Pacific N. W. Gardens

Look over the bank! I drove along the stretch of road on N. E. 26th in Seattle about 68 times without knowing that there was an expansive garden below. Near the end of summer, I walked past the garden twice before I looked over to see the garden filled with sunflowers.

Upon winding down the trail, I discovered that the garden is Picardo P-Patch, a community garden. Before 1920, the land was marshy. Neighbors called it "The Big Pond".

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Early developers drained the area. Ernesto Picardo of Italian heritage converted the land to a burgeoning truck farm with lettuce, celery, corn, and fruit trees.

In the 1950s, his son Rainie inherited the land. There were hard times. The land could of been sold as a shopping center. But Rainie held out. He let community gardeners rent the land instead. Then in 1973, the land was purchased as a community garden.

Peering through the geometric slats in downtown Portland,

you can see the Classical Chinese Garden. The garden encompasses a full block. Much unusual for a downtown area.

People wishing to splurge; there's a tea house to relax. The paths wind in a mosaic. Some of the paths seem to massage your feet.

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Unplanned flowers are the best kind of gardens. Usually sagebrush and Joshua trees occupy the land;

But in the spring, new life surges in the desert of Lancaster with the hills covered in golden California poppies.

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