Garden Tour 2025

 This week instead of posting about wild forage plants the blog is going to cover some of the highlights of the 2025 garden tour which was on Sunday the 25th.

 

The day of the tour was the first day this California Poppy bloomed. California Poppies as their name suggests are native to California and one of the few species of true Poppies native to the USA.

This Dessert Kiwi which has been on this blog a few times has finally bore fruit and it was a feature of the Tour this year because of it.

Mexican Petunias bought their AAA game this year and although they wont be blooming until later in the summer they drew some attention.

The Bear's Breeches looked great this year.

This is a section of Cattle Panel that is being used as a trellis for some Luffa Gourds.

A modern representation of Verticulture, using the grow bags to grow herbs, fruit and flowers to soften the surfaces of my rain barrels.

The new Perennial Ground Cherries are huge!

Lemon Drop x Sweet Banana Peppers are growing madly.

Giant Mission Marigolds were not ready for the tour flower-wise but the large plants and foliage drew attention.

I always get asked how bit the Raspberry Dressing Sorrels can get, and this should answer it. With age they can get 18-24" long leaves.

Last year's Malabar Spinach came back from seed, I did not see that coming.

Petite Nigra figs are branching out and looking good!

Ch-Ch-Chia! Salvia hispanica the for really-reals chia.

The Vegetable bed's shadier side. Taiyo Sunflowers, Upland Rice, Purple Millet, Texicoa Sorghum, Summer Savory, Brown Sugar Tomatoes, Garnet Chicory, Italian Chicory, and a number of surviving Collards.

The other side of the Vegetable Bed featuring Lemon Cucumbers, Swiss Chard, Iraqi Bamia Okra and a few surviving collards.

An interesting companion planting experiment, Iraqui Bamia Okra with Orange Mint.

Peruvian Tomatoes, planted with Marigolds and a Chia in back.

This is most likely a true bumblebee on my oregano.

Here is another angle of the same bee harvesting from the oregano.