Gardening is a labor of love, an endeavor full of trust and hope, one that laughs in the face of instant gratification. This is my 3rd spring here in Gainesville and some of the plants I have purchased from EPP over this past year or two are beginning to flourish.

I planted a little EPP prickly pear 2 years ago. It took a whole year to get established and this year is taking off in a major way. Loads of new nopales and two flowers.  Very exciting.

More about the prickly pear …

The blueberries are plumping up nicely. I’m wondering whether I need to protect them from the birds.

I planted this loquat 2 years ago at under 2 feet tall. Last year I pruned out the central branches – and a ton of small branches up and down the main trunk. I want it to make a beautiful umbrella shape with the branches accessible for me to pick the fruits. It’s brilliantly healthy and I’m hoping that it will flower/fruit next year. I planted some cabbages at its feet and they are growing like gangbusters – way better than the ones I planted between the bluberry bushes.

Here are my seminole pumpkin and zucchini patches – at the feet of an orange and lemon tree.

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How does your garden grow? Email me your stories and photos and I’ll post ‘em here!