Kitchen Garden Guides

Friday, October 17, 2008

SEATTLE P-PATCHES

The Thomas Street P-Patch is a delightful mix of flowers and vegetables....image image
and a friendly squirrel.....
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as well as lovely paths and raised beds.

 

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The next one looks good as we approach....
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but some of the garden beds seem to have escaped!
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The dahlias are stunning everywhere.

 

The approach to the Pelican Tea P-Patch is dreadful.....image  image
but it is ever so cute when you arrive ....
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And I found Australia there....

 

The Tilth P-Patch and demonstration garden....image with  an interesting border of stones in wire cylinders....image and apples individually protected from mitesimage

 

"P-Patches" is the name given to the community gardens here in Seattle because evidently a bloke called Picardo started them in the 1970's, according to this link from Melinda.

These are just 4 of the dozens of them all over Seattle. They are filled to the brim by the love and attention of the gardeners and each has a staggering variety of vegetables, herbs and flowers. Some are tiny, some enormous but all are beautifully cared for and open to anyone to visit, anytime.

Of course there are more photos in the link, including some of the Washington State University's herb garden incorporating lots of herbs native to the USA and to the Pacific North-west, which includes Seattle.

7 comments:

Jumbleberry Jam said...

So glad you are making the p-patch rounds! Tilth is such an amazing organization. Can't wait to get home and work with them again. If you get up on Queen Anne hill, my 100 square feet of paradise was at Queen Pea P-Patch - complete with a view of Mt. Rainier. :-)

Kate said...

Mt Rainier has been covered in cloud but it is forecast to lift today so I may get a photo. Melinda pointed out Queen Anne hill yesterday from Capitol Hill.... nice to have the connection, inanna!

Daphne said...

So why do they call them P-Patches? Does it just stand for plant?

Kate said...

Hi Daphne,
Now I have put a few words about this in the post, after the photos. Thanks for the comment.

Jumbleberry Jam said...

And, abbreviating the name of the first community garden plot donated by the Picardo family makes for all sorts of fun "P"/"PEA" gardening references. There's both a Mad Pea and Queen Pea garden. :-)

Jumbleberry Jam said...

What neighborhood is your home base in, Kate? If you get a chance, when The Mountain is out, it's worth the trip to Kerry Park on Queen Anne hill... the #1, 2 or 13 bus will take you w/in a block of it for amazing city/mountain views :-)

Kate said...

So far Mt Rainier has been elusive but today it was all visible through a haze, from the new sea-front walking track and park between the grain wharf and the end of the piers.