Poppy & Seed OC in Anaheim gathers inspiration from its garden

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“It took a few months to hash out a lease agreement but the space is ideal for his new concept, slated to open Wednesday, May 5. Reed and his wife and co-owner, Kwini, have brought on Ashley Irene, founder of Heirloom Potager in Santa Ana, to create and maintain a culinary garden. During a recent visit, she showed off planter boxes filled with herbs, edible flowers and vegetables: Hatch chilies, calendula, cherry tomatoes, French beans, summer squash, sorrel, black basil and a lot more including Mexican lime, Meyer Lemon and kumquat trees.

‘I think what I love the most is Chef Michael already had a base knowledge. And so he had a great perspective and understanding and appreciation and desire to keep learning about what it would take to create a culinary garden on site,” Irene said. “And so that became an instant collaboration of ‘Do you want to cook with this unique ingredient? Or what can you not find from a supplier? Let’s grow that! And let’s find ways to troubleshoot and grow things that end up having a high dollar value that are central to your menu.’”