Everything soul and flowering I open and fill with love and what is not love evaporates ~ Rumi

I dream of a large plot of land with orchards and exotic specimen trees. But living in San Diego, that is just a dream. Our lots are small and neighbors within shouting distance. But being an avid collector; that does not stop me from peppering my yard with weeping cherry,  magnolia and various fruit trees. You just have to be more creative. I have always been a proponent of container gardening. More out of necessity than choice at first! What was practical is now smart. Container gardening is low maintenance and saves water. Due to San Diego's strict mandatory water restrictions every drop counts. Flowers are a feast for the eyes but not as satisfying as fresh produce. While I still covet a colorful garden I have become enamored with filling my barrels with a farmer's market harvest. So all of my tiny trees also get under planted with herbs and vegetables. Since the trees are trimmed back and kept petite they are perfect partners. Our side/backyard is more bowling lane strip and utilitarian than that lush orchard of my dreams. Still it is the quintessential urban garden. Everything does double duty. By stacking the whiskey barrels and containers at different heights I can fit more in the small space. The young trees are a manageable size and produce enough fruit to justify their care. I can't say they are as productive as their grown in the ground counterparts. But since we have 11 small trees and counting we would have to open up a fruit stand if they were 'standard' size. Fortunately they do not all go into season at once. A list of our successes: strawberry guava, pink lemon, blood oranges, lemon, persimmon, yellow guava, kumquat, locquat, tangerine,thorn less and lime. Expand your container planting to something other than color bowls. You just might get hooked! I have run out of space and am looking to expand up. To a roof top garden. That is the latest and most exciting trend in landscaping.  Just another thing on my husband's long 'honey do' list.