Big things are blooming at this hidden farm in Oakland

"Standing on the street and looking at the turquoise house tucked into Oakland's Laurel District, you wouldn't suspect there's an overflowing urban farm around back. It far surpasses any average homeowner's idea of a "garden" - 1,400 square feet of fruit trees from persimmons to papayas to bananas, a large variety of vegetables including four types of peppers, many native seeds from California poppy to scarlet flax and hummingbird sage. There are seven chickens, two beehives, an outdoor shower, a pond, and a hot tub."

"The heart of the garden is a massive, 30-foot-tall fig tree. At at least 50 years old, it is probably the oldest tree on the property, and its branches twist and turn every which way. It stands halfway down the long backyard, tricking visitors into thinking the space is only half the size. It's not until you emerge ducking around the tree's limbs on the other side that the full extent of the garden's grandeur is realized."

Behind a turquoise house in Oakland's Laurel District lies a 1,400-square-foot urban farm called Fig Leaf Gardens. The space contains fruit trees from persimmons to papayas and bananas, a wide variety of vegetables including four types of peppers, and native seeds such as California poppy and scarlet flax. The property supports seven chickens, two beehives, an outdoor shower, a pond, and a hot tub. A massive, likely 50-year-old, 30-foot-tall fig tree anchors the yard and divides the space visually. Current owners continue a vision fostered by previous owners and a strong community; the garden's origins trace to coincidences more than 30 years old, including a bus in Mexico and an ad for free worm bins.

Read at The Oaklandside