It was clear from the moment I arrived that this garden was going to be something special. This is the front yard of the Mareschi home...in late October!

Within moments of greeting me, Guiseppe had picked one of three kinds of persimmons that he grows.

He then headed up to the top of a very tall ladder to pick a second variety.

All three varieties were soon loaded into a basket.

The backyard was as stunning as the front!

Ida joined us in the garden. She was as warm, welcoming and generous as Giuseppe and immediately began picking several kinds of peppers.

First, she picked these very hot, small ones . . .

...and then these unusually-shaped, milder ones.

Look at these beautiful eggplants!

A high, overhead arbor was filled with kiwi.

The sturdy, woody vines trailed down the sides of the arbor.

Giuseppe climbed on top of the 'forno', an outdoor wood-fired brick oven that he built, to pick more 'cachi' (persimmons).

He had just crushed 45 crates of grapes, which were fermenting in barrels in a small building in the backyard.

The crushed grapes float to the surface of the fermenting juice and need to be pushed down into the liquid to allow oxygen to enter the mixture and carbon dioxide to escape.

A branch is used to 'break the cap'.

Rapa (rapini) had been planted several weeks earlier. It will survive the winter and be harvested in early spring.

His white figs were still abundant and delicious!

These deep purple beans are ready to be shelled and cooked or dried for use later in the winter. Some will be saved for seed for next year's crop.

The plump inner bean is beautifully speckled with varying shades of purple.

This lemon tree was heavy with fragrant, ripe fruit.

It felt more like being in Florida than in New York!

Ida referred to these as 'mandarina'.

Giuseppe assembled all the fruits and vegetables on the table and packed them up in baskets and empty wooden grape crates to send home with me.

We then headed to the well-equipped, comfortable basement kitchen for espresso . . .

...and homemade biscotti.

Ida brought out several jars of her garden-fresh tomato sauce to share.

After coffee and dessert, Giuseppe proudly showed us his meticulously cared-for Vespa.

But what he's most proud of is being the grandfather of six beautiful grandchildren.

It's always a pleasure to visit the Mareschi garden!