Post and photos by Aubree DuPlessis

It may be the dog days of summer, but that hasn’t stopped the BU Gastronomy Garden Club from clearing, constructing, and creating their very first garden plot at Fenway Victory Gardens. Equipped with a generous donation from Mahoney’s Garden Center, appearances by summer’s most valuable culinary players – watermelon, tomatoes, and cucumbers – are helping students momentarily forget the heat with daydreams of refreshing granita, cooling gazpacho, and muddled mojitos.

A ‘Garden Cucumber’ variety perfect for summer salads. Not pictured, but almost ready for harvest are ‘Lemon Cucumbers,’ whose subtle sweetness is perfect for pickling.

Gastronomy student Mayling Chung (2013) tends to the watermelon patch.

In just a few more weeks, these ‘Standard Globe Celebrity’ tomatoes will be the ideal summertime snack accompanied by fresh mozzarella and basil, of course.

In just five months, students started seedlings in BU’s Greenhouse, built raised beds from scavenged bricks and stones, and successfully transplanted a variety of salad greens, peppers, beans, and squash into their garden plot. Although primarily focused on vegetable production, students also hope to plant a sensory herb and flower garden, as well as create a seating area for picnics, studying, and relaxation.

Using mostly bricks, students have built four raised beds. With a focus on sustainability, students hope to use as many salvaged and re-usable materials as possible.

If you’d like more information on the BU Gastronomy Garden Club or want to help weed, water, and reap some tasty rewards, please contact Aubree DuPlessis.