I made a kind of drastic move a couple of weeks ago. Our foundation used to be hidden by shrubs, the kind that are of no benefit to wildlife and need pruning otherwise they look awful. The back side of our house gets very, very hot, because it faces southwest. What better place, I thought, to grow heat-loving tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. 
So out went the shrubs. I called the man who mows our lawn and as luck would have it, he could deliver and spread 3 yards of lovely soil/compost mix where the shrubs used to be for just $20 a yard. A week later, the new soil was in place, awaiting plants. 
In another stroke of luck, this was just at the same time the soil finally warmed up enough to make tomatoes happy. So I bought a bunch of heirlooms and some paste tomatoes too, because I do love to make fresh pasta sauce. They should do well here, because it gets so darned hot. 
Just at the edge of the bed, some sunflowers from last winter’s bird feeding and some of my beloved verbena bonariensis are coming up. I have left little markers here and there so no one weed whacks them by mistake.
So I’ve gone from a hot, non-productive spot to prime veggie growing beds. So glad I did this! In case you were wondering, the shrubs are buddleia “Blue Chip,” a compact cultivar.
Digging RI 
Nicely done. Edible landscaping is the way to go.
LikeLike
Thanks, Andy. Maybe this will finally be my year for decent-sized eggplant.
LikeLike
Yeay Dirtynailz! Looks good and will taste good too.
LikeLike
Thanks Lib! I can’t believe how much better they’re growing in this new bed compared to last year. Gotta be the heat!
LikeLike
After my tear-out, I put in shrubs and trees. You’re putting in food. You’re going to eat better.
LikeLike
Not as decorative, though….
LikeLike
Maybe for decoration you can plant some pretty “green manure” like buckwheat once the tomatoes are good and established. Good for the soil and reduces the weeding I hear.
LikeLike
is it easy to turn under? Winter rye was a handful.
LikeLike
Great idea! You put the area to great use.
LikeLike
I’ll post again when the plants get big. They’re already much larger than when I wrote this post.
LikeLike
As to whether buckwheat is easy to turn under – I’ve had the seeds, but haven’t used them yet. I have vetch and wood sorrel that run rampant upon any unoccupied speck of dirt – so planting a cover crop has seemed redundant. But I plan to sow it as I dig up my potatoes – partly to see if it will bloom for the bees. I’ll let you know . . .
LikeLike
Please do. I gave up on rye because of its tenaciousness, but last winter I grew red clover, which was considerably easier to deal with in the spring.
LikeLike
You’re going to love it, dn. And having them so near the door is really convenient. Are you putting in some garlic and basil with those tomatoes?
LikeLike
those are already planted on the other side in one of the raised beds. Too bad I can’t grow mozzarella there, too…..
LikeLike