Garden Wars: Week 3

by RVANews staff

And so, first blood is drawn. This week is an elimination week, and upon the altar of Gardenwars we lay the lifeless body of Jason. His fight was valiant and his strategy strong, but it just wasn’t enough to defeat the relentless onslaught of cute children. So, he is sent to the Compost Pile, and Gardenwars continues.

The standings:

Sarah Milston (0)
Ryan Smartt (0)
Scott Pharr (0)
Jorge Salgado (0)

There you have it. As an added twist we’ve decided to clear the points after each elimination round. This will prevent anyone (Sarah) from building up a huge lead and spoiling our fun. It’s just like Survivor! New rules every week!

Now, get to voting, citizens.

Ryan Smartt

Last year, we had a fig tree that didn’t quite pan out. This year, we’re determined this fig tree will. Mostly because my wife has the brilliant idea for a fig & bacon pizza. Which she’s already named the “Fig & Pig.”

After we had our first harvest of carrots last week, my daughter Lyla’s reaction – of course – was to let her bunnies Viola and Violin have them. (Yup, she named one her bunnies Violin.)

Sarah Milston

After making this weekend’s harvest of cucumbers, sungold tomatoes, green beans, green peppers, kale, and BLUEBERRIES the kid asked for a picnic–how do you say no? So featured here is Lily Jaymes sampling tomatoes in front of the perennial garden. After this picture was snapped she went through the rest of the bowl; I walked inside with a measly 12 green beans and kale. And in case you were wondering how her garden is doing, we harvested three rocks and made mud.

Part of having a garden in your front yard is the need to make it interesting–at least that was the deal I struck with my partner. So, the spaghetti squash and acorn squash went wild over the last two weeks and needed to climb. I scored this very rickety ladder at Diversity Thrift. On top: gourds–I’m hoping they will dangle down. Under the ladder you will see red russian kale, I’m crossing my fingers it makes it through the summer.

Jorge Salgado

You know what goes well with a homegrown squash microphone? A little Queen singalong!

Children play in the secret garden trellis while tiny hops buds grow- it’s magical for everyone….hmmm….beeeerrrrr.

Scott Pharr

My cherry heirloom tomatoes are coming in. Now that 4th of July has past, and since I’m not Ryan, they should now be turning red at any moment.

This is truly my favorite flower in my garden every year! All four of my eggplants are starting to bloom purple, preparing the way for their giant purple babies!

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July 06, 2011 84

84 comments on Garden Wars: Week 3

Valerie on July 6, 2011 at 7:31 am said:

Pharr, mostly because of the smacktalk.
Michael Samick on July 6, 2011 at 8:17 am said:

Sarah Milston all the way!
Sarah Samick on July 6, 2011 at 8:24 am said:

My vote is for the Milston garden! Lily needs to enter her garden next year!
Cara on July 6, 2011 at 8:26 am said:

Sarah Milston gets my vote every week!!
Peter Davis on July 6, 2011 at 8:44 am said:

Scott Pharr!!! I love eggplants!
Meg on July 6, 2011 at 8:45 am said:

I vote for Jorge Salgado…..who can resist signing Queen w/ a squash-a-phone!!!!
mark on July 6, 2011 at 8:46 am said:

Wow these are all great! I’ll go with Sarah Milston.
Kelly on July 6, 2011 at 9:08 am said:

Ryan. Because he’s growing figs and his wife is witty.
Beth Ann on July 6, 2011 at 9:10 am said:

Salgado! Love the twinkly trellis, it looks like a fairy tale.
Jennifer on July 6, 2011 at 9:10 am said:

Smartt! Fig & Pig all the way! (And the bunny names are awesome, so kudos to Lyla for that …)
Victoria Carll on July 6, 2011 at 9:20 am said:

Jorge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Carrie on July 6, 2011 at 9:23 am said:

Pharr: cherry ‘maters are my fave!
Nick Dawson on July 6, 2011 at 9:24 am said:

As the hopeful purveyor of the bacon for the Fig and Pig, I vote Smartt!
Paula Hough on July 6, 2011 at 9:26 am said:

Salgado’s magical trellis all the way!
brea on July 6, 2011 at 9:46 am said:

squash mics, queen, magical trellis’s…. jorge!
Jennifer C. on July 6, 2011 at 9:48 am said:

My vote’s for Scott, although the bunnies are awfully cute.
Andrew Miller on July 6, 2011 at 9:58 am said:

Gotta vote for Sarah. Kids win every time, isn’t that the first rule of #GardenWars?
Renee on July 6, 2011 at 9:59 am said:

As much as I love the secret garden trellis o’hops, my vote goes to Milston for her creative use of rickety things in a front yard garden.
Cloyd on July 6, 2011 at 10:01 am said:

“Trellis the love we have.
We should Trellis the life we live.
Trellis the love. Trellis the life.”

Awwwww yeah. I love that song. And wine coolers.

Salgado FTW!
Holly on July 6, 2011 at 10:29 am said:

This is SO HARD. I vote Sarah for the kid who eats all kinds of veggies, the harvesting of rocks, and the detailed descriptions!

Honorable mention to the carrot-holding bunnies and the fairy light trellis.
Mana on July 6, 2011 at 10:31 am said:

Two of the cutest bunnies…Viola & of course, Violin, + figs….just thinking about the preserves makes me vote for Ryan..such beautiful photos…all makes me vote for Ryan Smartt
Dottie on July 6, 2011 at 10:39 am said:

I vote for Jorge
Weather Dan on July 6, 2011 at 10:45 am said:

The Salgado clan wins my vote this week with the magical hops trellis.

Also, Ryan: Violin and Viola are a perfect pair of names for bunnies. I wouldn’t worry until she gets to “Upright Bass.”
Sallie Thalhimer on July 6, 2011 at 10:49 am said:

Ryan’s Fig and Pig and Viola and Violin win out!
Scott R. on July 6, 2011 at 10:58 am said:

I do like Pharr’s smack talk, but I have to go for the Smartt’s “Fig & Pig” idea
Nolan Ryan aka Kevin Bass on July 6, 2011 at 11:02 am said:

Ryan Smartt gets my vote. Fig and a pig sounds like a winner.
jill on July 6, 2011 at 11:08 am said:

I vote Ryan! Big and long carrots, big and long bunny ears, healthy figs and a pig behind the garage eating lettuce.
elizabeth on July 6, 2011 at 11:10 am said:

I vote Ryan Smartt wholeheartedly. Because I am so terribly excited about this pizza. Nothing tastes as heavenly as a fresh fig.
Ryan Smartt on July 6, 2011 at 11:15 am said:

Nice smack, Pharr! Once again, you get my sympathy vote.

“Keep your friends close. Keep your enemies closer.”
Maggi on July 6, 2011 at 11:36 am said:

Sarah this week — loving the ladder ingenuity!
bj on July 6, 2011 at 12:08 pm said:

my vote is for Ryan….great garden!
tia on July 6, 2011 at 12:11 pm said:

Ryan Smartt!!!!!!!
Lisa on July 6, 2011 at 12:13 pm said:

The Milstons get my vote again!
Christie on July 6, 2011 at 1:14 pm said:

I vote for Smartt! May I come over for the fig and pig dinner?!?!
Michal on July 6, 2011 at 1:18 pm said:

Sarah’s garden get’s my vote!
kimberlee on July 6, 2011 at 1:23 pm said:

Milston!!!!!!!!!
Dan on July 6, 2011 at 1:26 pm said:

Ooh, it was a close one this week. I love figs, and Jorge’s trellis is awfully pretty. But Sarah gets my vote again this week for the creative ladder, and bravery of having a front yard garden.
bryan on July 6, 2011 at 1:28 pm said:

Love the Milston garden
@DJL_Gingrich on July 6, 2011 at 1:31 pm said:

Smartt…you had me at pig.
haylee on July 6, 2011 at 1:32 pm said:

Love those Milston’s
hayden on July 6, 2011 at 1:32 pm said:

Wanna try those Milston vegetables
Tara on July 6, 2011 at 1:43 pm said:

Milston
Carla Bryant on July 6, 2011 at 1:44 pm said:

Love the idea of a fig & pig pizza, but my vote goes to Sarah Milston (& Lily Jaymes) for creativity and variety! Love that garden! And who else wishes they could have been at that picnic?
Paul on July 6, 2011 at 1:53 pm said:

Fig and Pig > Kids

My vote goes to Smartt
T on July 6, 2011 at 1:58 pm said:

Kids are a cheap vote – Smartt
Lisa G on July 6, 2011 at 2:04 pm said:

Gotta go with Sarah and Lily Jaymes
Eunice Hutchings on July 6, 2011 at 2:15 pm said:

Sarah all the way what creativity that girl has!
Ed Hutchings on July 6, 2011 at 2:17 pm said:

go Sarah and Lily save some tomatos for GuGu
girlie girl on July 6, 2011 at 2:36 pm said:

Sarah gets my vote again.
daley dale on July 6, 2011 at 2:39 pm said:

My vote goes to Sarah and Lily Jaymes.
the fish on July 6, 2011 at 2:40 pm said:

Gotta go with the Milston garden, a winner for sure.
monkey on July 6, 2011 at 2:43 pm said:

I vote for the front yard garden of the Milston’s
Kamen on July 6, 2011 at 3:11 pm said:

Salgado – Trellis for brew. #winning
GanDan on July 6, 2011 at 3:34 pm said:

Ryan Smartt is a winner!
Emily on July 6, 2011 at 3:34 pm said:

My vote is for Ryan. Who can resist a bunny named Violin?!
Evan on July 6, 2011 at 3:36 pm said:

Smartt’s fig and pig!!
Will they make a kosher version?
Christi on July 6, 2011 at 4:17 pm said:

Love the eggplant flower!! AND…eggplant Parmesan…can’t wait – yum!
courtney on July 6, 2011 at 4:24 pm said:

Milstons! Milstons! Milstons!!! That kale looks to die for!!! And I want to chat about the blueberries! ;) great work Lily Jaymes!
Denise Hayes on July 6, 2011 at 5:25 pm said:

The Milston’s for sure!
Arona on July 6, 2011 at 5:27 pm said:

The Milstons have my vote. The twinkle lights are pretty but this is Garden Wars and nothing beats a kid actually eating veggies in a garden!
Doug on July 6, 2011 at 5:34 pm said:

Milstons have the most interesting garden in Richmond!
Juliet on July 6, 2011 at 5:50 pm said:

Milston! Harvesting mud and rocks is hard work!
Bianca on July 6, 2011 at 6:00 pm said:

I MUST try this “Fig and Pig” pizza….my vote is for Mr. Ryan Smartt!!
Sarah cardotti on July 6, 2011 at 6:14 pm said:

Milston gets my vote!
Catherine on July 6, 2011 at 7:59 pm said:

Voting for Milston for the first time because of her creative use of space.
Amy on July 6, 2011 at 8:28 pm said:

The Milston garden! Rustic…lovely.
Jay on July 6, 2011 at 9:19 pm said:

Ryan: Beware. In 2006 I had an 8-foot fig stripped of fruit between 8 and 6 one day. Squirrels. Two months latet one jacked me in the driveway. Ginger Park has big squirrels.

Sarah: Glad you like our ladder and really glad you’re not standing on it. Come back for more!

Jay
DivThrift
Bill on July 6, 2011 at 9:24 pm said:

Lyla’s bunnies steal this weeks voting. Ryan’s carrots and the “Fig & Pig” make this week a Smartt decision for Ryan.
jeffrey on July 6, 2011 at 9:48 pm said:

Voting for Lily Jaymes… I mean Sarah Milston!
Cathy G on July 6, 2011 at 10:02 pm said:

Milston’s all the way!
Liz on July 7, 2011 at 12:01 am said:

Gotta go with Ryan – the fig and pig pizza just might top my fave party snack, bacon wrapped figs.
Sarah Milston on July 7, 2011 at 9:12 am said:

Oh figs! I love figs. We inherited two fig trees at this house..they were a bit scraggly but some pruning and love has them loaded. I can’t wait for August. As for votes, I’m giving it to Scott this week. I seem to be having major trouble keeping heirlooms alive over here so maybe he will share some of his bounty.
Corie M. on July 7, 2011 at 11:31 am said:

Ryan Smartt has bunnies in his pic. Real bunnies would be better, but I’m going to have to vote for him.
Kimberleigh on July 7, 2011 at 12:25 pm said:

Ill vote for Pharr…..I’m hoping hell have cute kids in his pics next time….don’t let me down Pharr!
Mollee on July 7, 2011 at 9:48 pm said:

Jorge, but more because of the squash microphone than the trellis. Rock on, kid!
Austin on July 8, 2011 at 10:58 am said:

My vote goes to Ryan. I like green figs and pig. And I would eat them with my next of kin! And I would eat them with Ms. Violin…
Katherine on July 8, 2011 at 2:45 pm said:

Ryan for the figs
tina on July 9, 2011 at 1:12 am said:

Milstons!
Susan on July 9, 2011 at 11:24 am said:

You all did a great job, my favorite is Sarah Milston’s
Amber milston on July 9, 2011 at 6:33 pm said:

My wife gets my vote plus her garden is awesome.
Hayley on July 10, 2011 at 3:55 pm said:

Pharr, since eggplants are some of my favorite veggies and I will live vicariously through yours in case mine don’t make it this summer…
Jason G. on July 10, 2011 at 9:19 pm said:

If I were still in the mix, I’d be sending Ross an eggplant pic that would peel your eyelids back. Look for it in the Community Garden (or Compost Pile, if you must) or maybe on my blog.

Voting Pharr for eggplant comparison purposes.
Jenn Kyzer on July 10, 2011 at 10:14 pm said:

My vote is for the Milstons!
Charlotte Lee on July 11, 2011 at 1:34 pm said:

Smartt get’s my vote this week.