Impromptu Berry Picking

Mom took me to see her friend's yard Saturday and we got out of the car, said hello, and went directly to the raspberry vines. She had baskets and gloves ready, all we had to do was start picking. 

We picked quite a few and got to take most of them home with us. Picking the berries was unexpected, and appreciated, since I love raspberries and hardly ever get them fresh.

I believe she said that she had lived there for 50 years, it's a small house that sits right on the street with a very large yard behind it, the lot is 1/3 acre. The back yard is full of apple & cherry trees, even a large fig tree. There are marion berry and blackberry vines, tomato and cucumber plants, basically an edible garden planted well before it became trendy. 

Mom's friend was a Master Gardner and is active in two garden clubs. When we first got there I noticed she had a rain barrel, she told me it had been there for about 20 years.

In her driveway I noticed the gold poppies. They weren't California Poppies, more icelandic, they really stood out with the dark green foliage. I was told that they weren't planted there, just appeared at some point. When we were about to leave she offered me a plant to dig up. I passed for now, since I just got all the nursery plants in the ground. But I said I'd like some of these poppies, we agreed I'd dig some up in the fall.

It's nice to see an established yard and garden. Her yard has plants that are fully grown and have been left to their natural form. In tomorrow's post I'll include photos along her drive and the surprise hidden in her front yard.