Last year I added red cabbage to my border garden to try and distract the rabbits from eating my echinacea and liatris, but it didn't work (the 69-cent cabbage versus the $12 perennial seemed like a good trade to me, but the rabbits still preferred the expensive dinner). The result, however, was an interesting study in color and texture.
Very pretty!
This year, I solved the rabbit issue (I adopted a pair of cats who probably would not kill a rabbit, but who certainly have encouraged the rabbits to go elsewhere for dinner - I have not seen one in my garden this spring). I liked the effect of the red cabbage, so this year I used red cabbage and added a new ingredient - kale. I really like the results as a study of color and texture.
LeawoodGardner,I started kale from seed,just got it planted,thats what I was thinking color and texture,but I was wondering how it will tolerate heat,because dont you usually plant it much later in the season ??? Any way ,yours look great.
This is the traditional kale, not the flowering variety. True, it is a cold-crop, so I don't know how it will do in the summer heat, but I like the look now. I normally buy the flowering variety in September to give the beds a 'boost' and present some color through December. The cabbage held up fine last summer so I hope the kale will also - if not, it's all an experiment!
Leawood, boy I messed up !!! i guess I should reread ,I have flowering kale,good thing i have more seed ,Ill have to start some later !!!DUH !!!!
That looks very pretty with the salvia. I am planning an ornamental veg garden (potager; ooo lala) with espaliered fruit trees and flowers mixed in with the produce and I will definitely try this Kale look! (note "planning"; this is still in the fantasy stages!)
lea, love your border with the 'mixed greens'.
Did you grow your cabbages from seed? They look so healthy.
Would love to do some experimenting like that with a border, too. Mmmm...you have given me some good ideas. Thanks! t.
Doesn't hurt to put red leaf lettuce and the pale green black seeded simpson in among the flowers for interest. Shades out the weeds, and you can pick and eat until it bolts in the heat. We don't have many bunnies, too many red tail hawks, keeps their numbers down.
I bought my kale and cabbage as starts - I should do more from seed, but I don't get motivated in time.
A local botanic garden - Powell Gardens - is opening a Heartland Harvest Garden to demonstrate the fruits and vegetables that can be grown in our area. Last spring they had their display beds filled with veggies in pattern, like Villandry (a chateau in the Loire Valley in France), and I'm sure this year they are even more elaborate. The new garden will feature a restaurant serving produce from the garden and orchards. It opens in two weeks - I can hardly wait to see what they do. This photo of one of the beds was taken May 24 last year.
LOL, yes, I wouldn't mind having a little Villandry style garden on my property!! That chateau garden is so wonderful, and the wine is too!
I love the shot of the Powell Gardens bed from last year. I wonder what that purple flower is among the cabbages? Any idea?
Your thread inspired me to get out there in the garden today and rearrange some of my perennials for better color effect. I am still a klutz on texture, and don't seem to have the sensitivity or plant knowledge to pull off texture to great effect but at least the colors are improved.
I have way to many spikey plants~~bearded iris, sib. iris, camassia, eremurus, allium, liatris. I wonder what this says about me? Don't answer that! I need something with a wonderful fine full leaf that the bunnies don't care for.... what would that be?
Happy gardening. t.
There are several kales, including the one that is almost black (I've asked about it several places, including hinting to the director of Powell Gardens that I'd like to acquire a 'sample' - he didn't respond - the seed companies don't seem to have it). I'm not sure what the lavender flower is.
Here is a shaded bed filled with hosta, coral bells and coleus - the oak leaf hydrangea. red bud and dogwood trees give it structure.
I love your first photo with the cabbage. It is just beautiful. I'm going to try that next year. Sorry your rabbits have expensive taste. I have found leaving the grass go "natural" with weeds and clover keeps the rabbits occupied. But like yours, every now and then our rabbits decide to dine on something a bit more extravagant!
However, if you let the grass "go natural" the snakes move in. Given the choice, I prefer rabbits.
Does the kale look nice all winter? I planted some red kale (from the newbie seed swap) for some color/texture contrast. I am looking forward to seeing how it looks.
This is the first time I've done kale in the bed, so I'm not sure. I have planted flowering kale in the fall on several occasions and it does OK until January, when it freezes out and looks ugly. I pull it up in January and toss it in the compost pile.
Here is some of the flowering kale from last fall.
LeawoodGardner,i hope the flowering kale that I planted at the wrong time does something or anything this summer,I will plant some later,OH yours is really pretty too,It will be interesting to see if it does anything good in the heat .Oh well trial and error!!!
My curly-leaf kale has really done well - I use Milorganite on the hostas, so I gave the cabbage and kale a shot too, when I planted them in April. Looks like they benefited from the high-nitrogen diet!
wow, I love your plant combination's! I like doing veggies in my regular gardens too, but I've never tried the cabbage or kale and I can see it looks great. I usually try and get okra in our front porch flower bed, which reminds me I better get some seeds sown. Okra blooms are really nice and the red okra has interesting swirls of red in the leaves.
I've seen some beautiful rainbow rhubarb in catalogs, but didn't think to order some this spring. Maybe this fall...
A lovely combo. I like to plant ornamental cabbage in the fall and have it for interest all winter. Cats are the best for critter control. I never knew how much until we moved to our current place and can't let them out all the time. Squirrels and birds get half of our garden, peaches and most of the grapes. Oh well! We have stucco walls to keep the rabbits out--thankfully.
I like to plant lettuce, squash and okra in the flower beds on occasion. I have an area in near roses where I am thinking the full sun might be a good spot for a tomato. I like that you see the positive side of this situation! It is interesting that the rabbits don't like the cabbage. ; )
The cabbage heads are just starting to form, but it's the big, blue leaves that I find attractive, so I don't really care if they form heads or not.
I am adding rhubarb and brussels sprouts to my flower bed this year. My back yard garden space is bordered by a tall fence and a row of black walnut trees. I am very limited with what I can grow there unless I use containers. I have lettuce, cukes, melons, peppers and herbs in containers this year. I tried some lettuce seeds and they are growing in spite of the juglone. I may try some kale there this fall.
I am thinking of adding swiss chard in the garden this fall. Has anyone grown it before? it would be wonderful to have fresh greens in the winter.
in this post did they tie the onion into knots?
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=6597567
What appears to be onion in that photo is actually daffodil leaves. At Powell Garden they tie the daffodil leaves in a bundle to allow them to feed the roots. Once they turn yellow, they are cut off. Tying them into bundles keeps the bed 'neat'. Some years I do that in parts of my garden that are most visible.
ahhhh... well what a lovely idea.
