a very small patch of dirt

i was supposed to be moving to my new, larger-balconied apartment this coming saturday. unfortunately, the folks who are currently living in that apartment changed their minds about moving, and while i would've been within my rights to have them booted out, the idea of pissing off total strangers who would then know exactly where i lived didn't really appeal to me, so i selected a different apartment: a ground-floor one bedroom tucked in a corner. it is quieter, has hardwood floors instead of carpets and most importantly, has a solidly decent-sized patio with an actual strip of dirt which the leasing agent tells me i can use to plant "anything i want."

though there are a lot of folks who are having trouble understanding why i would willing trade a gorgeous view of trees and ponds and rolling grass, i am elated by my little walled-in sanctuary. i can hardly believe my luck. dirt. actual dirt.

the new apartment isn't available until mid-december, but that just gives me more time to plan what plant where. here are a few things i have to keep in mind:

- the patio itself gets full afternoon sun, but the planting bed is behind a wall so will spend most if not all of the day in shade
- the apartment is built on landfill, so it's probably safest to confine edibles to pots where i can have better control of the soil

space is very limited so i'll need to choose carefully. i love this part.