In the world of ornamental horticulture, perhaps because of the pervasive influence of our British cousins, etiquette demands a certain reticence when discussing one’s own garden.   Pausing with guests before a spectacularly rare and difficult Tricyrtis, one might be allowed to comment that it’s “rather special;” anything more enthusiastic would be distinctly bad form. 

I am pleased to announce today the “urban agriculture” exception to this rule.   As pioneers pitted against a skeptical establishment, urban gardeners should be encouraged to gush, enthuse, boast and proselytize in any manner that gets the attention of their fellow city-dwellers.    So here it is: BRTG in early August is simply awesome.   The quality and variety of the food available for harvest this morning was beyond every expectation I had when setting out on this experimental journey.   The peaches, nectarines and pears, undamaged by critters, announce their perfect ripeness by dropping into your hand.  The blueberries and blackberries bear in stubborn abundance, and explode with flavor when warmed by the morning sun.  This morning marked the first harvest of sweet red seedless grapes from the roof, which will be the subject of a subsequent blog.  Malabar spinach, kale, chard and lettuce seem never to show any signs of the daily harvest, effortlessly replacing the departed greens.  ‘Jaune Flamme’ and ‘Lolipop’ tomatoes beg to be eaten whole for breakfast.  Even the tiny fraise des bois (or perhaps, fraise des toit) continue to offer their tiny wild treat.