Mission Gardens

Gardens, Orchards, Vineyards, and Fields

The padres and indians planted gardens all around the missions. In these gardens, they grew squash, melon, beans, and corn -- native plants of California. In the orchards they planted many kinds of trees, including fig, olive, and orange. The Spanish brought the first oranges and domestic grapes to California, which they planted in vineyards around the mission. With the grapes they made wine in large vats nearby. In the fields surrounding the missions grew wheat, oats, and barley; all plants brought to America by the Spaniards, not to mention the fields of grass for the livestock to eat.