Can you guess what that is growing out of the silver trash can (and the back left too where you see the stone)?  Potatoes!  I read about doing this two years ago but finally just got around to trying out garbage can potatoes this year.  I promise to let you know if I really have pounds and pounds of p'taters growing in there or if it's a bust of just dirt and roots.  Could go either way at this point.





Out of all the places I have tried to grow tomatoes, by far the best, most magical place is this back brick wall.  Last year one tomato plant grew easily 15' tall.  In that mess of green this year are actually four tomato plants (one too many really for the small space), two eggplant plants (one white, one purple) and basil. 




This is the first year I have really had much success with cherry tomatoes.  But this is the little plant that could.  I stand next to eat and eat a salad every day.  So sweet and delish!




At the base of the cherry tomato plant I planted carrots.  I've never had success actually harvesting carrots though so I am not holding out a ton of hope.  So far they do seem to be growing well though.




I tried growing melons this year.  Minnesota Midget (for the record I wince at the name as it is just all kinds of wrong) to be exact.  They are small and can grow vertical.  But my battle is with the damn squirrels.  I also attempted to grow three varieties of small squash vertical but so far the damn squirrels have eaten all of them.  This is one of a few melons to survive.  So far.  Crossing my fingers I actually get to eat it.




When I ordered my seeds they sent me a bonus pack of watermelon seeds.  On a whim I planted one seed and so far I have two watermelons growing.  Isn't it the cutest little melon?!




This one was taken from the second story looking down.  And starting at the top is a failed crop of lettuce that was actually pulled out five minutes after the photo was taken.  I just could not grow lettuce this year.  I planted seeds THREE times because the first two times we got crazy monsoons the day after I planted and it washed away my seeds.  Next you see broccoli that is not in a sunny enough spot.  But it is growing.  Will I get little heads is the big question that I am sure no one reading this is asking.  The if you can see in the middle the plant with a purple stem- that's kohlrabi.  Which is growing very well.  So well that the damn squirrels ate two of them already.  Argh!  Then kale which is also doing totally awesome.  I can't wait to eat it in the fall.  And last in the bottom of the picture is Brussels sprouts.  That was another on a whim decision.  Sooo hoping they grow well because I think they are so fun to see.  And eat. 




Last we have these giant zinnias.  They are one of the happiest flowers ever.  And totally remind me of Alice In Wonderland.  I'm not sure this bad photo does them justice but they are at least two feet tall.  Many are closer to four feet tall.  They are huge and wild and never fail to make me smile!


So that's a quick tour of my humble city garden.  Where my biggest battle isn't lack of soil depth or square footage or even sunlight between tall buildings.  My biggest battle is the damn squirrel gang that steals my dinner.  Hmph!