Seems like these days I’m always way behind on the posts about the alley but it’s hard to have much time to write about it when I’m still working on it!
At the root of it all (pun intended) – we could’t have done our alley project without the help of our sponsors, the biggest of which is FarWest Garden Center. I was (and still am) completely overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and generosity of owner Dennis Fix. I will never be able to thank him enough for his support. With their help the vision of our garden really came to life (literally).
With the paving done and the raise beds and trellises built, we were finally able to schedule a planting day and start in on the fun stuff.
It was an exciting day for sure when another sponsor, Terravita Landscaping, showed up with potting mix, landscaping stones and the delivery of all our plants from FarWest.
We scheduled a couple work days and lots of neighbors came out to help!
It’s amazing what can get done when everyone pitches in.
For our first season (2015) garden we planted:
• 5 Apple trees
Honey Crisp (espaliered)
Pink Lady (espaliered)
3 in 1 Apple (espaliered) – Fuji, Honeycrisp, Gala
Tasty Red (columnar)
Tangy Green (columnar)
• 14 Blackberries
• 13 Blueberries (a mix of early, midseason and late season varieties) – varieties include
Bluecrop
Chandler
Duke
Pink Lemonade
Toro
• 8 Boysenberries
• 5 in 1 Cherry Tree (fanned) – Bing, Stella, Black Tartarian, Lapians, Royal Ann
• Herbs
3 Basil
Dill
2 Lavender
Oregano
Parsley
3 Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
• Hot Peppers – varieties include
Ancho
Thai
Tabasco
2 Jalapeño
Scotch Bonnet
Ring of Fire
• 5 in 1 Pear Tree (fanned) – Bartlett, Flemish, Anjou, Red Bartlett, Seckel
• 18 Raspberries
• 25 Strawberries
• 7 Tomatoes (mostly heirloom) – some varieties include:
Chocolate Stripe
Crimson Sprinter
German Stripe Stuffer
Japanese Trifele Black
Michael Pollen
Yellow Pear
• 3 pumpkins
I knew we’d planted a lot but even I was shocked by how much typing up this list.
The bounty of our gardens is to be shared too by the neighbors. Need a jalapeño for the fajitas you’re whipping up tonight? Basil for that caprese salad? Or maybe a few blackberries just to nibble on? Hopefully the alley can provide just what you need, and not just this summer, but for many summers to come. At least that’s the dream.