Some of my favorite childhood memories are from holiday visits to my relatives just outside of Philadelphia. It seemed like everyone in the neighborhood, including my Uncle Gino, had their own vegetable garden. Gino’s pride was his tomato patch right on the front lawn. I remember him beaming as he showed us the ripe ones, which we’d pick and eat right there, often with a bit of fresh basil. Those were simple, happy times.
I’ve tried to replicate that garden magic myself, but let’s just say things didn’t work out as planned. Whether it was tomatoes or herbs, my container gardening attempts on my small balcony were always a flop. I could almost see the veggies growing in my mind, but they hardly ever did in real life. That’s why I got so excited when I stumbled upon Backyard Eats. They build and take care of gardens you can actually eat from.
I wanted to learn more about Backyard Eats, so I got in touch with Chris Mattingly, the company’s founder! He shared his journey from being laid off as a professional civil engineer to starting this unique business. After the layoff, Chris thought a lot about his past volunteer work and how much he wanted to do something meaningful. He had always helped out where he could, building community-level water systems in Honduras, or traveling to the Philippines in the wake of super typhoon Yolanda. But Chris wanted to make a difference in his community.
Chris then told me about this one morning he spent in his tiny Chestnut Hill front-yard garden. He was fascinated by tasting berries at different ripeness levels and all the unique flavors. It was that moment of simple pleasure in his garden that led to his light bulb idea: if he loved this so much, why not help others feel the same? And just like that, he shifted his life to focus on helping people grow their own food with Backyard Eats.
Today, Backyard Eats keeps up with everything gardening-related so their clients always get the best advice and service. Chris likes to say it’s about “sharing the magic”—and it really feels like that. Whether it’s finding a new hobby, eating healthier, or spending quality time with your family and friends, there’s something special about growing your own food. Chris’s own kids have learned to love their backyard full of homegrown wonders, just like I did back at Uncle Gino’s.
Chris and his team support every garden enthusiast, regardless of their experience level, or what they’re looking to get out of your garden. They design, build, and maintain gardens. They call it ‘Full Service Food Gardening.’
The Backyard Eats magic, heavily augmented by technology on the back-end, includes printed metal plant labels for every variety planted. The printed labels even have a unique QR code, which takes the user from their garden, right to a page with detailed care and harvest instructions, and a selection of recipes specific to the plant ingredient in question.
Tucked away in Flourtown, PA, Backyard Eats has become something really special. They offer initial consultations to get you started, assess your garden’s potential, and come up with a custom design just for you—with a 3D walk-through to boot! They’re all about getting people to enjoy gardening as much as they do, from start to finish.
Whether you’re a newbie or have been gardening for years, Backyard Eats can help you out. Just reach out to them for more info or to set up a time to talk about your green dreams. Happy gardening!
