THE SANGUINE ROOT VEGETABLE GARDEN: JULY 2011

Isabelle picks cherry tomatoes in the Sanguine Root vegetable garden, Viola street, East Parkside, Philadelphia
Isabelle Dijols picks cherry tomatoes in the Sanguine Root vegetable garden, Viola street, East Parkside, Philadelphia

So the three tomato plants are now producing fruit.  We have not been watering them regularly. Its been hot and dry for the most part.  The tomatoes taste so good.  A garden grown tomato cannot be matched.   This is great, since we have been too busy to dote over the garden, and yet it is doing very well this year.

Our one cucumber plant in the Sanguine Root vegetable garden, Viola street, East Parkside, Philadelphia
Our one cucumber plant in the Sanguine Root vegetable garden, Viola street, East Parkside, Philadelphia

Our cucumber patch consists of one plant.  Does anybody want a cucumber? For us its cucumber salad with a few slices of tomato with a little olive oil, pepper and balsamic vinegar.  And for lunch its Rye bread with a bit of olive oil, cucumber slices and some freshly ground pepper.  Anymore said will put us at risk of becoming a foodie blog at this point. We are not gardeners or foodies, but we feel strongly feel that if you can grow your own food when you can or if you can, go for it and to not miss this important part of living on this earth.

Native wildflowers in the Sanguine Root vegetable garden, Viola street, East Parkside, Philadelphia
Native wildflowers in the Sanguine Root vegetable garden, Viola street, East Parkside, Philadelphia

Of course, most of the property is devoted to native sun loving wildflowers. Someday more vegetables may be grown, as we build up the raised beds and continue to improve the place.

Native wildflowers in the Sanguine Root vegetable garden, Viola street, East Parkside, Philadelphia
Isabelle Dijols with the Native wildflowers in the Sanguine Root vegetable garden, Viola street, East Parkside, Philadelphia

A kind friend of ours gave us root segments of the native Wild Bergomat and the Tall Coneflower a few years ago, which have taken off and have created a beautiful setting for our vegetable garden.

Bed of green beans in the Sanguine Root vegetable garden, Viola street, East Parkside, Philadelphia
Bed of green beans in the Sanguine Root vegetable garden, Viola street, East Parkside, PhiladelphiaÂ

This is our green bean patch. For some reason, most of the bean seeds we planted did not grow.  However, the 5 plants that did grow have provided us with a massive amount of beans!  We have been chopping them up with onions and garlic and sauteeing them. Also just eating them right off the plant on site is very enjoyable.

The bricks that line these raised beds come with a heavy heart.  They were at one time the building blocks of once majestic  buildings in the neighborhood that we would rather have standing today. However the economic situation in the city of Philadelphia in the past 50 years has blighted sections of the neighborhood  and has led to the demolition of some once grand Victorian-era homes.