a garden in wide-open space, where any animal can just wonder right in.

Not Lisa though.

She just built a fence around the entire space. I can't wait to see the entrance gate covered in lush vines in the months to come.

"It’s an amazing source of information and tools," Lisa says of KGA. Lisa definitely utilized every resource and tool available to her to make this incredible space happen.

Lauren's Kitchen Garden Before and After

April ground clearing...

...brings May gardens.

Seriously, Lauren cleared her backyard and installed this garden in the time it took for the leaf buds to form on her trees! I can only imagine how beautiful and productive this space will be once it's all planted up. Is there such a thing as a new garden smell? If so, it's even better than new care smell!

Priscilla's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Priscilla had a beautifully landscaped little side yard here, but she wanted something more dynamic she could tend and harvest from on a weekly basis.

Priscilla had just enough room to design a Garden Trio of raised beds, joined by two stunning arch trellises.

I love an agave plant, but the amount of plants, colors, and textures Priscilla has now is really remarkable.

"A guide to all you need to know and make that transformation," she says about KGA.

Anne's Kitchen Garden Before and After

Anne went from having a front yard that was a bit of an eyesore...

...to something she should be proud to display. This space will be a topic of conversation when neighbors walk by. It's also a great space to entertain friends and family.

"It’s a very informative, simple, and approachable way to build your dream garden," Anne says. "It takes the overwhelm out of starting and empowers one to simply start with steps that create building blocks of information until you arrive at your perfect garden!"

Gardenary Can Help You Jump from Your Before to Your After!

Thanks so much to all of our KGA students for being a part of our Gardenary community and sharing their kitchen garden progress with us. You never know how the garden you’ve created can inspire someone else to create their own too! These before and afters show anyone who's interested in having a kitchen garden what's possible.