Today garden bloggers the world-over are celebrating International Kitchen Garden Day by posing in front of a white house (any white house) with edibles in hand to make a photographic statement directed at the next President of the USA: "We're eating the view and so should you!" You can check it out here.
Because I'm a loner, a rebel, and just don't play by the rules, I instead went and sought out a white house with a kitchen garden in the DC area that could act as a direct example of what can be done with a little effort. I did not have to search far -- almost exactly 3 miles due north of the White House, I found this enterprising homeowner who has transformed their entire front yard to vegetable beds. They also used the whole side yard and a good portion of their paved back yard for an elevated squash vine bower. 
What makes this even more impressive is the fact that next door is the police department and an animal hospital. Also, they front onto a busy street used by multiple bus lines. So besides all the cars, trucks, bikes, baby strollers, etc. that pass by, their are many busloads of elevated folks looking right down into this patch of edible Eden each hour of every day. They are great examples, not just for the next President, but also for the entire neighborhood.
Awwhh. This reminds me of my Grandad's kitchen garden. I remember a lot of summers helping him hoe and weed out there. And I remember a lot of squash and tomatoes straight out the garden. I also remember my Grandma trying to sneak watermelon into one of the rows, and my Grandad pulling it up as soon as he saw it. Lots of good family memories came out of that garden.
ReplyDeleteFire - what was your grandpas main problem with watermelon? Surely with all that squash he could spare a little room? Personally, if I could have watermelon year-round, that might be all I'd grow.
ReplyDeleteGrandad just hated watermelon. Considered it a pernicious weed. He'd snatch it of the ground and throw it over the fence as far as he could. And then give it a mean look in case it got any funny ideas about coming back. My Grandma's father was a watermelon farmer, and she loved it. So they'd have their thing - her sneaking it in, and him pulling it as soon as he found it. Probaby one of the very few things they found to fuss about in 54 years.
ReplyDelete