Hi, all---
I was thinking back to a front flower garden we had 30 years ago that featured 3 large artichokes as the focal point. Quite a stunning 'look'.
And I thought it might be fun to find out who plants vegetables in their cottage garden and how they use them together with flowers...
I was scrolling through John Scheeper's Kitchen Garden Seeds catalog and saw that they actually had a seed collection called 'Art in the Garden' together with several other imaginative collections that would work well in a Cottage Garden... fun to imagine the possibilities!
Any ideas for me?! Please tell us about them!
Vegetables in the Cottage Garden??!
FYI Here are the entries in the Scheeper's 'Art in the Garden' Collection:
The Vegetables-as-Art-Garden
The Vegetables-as-Art-Garden is comprised of dependable varieties that will create an other-worldly beauty in your garden as well as delicious vegetables for summer feasts. We like to intersperse these varieties among perennial and annual flowers in our cottage garden for an abundant, wildly lush (and delicious) panoram:
Bull's Blood Beets (about 110 seeds)
Bright Lights Swiss Chard (about 150 seeds)
Winterbor Kale (about 75 seeds)
Merlot Batavian Lettuce (about 500 seeds)
Flashy Troutback Lettuce (about 500 seeds)
Heirloom Red Okra (about 35 seeds)
Red Perilla Akashiso (about 750 seeds)
For more ideas, here is the link: http://www.kitchengardenseeds.com/cgi-bin/catview.cgi?_fn=Specials
I bought some seeds for white eggplant ,chard for a container, and weird squash and pretty kale and cabbage seeds this year to try to combine with my flowers.
Oh, and various herbs, but I'm not sure they count as vegetables!
Hi Tabasco, to me, a cottage garden is not a cottage garden without lots of different types of edible plants included. I try different vegetables each year, but they have included beets, beans, peas, tomatoes, squash, peppers, kale, cabbage, fennel, lettuces, watercress, brussel sprouts, aubergines, etc. etc. etc.
I have lots of different herbs, and my fruit selection includes grapes, blueberries, blackberries, hardy kiwi, strawberry, red & black currants, gooseberries, peaches, figs ...
Veggies are where the cottage garden got its beginning. Cottagers didn't have the room for the luxury of flowers, unless they were edible or useful. Apparently, it took many years for flowers to take prominence in the cottage garden.
Just a quick sidetrack - in 1985 I lived in Germany (missionary work) and there was this elderly American missionary couple living there. They invited me to dinner one time and served me up a good old-fashioned, American Gooseberry Pie! Boy, was that delicious! One of these days I'm going to have gooseberries.
Yes, I think a cottage garden is so interesting with veggies. It seems like they aren't used much by CG gardeners here on DG, though... I love the weird gourds/squashes grown on trellised arches, for instance.
And, yes, I love gooseberry pie, too. Don't see it around much, though, because of that nasty gooseberry virus here in the states. Some states don't even allow gooseberries or currants to be grown! How too bad!
So what veggies are you growing in your cottage garden?
I'm still planning what veg' I'll grow this year, but today I will start several different types of tomato and pepper seeds as well as purple brussel sprouts that I brought back from England last year. Later, in the Spring, I will direct sow some runner and Italian beans as well as peas. I'll come back with a more complete list once I go through my seeds and make some decisions.
How about you?
There is a woman in Oregon(?) who sells a nice selection of berries. I am trying to remember the name of her small nursery.
I found it, Whitman Farms is where I ordered the currants and gooseberries. I had a very good experience with them ... reminds me, I need to go add to Garden Watchdog: http://www.whitmanfarms.com/ProductList.asp?ProductCategoryID=4
This message was edited Feb 17, 2008 9:16 AM
Thanks for the link!
I don't mix any veggies in with flowers, but I have a small fenced-in veggie garden. Usually just grow green beans, tomatoes, cukes, and zucchini. Oh, and I have my strawberries!
Last year, along my relatively formal front walk (as opposed to my CG out back), I mixed in bronze fennel, red Russian Kale, and red cabbage. I had a "focal point" of three brussel sprout plants in one bed, and tucked cucumbers and yellow summer squash behind a row of boxwoods, out of site ...
Ha, ha--your garden planning sounds very fun! Interesting seeds! Purple brussel sprouts. Very cool. Now, let's see what would you pair those up with in the CG?? Boggles my mind with the possibilities!
I am going to add the white eggplants along with maybe some cosmos and parsley. I edge my flower garden with clumps of parsley, and short marigolds or zinnias. (Of course, I plant mostly for the butterflies.) One year I planted squash and the large leaves and blossoms were splendid weaving among the prissier flowers! I didn't get any squash though. I planted the seeds too late. Last year I planted some red peppers with my red and yellow zinnias and that was fun, too.
I have been looking up tomatoes and see there are a few varieties that they say are most attractive in containers and I may sow seeds and place the pots here and there in the garden.
It's exciting to consider the possibilities!
An excellent thread idea, t!
I have 2 big reasons to pursue the mixed, cottage garden method: 1, my best sunny area is in the front of the house, and 2, I can't make myself tend a garden without pretties, LOL.
Some perennial fruits and veggies are going in this spring. Rhubarb and asparagus are the ones I need to get going; I find both beautiful and tasty. Gotta get the raspberries moved too. I found them particularly lovely in form. Ripening, colorful fruit of tomatoes, peppers, and any number of berries are beautiful alongside flowers.
I'd like to hear ideas any of you may be employing or have read about, on how to disguise less attractive veggies, like onions, or provide mutually beneficial companions.
A veggie I loved in the garden was purple cabbage. They looked like giant purple roses!
This message was edited Feb 17, 2008 9:41 AM
Oh, I'm embarrassed to say that I've been wanting to put in Rhubarb for the past four years, since we moved in and I ~still~ haven't put any in! Sheesh, I must make that happen this year. Asparagus - I ~love~ asparagus, but I think of it as a crop that requires a lot of space??? I have a small-ish urban lot and my good sunny spots are also in the front of the house. *sigh*
The thing about asparagus, is while it takes space, it also seems to share it well. The tall, lacy foliage is light enough in appearance that blooms of lilies, glads, or any taller flower look pretty with it, and shorter herbs and flowers look nice covering its "ankles". It's a rather casual look, perhaps too much so for your space though.
Yes, I had my cabbages growing along with my zinnias one year and they were nice foils. Didn't think to do purple, and I'm sure they were stunning!
I haven't planted onions for years so I'm not remembering how well/attractively they grow out. Only chives, and they were quite nice in clumps combined with marigolds for a simple look.
My best sunny area is in front of the house, too, so that's where I have to plant any veggies. I would like to cut down some trees in back someday.
I'm trying to think of ways to make tomatoes a bit better behaved and accessible. They always get so huge, practically eating the cages! I've been considering sections of fence, preferably some pretty sections of old wrought iron fencing, to use as trellising for them. I think clumps of daylilies, basils, and perhaps some zinnias and marigolds will accessorize them nicely.
Wrought iron sounds perfect!
I've always planted flowers in my veggie garden. The usual marigolds, nasturtiums, as insect repellents. I also plant banks of gladiolas ( I love those flowers) I usually try to put them by the tomatoes or taller growing crops to help support them. I've had morning glories and don't want to let that happen again, what a mess. I also interplant a petunias, zinnias, and what ever takes my fancy in and among the beds. "Veggies are for your body, but the flowers are for your soul!"
Gladiolas ... there's another that I've been *meaning* to include in my beds ...
Maybe there is an idea or two for your CG with tomatoes in this article--this gardener seems pretty thrilled with her tomato/cottage garden set-up:
http://www.littlecountryvillage.com/Cottage-Gardening/Tomatoes_-_Growing_Tomatoes_as_Vines_in_Your_Kitchen_Garden.shtml
I'm going to try 'determinate' tomatoes and put them in 5 gallon pots. Not sure how I'll hold them up.
Set up your stakes first, before you plant anything. You don't want to take a chance of "staking" the roots. With tubs, I'd put the stakes on the outside, maybe 3 sturdy stakes per plant. Put your pot next to them, plant your tomatoes and train them up the stakes.
Oh, glads would be nice with tomatoes, and nasturtiums too! A nice assortment of plant forms could make for a gorgeous display! I may toss summer squash in the mix; I'm thinking if I put them on the east side of a little wall of tomatoes, they'll benefit from the late afternoon shade. I think this will provide a great spot for a lot of hot colors and should definitely be home to some peppers. This is just the sort of inspired brainstorming I've been needing!
doccat, so true about "flowers are for the soul"
t, I've been curious about using 5 gallon pots too. I've been reading about people hanging them, but its been hard for me to come up with a way to make that attractive enough. I love the idea of cascading, pendulous tomatoes! I had considered how to elevate the pot on a pillar or something.
How high were you planning on going? Remember even cherry tomatoes in numbers gets heavy. Maybe be put a pot on some cinder brick or something similar that's sturdy and very strong.
I don't know enough about the new tomatoes (new in the past 30 years!) to know what would be both decorative and delicious. I believe critterologist suggested two varieties to me that were both short season and delicious on a thread and I'm going to try to locate those...
And of course, I'm going to try to wintersow some of these. Someone said they started their WS tomato seeds mid-late-march in our zone...
I grew Sungold tomatoes along my front walk last year and loved the looks but even better was popping one in my mouth as a was looking at my flowers. None of them made it into the house.
Hi tabasco! Just found this :) I agree with Gemini - regular veggies are so much more fun when there are flowers around them. I plan on adding the following to my CG this year (I don't think I could have a CG without *some* kind of veggie in it): Clemson Spineless okra, Cipollini onions ('Bianca Di Maggio'), 'Detroit Red' beet, Rainbow swiss chard, 'Early Thunder' and 'Gonzales' cabbage, Chicory, 'Queen Anne's Pocket' melon, 'White Satin' and 'Royal Chantenay' carrots, Oakleaf and Red Oakleaf lettuce, and 'Cherry Bells', 'Easter Egg' and 'French Breakfast' radish. I'm debating parsnips, depends on how much room I have.
I plan to let at least two each of the lettuce and cabbage bolt so that the butterflies and bees get to share :) We'll see how the radish and carrots do, if I can get them to survive the beasties out front then I'm hoping to get some seeds from them as well.
dryad--looks like you're taking on the concept fully! I can't wait to see photos this summer!
Was just thinking a little bit more about the veggies and the flowers grown together and I'm wondering if tall sunflowers could be used at 'trellises' for say certain beans or maybe something else?
I did see somewhere sunflowers used as supports for heavenly blue morning glories and the picture was beautiful...
maozamom, thanks to your suggestion I bought a packet of cherry tomato seeds and will try your plan next summer, too.
I don't see why sunflowers couldn't be some kind of support - it would just depend on how heavy the beans would get and how strong the sunflower stalk is. hmmmm.....and I was wondering how I would handle those beans in the backyard. I do b'lieve you've given me an idea there T!
Hmmm....and wouldn't the beans fix nitrogen in the soil for the sunflowers? I like that idea! Of course I'd have to squelch my urge to use hyacinth beans or scarlet runner beans, lol. If only more veggies had pretty blooms!
I grow tomatoes for the hornworms and cabbage for the sulphurs and carrots for the swallowtails. (Don't tell Mr. Clean about the tomoates --he thinks they are for him. LOL)
Suzy
ha, ha. I like to add a cabbage or two for the 'artistic' effect of them, too. Oh, and for cole slaw!
I just bought a pack of three kinds of cherry tomato seeds from Renee's seeds and ten large containers from Big Lots (Friends and Family Coupon Day Sunday--and don't ask me how I got on that list!) to plant them in and place around the flower garden for 'accents'. I assume, though, the deer will have a field day with them...
Also went to 'Worm's Way', the hydroponic store in KY, and picked up some Messenger, Superthrive, and a heat mat to really get the tomatoes going (not hydroponically, just in the pots.) The manager there was most helpful, though.
Renee's Garden Seeds tomato page: http://www.reneesgarden.com/seeds/seeds-hm/vegT.htm#tom They look pretty in the drawings!
I would like to mix up some pepper plants in my cottage bed. I've got seeds. Humm y'all are giving me some ideas since I don't have a vegatable garden.
Oh, that's right - I have pickle peppers from Critter to sow when it gets closer to last frost -- I am going to make pickles this year! :)
Suzy
When I started designing my cottage garden 2 years ago, I felt that the definition was that you could put anything in it. So, I put in a stone path in order to make the width more accessible, and on one side I put rhubarb, chives, lemon mint, lots of other herbs, and the other side I put my perennials. It has been a huge joy. I now cook with fresh or frozen herbs and have just as much fun watching them grow as I have watching the flowers. My friends have said they don't like the look of my rhubarb, but that is almost my favorite plant, so it stays! That' s what a cottage garden is all about. I have since put in a vegetable garden also and tried moving a few herbs there. But I missed them in my cottage garden so back they go this year.
Your garden sounds wonderful, Kate. I love rhubarb too. My mom used to grow it along with her roses-- a little weird, but we thought the pie was worth it!
I personally think rhubarb is a very interesting architectural plant and could easily pair with perennial and annual flowers.
I planted seeds for white and purple round miniature eggplants this year to pair with tall marigolds. Now I'm looking for a nice squash or gourd to vine over an arbor with my morning glories or 'spanish flag' vines...
I have 2 pieces of rhubarb that i took from my old house when i moved... they do not do as well here, for some reason... but i also ordered some -- canadian reds, or something like that. but from the sounds of it, i should wait a season or two before using it.
T -- i was wondering - do you put tomatoes in your cottage garden? if so, do the critters leave them alone?
i have tons of bunnies and squirrels. But if they would do fine ... i could do them out back too ... just never have enough fresh 'maters.
T2.
I haven't grown tomatoes on this property yet. Not really enough sun and also deer problems.
But I am starting several varieties from seed this year including 3 cherry tomatoes that I thought might work in containers set into the Cottage Garden that I could move here and there depending on sun issues. The other seedlings I may get 'earth boxes' for and set on the driveway (where there is more sun).
I suppose critters will be a problem as they always are here, but I thought tomatoes would be worth a try. This will be an experiment this year, but I love the home grown tomatoes.
a few years back, i got my mom 2 EB's , and she said they didnt work well for her... but her problem is she's in Green Valley AZ [south of Tucson] I'd love them, but I dont have anywhere to put them. My patio really isn't that big, though it is 20x20, i just done have anywhere to put them.
Maybe I'll put one tomato back there and just see what happens. I'm only sowing 4 seeds.
I ordered both rhubarb and horseradish starts this year. My DH loves rhubarb pie and I have his grandmother's recipe for a "sweet" chowchow type relish that uses rhubarb. I'm not crazy about it myself, a little dab will do me. But I love the way it looks. My mom had a big patch planted in an among her cherry trees. I use to make extra money to go to the show, picking, pitting and selling those cherries (we had 3 standard trees) as well as stems of the rhubarb to all the neighbor ladies. Mom was one of the few that could get it to grow, or I should actually credit my Dad. He would go out to his buddy's place and get composted horse poo to put on the beds in the winter.
I'm busy trying to figure out where I'm going to put Cardoon next year :) I LOVE that plant - it's so unusual, and everyone who sees it either loves it or hates it. It makes people look at a garden though, so I'm hoping it gets the neighbors thinking about something other than grass...
dryad, I'm intrigued with the Cardoon, I love the way it looks, but understand it can be an invasive thug. How do you contain it?