Probably one of the oldest front-yard vegetable gardens in the Dunbar area of Vancouver, this garden could well have existed before the authors of
The 100 Mile Diet were born. When I spotted this garden one spring many years ago, the gardener shared some extra Romaine lettuce seedlings with me. The decorative cement block wall around the garden gives it a southern European feel, and that is echoed by what is seen growing here in October: tomatoes, celery, and escarole. Tomatoes are ripening under the plastic "roof" because in most areas of Vancouver, in order to avoid blight, it is necessary to protect tomatoes from rain in this way.
In my photo archives, I discovered this October 5 view of the raised bed featured in the blog of January 16. The onions are the only vegetable common to both views. Two small trees planted on the south side of this bed could make it a bit shady, but tomatoes were grown, along with beets and kale. With a plot this serious, no doubt other vegetables have already harvested.
The owner of this south-facing garden in the Point Grey area of Vancouver remarked that they have not needed to buy greens for a number of months, and this October view indicates that there are many varieties still available to consume in this intensively cultivated front yard garden. The garden was enlarged recently to include the boulevard (area between sidewalk and street), and the Halloween display can still been seen there. Raspberries are ripening on the west border; on the east border is an attractive stone path.
