From Wikipedia:
“A P-Patch is a parcel of property used for gardening allotments; the term is specific to Seattle, Washington. The “P” originally stood for “Picardo”, after the family who owned Picardo Farm in Seattle’s Wedgwood neighborhood, part of which became the original P-Patch.”
There are many P-Patches in Seattle, but the first I came across was the Belltown P-Patch, located on the corner of Elliott Avenue and Vine Street in downtown Seattle, just a few blocks down the road from our apartment.
The thing that struck me the most about this place is how every bit of it is so thoughtfully and personally constructed. People “own” their own little section of the P-Patch, and they are responsible for all of the care and cultivation of that section of the patch. They grow every kind of plant, and some grow vegetables, donating what harvest they don’t ultimately use themselves. The P-Patches are open to the public to visit and enjoy, but obviously you shouldn’t pick anything because they are private gardens.
The Belltown P-Patch is extraordinary. It is surrounded by apartment, office and industrial buildings. I get the feeling that it gives you a sense of what this area must have looked like long before high-rises were put in place. I imagine the area has always been industrial given that it is so close to the waterfront, but still, at first glance it looks like something antique.
The stone retaining wall is covered in rock-crawling plants like chicks & hens. The concrete wall is covered in beautiful tile mosaics and rounds the corner.
And if your coming down Vine towards Elliott, this is what you see.
But anyway, here is the entrance. Hard to see here, but the entire fence along Vine and the gates are all beautifully designed iron. They work in plants like onions, flowers, carrots…and the gate has a rake, a hoe…it’s really neat and thoughtful.
The garden itself is curvy paths, and retaining walls and paths lovingly constructed and maintained by the members. One day when I stopped by I watched a guy building one of the walls. The real deal.
Also, when I first went here, which was pretty early on, I was stunned at how HUGE their plants were. For example, the lavender I grew in Solon was about 2′ tall and 1′ wide and I thought I was successful. The lavender pictured below is about 4′ high and 5′ wide. Over time I’ve realized EVERYTHING out here is super-sized. It’s definitely the temperate climate. So neat. Even some the dandelions are 2 1/2″ in diameter. Ha!
The light plants closest to you are the biggest “Lambs Ear” I’ve ever seen. Right next to it is the mega lavender.
This is one of my favorite sections. The gardner used cinder blocks, which are FAR cheaper than rocks, and made them into planter/walls 🙂
This particular P-Patch has a bee hive as well! I got to see them up close (I have one or two photos, but not up here yet…I’ll add them later). They really do think of everything.
It’s such an amazing oasis in the center of the city. My photos here focus on the contrast of the surroundings vs. the plants.
But when you are there, the buildings become invisible, the traffic fades to the background, and you’re in Eden. You can’t help but smile.
Breathe deep, and smile.
xo
en