After Almost Five Years The Garden Is On Automatic
Here is a collection of photos taken during the year 2026 in our garden so we can share what we have done.
In January 2026, Paul announced that he and Mary were going to start the 2026 vegetable garden.
Mary looked out at the frozen backyard. "Paul, the ground is harder than your meatloaf."
"That's why we start with planning," Paul said, holding up a notebook titled Veggie Empire.
By February, Paul had ordered 47 seed packets, including carrots, peas, tomatoes, and something called "mystery squash." Mary asked, "Why mystery?"
Paul shrugged. "Because excitement is important in farming."
We traveled far and wide to various nurseries to gaze at the potential wonders which cold be in our backyard.
In March, they planted tiny seedlings on the kitchen windowsill. Paul talked to them every morning. Mary caught him whispering, "Grow strong, little broccoli warriors."
By April, the seedlings were ready for the garden. Unfortunately, Paul forgot where he planted everything. Soon, carrots grew beside beans, lettuce appeared under the birdbath, and one mystery squash vine began crawling toward the neighbor's mailbox.
In June, Kelvin next door called over the fence, "Your squash is touching my bills."
Mary sighed. "Paul, your mystery vegetable is committing mail fraud."
By August, the garden was wild, messy, and full of veggies. Paul proudly held up a cucumber shaped like a question mark.
Mary smiled. "Well, at least the garden makes sense. Sort of."
Paul grinned. "Wait until next year."
January is when the work begins, removing old plants, tilling, and replanting.
Dig Baby Dig!
We dumped in about 20 bags of this potting mix!
Raised bed/potting mix is different from regular dirt because it's engineered to support plant roots in a confined space, while regular dirt is just natural soil from the ground.
Key differences:
Drainage: Raised bed mix usually drains better. Regular dirt can compact and hold too much water.
Air space: Mixes are lighter and fluffier, giving roots more oxygen.
Texture: Potting/raised bed mixes often contain compost, peat moss or coco coir, bark, perlite, vermiculite, sand, etc.
Nutrients: Many mixes include compost or added fertilizer. Regular dirt may be nutrient-poor or unbalanced.
Compaction: Garden dirt can become dense in a bed or container, making it harder for roots to grow.
Weed seeds/pests: Bagged mixes are often cleaner and may have fewer weed seeds, insects, or disease organisms.
Water retention: Good mixes hold moisture without becoming waterlogged.
It's cold outside and the days are short!
After working up a sweat, it was time to peel off some garments
The plum tree was just beginning to grow again!
In February we trim back the berries and go to the Tomatofest at Roger's Gardens to select this years crop of tomatoes.
The 'ol berry patch gets a real haircut.
Our watering system was performing perfectly.
An exciting adventure
We are picking a mess of future produce.
Thats Robin under the bumbershoot.
Dianne joined us on this visit
We were in proper costume.
Time for lunch!!
In March, plants go into the prepared ground and the forest of cages
Into your containers!
Tomatoes "climb" because they're naturally sprawling plants with long, flexible stems that keep growing upward and outward, especially indeterminate varieties.
They don't truly climb like peas or cucumbers, though—tomatoes don't have tendrils or special gripping parts. In the wild, they would mostly flop over the ground or lean on nearby plants. In gardens, they seem to climb because we give them cages, stakes, or trellises and tie them up.
They grow upward for sunlight, but they need support because the stems get heavy with leaves and fruit.
So basically: tomatoes are ambitious, but not very good at standing on their own.
The plants must be properly mulched!
Two to three inches of mulch keeps the roots cool!
Mary will need a new broom before Halloween!
All in a day's work
We still have some holes
Off to the nursery we go
Repairing the drip system is a continuing job!
All smiles!
Some of our mulch was brand new!!
The babies are in and growing.
The work bench gets a real workout!!!
After a day in the garden!
Mary has a ball selecting which ones to get!
We are at Farmer's Supply in Orange!
The local nursery was pretty good stuff.
Mid March and time for the first round of corn!!
On the 12th
On the 30th! You can hear them grow!
You can "hear corn grow" because corn can grow very quickly, especially on warm, humid nights, and that rapid growth can make tiny sounds.
The noises may come from:
• Leaves unfurling and rubbing
• Stalks expanding slightly as cells take in water
• Husks, joints, and leaves creaking or snapping
• Plants brushing against each other in still air
It's not usually a loud dramatic sound, but in a quiet cornfield at night, people may hear faint crackles, pops, or rustling. Corn can grow several inches in a day under ideal conditions, so the saying has some truth behind it.
Do you see the HUGE RABBIT in the corn??
Gotcha!!
The grapes are coming on strong.
The poor old van plays the role of a pickup truck!
I am glad I am a frog!
The larger bed requires gettin' dirty!!
We are still planting in some spaces.
In April, in sunny Southern California, Mary and Paul decided their backyard would become a vegetable paradise.
"We'll grow tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, carrots—everything!" Mary announced, wearing a sunhat the size of a satellite dish.
Paul nodded bravely, holding a shovel like a man about to battle a dragon.
They worked hard all morning. Mary planted tiny seedlings in neat rows. Paul dug holes, filled holes, then dug different holes because Mary said the first holes had "bad energy." By noon, they had planted tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and three mystery plants from a tray labeled, "Maybe Basil?"
The SoCal sun blazed overhead. A lizard watched from the fence, looking judgmental.
Paul wiped sweat from his forehead. "Gardening is peaceful," he said, just as the hose exploded and sprayed him directly in the face.
Mary laughed so hard she dropped a packet of carrot seeds. The wind immediately carried them across the yard, into the flower bed, under the patio chair, and possibly into the neighbor's yard.
"Great," Paul said. "Now we'll have carrots growing in weird places."
Two weeks later, he was right.
Tiny carrot tops appeared between patio bricks, beside the barbecue, and in one of Paul's sneakers he had left outside.
Meanwhile, the zucchini plant grew like it had been drinking espresso. Every morning, Mary found another giant zucchini hiding under a leaf.
By the end of April, Mary and Paul were exhausted, sunburned, and proud.
The garden was messy, surprising, and slightly out of control.
"Next year," Paul said, "we plant less."
Mary smiled. "Next year, we get chickens."
Paul looked at the lizard. The lizard looked away.
Soaker hoses are a must!
A soaker hose is made to let water seep out slowly along its entire length instead of spraying from holes like a sprinkler hose.
• Old rubber, often from recycled tires, is ground into small particles.
• The rubber particles are mixed with bonding materials.
• The mixture is formed into a long hose shape using heat and pressure.
• Because the material is porous, tiny spaces remain throughout the hose wall.
• When water flows through the hose, it slowly seeps out through those tiny pores.
This type feels rough and somewhat spongy.
We moved the blueberries so they would NOT get the afternoon Sun!
Mary picked Swiss chard because the internet said "superfood," and she wanted superpowers by dinner. The leaves were huge, green, and dramatic, with red stems like tiny celery wearing lipstick.
She washed it, chopped it, and announced to her cat, "Tonight, we become healthy."
The cat looked worried.
Mary tossed the chard into a pan. It hissed, wilted, and shrank from a jungle into a damp handkerchief. "That's it?" she said. "I worked for fifteen minutes for a vegetable magic trick?"
She added garlic, lemon, salt, pepper, and, after tasting it, a suspicious amount of cheese. Then she served it proudly beside pasta.
Paul took one bite. "Interesting," he said. "That means bad."
"No," he said carefully. "It means it tastes like spinach lost a debate."
The cat sniffed the plate and left the room. Determined, Mary packed leftovers for tomorrows lunch. The next day, the red stems had dyed everything pink. Her pasta looked embarrassed.
Paul asked, "Is that dessert?"
"It's Swiss chard," Mary said.
Paul nodded respectfully. "Ah. International salad."
By Friday, Mary had finished it all. She felt strong, sophisticated, and slightly leafy.
Then she opened the fridge.
Another bunch was waiting.
The Swiss Chard went wild.
Watermelons are branching out.
An essential month!
In May, we planted tomatoes, beans, and one suspicious zucchini seed named Kevin. Every morning, I whispered encouragement while my neighbor Kelvin laughed over the fence.
"Vegetables don't need pep talks," he said. By week three, Kevin had exploded into a leafy monster, stretching across the path, under the birdbath, and toward Kelvin's lawn.
One afternoon, Kelvin opened his mailbox and found a zucchini inside. Then another appeared on his porch.
By June, he was begging me to stop encouraging it. I just leaned over the fence and whispered, "Kevin, aim for the barbecue." Kelvin now compliments my gardening daily.
World Naked Gardening Day (WNGD) is an annual international event celebrated on the first Saturday of May.
Started in 2005 by body freedom and permaculture advocates, it encourages people to shed their clothes to connect with nature, promote body positivity, and experience the physical joys of gardening.
Because the event emphasizes personal comfort and body freedom in your own private space, there are no formal, organized public gatherings in Orange, CA.
Instead, participants are encouraged to celebrate in the comfort and privacy of their own backyards.
Keep these practical tips in mind if you plan to participate:
Privacy First: Ensure your garden, patio, or backyard is completely shielded from neighbors or public view to avoid local exposure laws.
Safety & Sunscreen: Apply high-SPF sunscreen generously to avoid painful burns, and wear gardening shoes or gloves to protect your feet and hands from thorns, tools, and sharp debris.
Avoid Chemicals: Hold off on using harsh fertilizers, pesticides, or pruning thorny bushes on this day.
Say no more!!!
Hiding in the bushes!!
I am tippy toeing around the garden
I do take time to smell the roses!
Oops!
We had rabbits everywhere!
Old nylons helped keep the melons off the ground!
The garden goes wild in May-June
The peas and beans climb over the top!
I see dinner!
The cobs are out mid-May
We will have artichokes tonight.
...and apple pie!
We work as a team!
We grow and give away a tone of veggies!
Some plants are beginning to produce!
Paul and Mary decided their vegetable garden needed "professional management," so Paul drew a map with colored pencils and Mary brought a whistle. "Carrots in rows, peas on the trellis, tomatoes by the fence," Paul announced. Mary blew the whistle and saluted.
Their first problem was the scarecrow. Paul stuffed it with old pajamas and gave it his gardening hat. Unfortunately, the dog mistook it for Paul and spent ten minutes barking apologies.
Then Mary planted zucchini seeds "just to be safe." Paul said six were enough. Mary planted twenty. By lunch, Paul was proudly watering lettuce when Mary screamed, "The peas are escaping!" The hose had wrapped around his boot, yanking him backward into the compost pile. He emerged wearing potato peels like medals.
A week later, the garden looked wonderful, except the zucchini had conquered everything, including Paul's lawn chair. Mary harvested one the size of a canoe and said, "Dinner?" Paul stared at it and replied, "Only if we invite the whole town."
That evening, neighbors found free zucchini on every doorstep. Paul and Mary called it sharing. The neighbors called it a vegetable invasion and hid whenever Mary approached with a basket and smile. Paul agreed politely.
In another week it will be ready!
They are ready to mate!!
Talk about big!!!
Just a few more weeks!
We did some selective pruning and replanting
This is what is coming
Ready or not, here we come.
We do have fun!!
Mary gives the plants a surgical once over!!
Mid-June and the corn is gone!
So we are off to H&H for more corn and goodies.
Did we mention we grow a lot of beans???
Dig Baby Dig!!
Mary watches out for me.
Beware the watermelons are coming.
New corn planted in mid-June
Mary likes to garden in class!
I requested that she change clothes, too many auto accidents outside our front yard!!
We have tomatoes to burn!
These are Hugh!!
We got a visitor on June 19th!
The vertical gardens require a lot of work to keep them looking good!
The Lexus is turning into a pickup truck!
We sent out the invite.
Paul and Mary decided July was the perfect time to work in their vegetable garden, mostly because Paul had read an article called "Gardening Builds Character," and Mary wanted tomatoes.
Unfortunately, the July sun was already blazing, and the temperature was in the 90s before breakfast.
"We'll just work for an hour," Paul said confidently.
Mary looked at the shimmering heat rising from the driveway. "An hour on Earth, or an hour on the surface of the sun?"
They put on hats, filled water bottles, and marched into the garden like brave pioneers. After five minutes, Paul was sweating so much his shirt looked like he had jumped into a pond. Mary tried to pull weeds near the cucumbers, but the dirt was so hot she claimed it was "lightly baking the roots."
Paul grabbed the hose to water the tomatoes, but the hose had been sitting in the sun. The first spray hit his foot and he shouted, "That's not water, that's soup!"
Mary laughed so hard she backed into the zucchini plant, which had grown to the size of a small jungle. "Paul," she said, "I think the zucchini is watching us."
By noon, they were both hiding in the shade of the bean trellis, eating warm sandwiches and drinking water that tasted like garden hose.
"We should harvest something," Paul said weakly.
Mary picked one tomato, two green beans, and a cucumber shaped like a question mark.
"All this work for that?" Paul asked
Mary held up the cucumber. "It's not about quantity. It's about survival."
Just then, their neighbor walked into the yard and asked, "Hot enough for you?"
Paul stared at him, red-faced and dripping sweat. "No," he said. "We were hoping to roast a squash without turning on the oven."
Mary nodded. "Come back tomorrow. We'll be serving sun-cooked zucchini."
Riding around the garden!
A caprese salad fresh from the garden
Zoodles!
Gone to seed.
Dr. Mary painted the squirrels!
Lunch with daughter at Roger's Gardens
The Disney Rose
We went to the fair on opening day!
(7/19) Our vertical gardens are doing well!!
We had a difficult time getting the onions out of the verticals
The corn grows a few inche
every day!
A tisket a tassel, a bright yellow basket!
(7-24) Ready to be picked!
Halloween is on the way!
