New Neighbors in the Garden

This year, I planted a couple of new vegetables that I never tried before.  The first picture is parcel.  It's a combination of parsley and celery.  The second plant is named cardoon.  It is also called artichoke thistle, cardone or cardoni.. The plant is supposed to grow to between 3 and 6 feet tall.  The stalk is steamed and roasted.  The flower is said to look like a thistle flower.  The third picture is the lasagna method of gardening potatoes.  You put down newspaper (I used cardboard). Then, place pieces of sprouted potatoes on the paper.  Cover with layers of soil, compost, dry leaves and grass clippings.  As the sprouted potato plants begin to appear, you just keep covering it with more layers.  I'm anxious to see the results.  The fourth picture isn't really a new neighbor.  However, this is the first year that the pear tree is bearing fruit.  However, I don't know if we'll have any pears.  The crazy squirrels are already helping themselves.