New vegetable plot - planning the summer crop

When I first moved here, there was a strip of land that ran the length of the drive behind the six houses. At the far end, where the strip was narrowest, two of the houses had built retaining walls and planted raised flower beds. The remainder was a wildlife corridor with three sycamores and an ash with scrub beneath.

Later the house behind ours was sold, the new neighbours paid for the trees to be removed (two of the sycamores were too close to their house) and erected a wooden fence along the boundary. Bit by bit, my neighbours also built retaining walls and cultivated flower beds until the patch outside my house was the last bit of natural habitat. I kept the saplings down and encouraged a buddleia which was covered every summer with bees and butterflies.

While I was living in London, I had a little patch outside my flat where I grew vegetables and flowers and I've had a few attempts since I have been back, but the past two summers have been cool and damp with little sun. The front garden is ornamental and, until last October, in deep shade most of the day from the trees bordering the garden - not ideal for vegetables.

The patch at the back of the house, though, basks in the sun nearly the whole day. It's quieter at the back and I enjoy having the garage open and messing about with projects in the yard. This Spring, I took the plunge and had the patch cleared and terraced. Plenty of room for growing and I could build in some natural habitats for creatures.

The terraces and retaining walls in place creating a plot about 10ft tapering to 7ft by 20ft.

I am really pleased with the terracing and the steps - trying to do anything on the slope as it was, was perilous. I have a bamboo infestation from next door which will need constant vigilance, a strong arm and an axe, and there are about four or five stumps to work around, but nothing too terrible. The earth is clay and we've added home-made compost and the lighter, bought compost from numerous redundant pots and planters.

Page from my gardening notebook showing sun and shade through the day. The terraced area is at the bottom.

My neighbour and I had great fun chatting about the planting. She's a keen gardener and usually grows some vegetables. She's waiting for a hip operation, so this year she is confined to looking and chatting. Fortunately, she has an on the whole low maintenance garden with trees and shrubs, but she's missing going out and pottering for an hour or two.

It's late for planting seeds this year, so I'm buying plug plants from Victoriana Nursery and potatoes from Organic Gardening.

As well as the usual tomatoes, aubergines, peppers and beans. I'm looking forward to growing asparagus, cardoons and globe artichokes for the first time. I love their architectural look, although I think I will have to add some sand to the soil. If you have any experience of growing these, do let me know your stories.