It looks like you have about 180 square feet. You might want to reconsider the pumpkins as a few pumpkin plants can take up all that space. Tomatoes can also get huge given good conditions. You could use the fence as a trellis for the cucumbers. Zucchini will take up about 25 square feet. With the corn to get good germination you'll need at least a 5x5 block unless you hand germinate them. My experience is that the bigger the block of corns the better.

The only problem I have had with plants species together is the shade factor. if you plant tomatoes in front of peppers, etc. the smaller plants will be in the shadow of the larger plants in the prime of the season. It is really important to document the path the sun takes. In the areas that get the most sun per day, you will want to plant your full sun requiring plants, ie tomatoes, peppers, and of course keeping in mind which plants will grow to cast a shadow on the smaller plants. gj has good advice too, be careful on planting squash, melons, vining plants as they WILL take over your garden. and definitely use the fencing for climbing plants like snow peas, pole beans, cucumbers etc. Will save you from a lot of trellis building later on. Good luck on your garden..

I would skip the corn and the pumpkins in a limited space. Your space isn't small, but it also isn't particularly big enough for the monster growers. Strawberries are there year after year, so you can free up some space in your vegetable garden by putting them in a permanent bed. Mine are along the side of the house as under-planting for shrubs. (Which happen to be blueberries.) It your summers are warm, it may be too hot for lettuce.

You are going to need paths between your rows or beds as well, which will take up a bit more space. 12" wide should be enough. Depending on your size, most folks are able to reach into 4' beds. Some people can do 5'.

I would not really worry about companion planting this year -- just start greening up your thumb. To do your layout, I would cut up some post-it notes and play with it like a puzzle. So many 2'x2' squares for individual (determinate!) tomato plants, etc.

If you want a LOT of plants, be sure to pick compact varieties. But mostly for your first year, I would grow whatever the common varieties are in your area. An older local gardener will know, or the local farmer's co-op if you have one. That way you are starting with varieties proven to perform in your area instead of not knowing if a plant is dying to lack of care, too much care, or just inappropriateness.

I would also send off for a soil test. Your county agricultural extension agent/office can tell you how. Sometimes they are free; sometimes they cost a little bit. It's just $7 here, and worth it in helping remove guesswork on improving your soil

Melissa...I went to your web site...very nice photography! It seems you are very busy with that. I would say think small rather than trying to fill the entire space this first year. Seems like you are in New England...summers can be hot and humid. Definitely grow tomatoes...home grown, they are so delicious. Even though pumpkins take up a very large space, they are low maintenance and fun after harvest. Lettuce and basil may be successfully grown in containers and moved to shady areas when the heat comes on. Forget corn and celery. Grow some green beans and a few cukes that will trellis on your fence. Most of all enjoy and take plenty of wonderful photographs and post them here for us to enjoy also

Thank you all for the great advice! Lonmower, I will be sure to keep an updated photo record of the progress and post here as well as my blog: http://melissacoephotography.blogspot.com/

We just tilled the ground today and added some manure, peat, old dried up leaves, bone & blood meal. I did a soil test and I was low in every area, acidity, phosp. nitro & I forget the other one. But there were basically no nutrients there!

I will hopefully be planting tomorrow and I can't tell you how excited I am!!! I would have gone out there tonight if I wasn't so tired from all the work today and the fact that it's pitch dark!

Here is a link that might be useful: http://melissacoephotography.blogspot.com/

Just updated the blog with pics:

http://melissacoephotography.blogspot.com/2011/05/let-gardening-begin-planting-day-one.html

Here is a link that might be useful: http://melissacoephotography.blogspot.com/2011/05/let-gardening-begin-planting-day-one.html

I just posted a progress report on my blog!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: http://melissacoephotography.blogspot.com/2011/06/garden-week-two.html