Photos: Mission Garden in Tucson
Located at the base of Sentinel Peak, Mission Garden, a non-profit organization, is a living agricultural museum of Sonoran Desert-adapted heritage fruit-trees, traditional local crops and edible native plants. The garden's mission is to preserve, transmit and revive the region's agricultural heritage by growing gardens which represent more than 4000 years of continuous cultivation in the Tucson Basin. Some of the gardens include the Spanish Colonial orchard and vegetable garden and the Chinese garden.
Mission Garden
Marissa Johnson, volunteer, places compost, in preparation for growing wheat, in the Spanish Colonial Field at Mission Garden, 946 W. Mission Ln., in Tucson, Ariz. on Nov. 18, 2020.
Mission Garden
Linda Matson, right, and Erik Schmahl, volunteers, place tubes for irrigation under Quince trees inside the Spanish Colonial Orchard at Mission Garden, 946 W. Mission Ln., in Tucson, Ariz. on Nov. 18, 2020.
Mission Garden
A sign informing visitors about the Chinese Garden is placed inside the garden at Mission Garden, 946 W. Mission Ln., in Tucson, Ariz. on Nov. 18, 2020.
Mission Garden
Linda Dugan walks through the Chinese garden at Mission Garden, 946 W. Mission Ln., in Tucson, Ariz. on Nov. 18, 2020. Located at the base of Sentinel Peak, Mission Garden, a non-profit organization, is a living agricultural museum of Sonoran Desert-adapted heritage fruit-trees, traditional local crops and edible native plants.
Mission Garden
Sun shines on an arch way full with Bottle Gourd vines in the Chinese Garden at Mission Garden, 946 W. Mission Ln., in Tucson, Ariz. on Nov. 18, 2020.
Mission Garden
Katie Herder, outreach intern, waters plants inside the Youth Garden at Mission Garden, 946 W. Mission Ln., in Tucson, Ariz. on Nov. 18, 2020.
Mission Garden
A wasp gently touches down on the surface of the water of the acequia flowing through the grounds of Mission Gardens on June 15, 2019, Tucson, Ariz.
Mission Garden
Bill Kidder stops so his dog Tucker can get a look at the water in the acequia flowing through the grounds at Mission Gardens during Bat Night on June 15, 2019, Tucson, Ariz.
Mission Garden
Shown on Aug. 15, 2020, a waterway or "acequia" in the Mission Garden where Gila Topminnow have been thriving
Mission Garden
Gila topminnow swim in the "acequia" in the Mission Garden located at 946 W Mission Lane, on Aug. 15, 2020.
Mission Garden
Phil Hall, a board member with the Friends of Tucson's Birthplace, arranges the ocotillo fencing on top of a ramada at the Mission Gardens at the base of A Mountain on July 31, 2012, in Tucson, Ariz. Some of the pomegranate, fig trees and other plants from the garden area are visible in the background.
Mission Garden
Mission Garden, bottom center, and downtown Tucson in 2017.
Mission Garden
As Sentinel Peak looms in the background, a sign welcomes visitors at Mission Garden at the corner of South Grande Avenue and West Mission Lane on Aug. 15, 2014, in downtown Tucson, Ariz.
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
Rick Wiley is the photo editor of the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson. From 1995-2004, he was director of photography at the East Valley Tribune in Mesa. From 1988-94 he was a photographer at the Tucson Citizen. He is a graduate of ASU (yes, that ASU).
Rebecca Sasnett
Photojournalist
Rebecca Sasnett is a photojournalist for the Arizona Daily Star. From 2015-2019, she was a freelance photographer for clients such as Arizona Athletics and various magazines. She graduated from the University of Arizona.
Having this living agricultural museum located in Tucson preserves and promotes the rich agricultural heritage and food cultures of people who for centuries have traveled the world taking their seeds, plants and culture with them, writes Tucson architect Richard Fe Tom.
Meals will be handed out on Nov. 25.
Some of the proceeds will benefit Literacy Connects.
Central to the challenge: The legality of Arizona voters passing a measure to levy a 3.5% income tax surcharge on earnings of more than $250,000 a year for individuals and $500,000 for married couples filing jointly.