Happy Friday, Gpoders!
This is my second year starting with seeds and maintaining a full kitchen garden (rather than some of the tomato and pepper plants I bought a few years ago). I’ve learned a lot from last year’s successes and failures and can be happy to say that I’m implementing changes that have already increased the yield so far this year. One of those changes was to incorporate more flowers. Earlier this week, when discussing the incredible vegetables and flower gardens in Kimberly, North Carolina, I mentioned the power of flowers (post here: see Kimberly’s Golden Garden).
The most exciting addition to my garden is undoubtedly these chip-top mixed nastoltium (Tropaeolum Majus, annual). This variety produces a fun mix of apricots, gold, oranges and scarlet blooms, making it a delicious addition to your salads. All parts of the plant are edible, but the flowers have the strongest pepper flavor. I haven’t harvested many of my flowers, but they look too good in my bed!
These stunning flowers create an incredible color combination on their own, and the leaves in the shape of shields are also worth noting. Some gardeners plant nastoltium for their ability to block rabbits and deer, but I completely remove the risk with the barriers around my raised bed.
Some of the flowers in my vegetable bed are not necessarily for bees, and not for the seeds they endure. I put my herbs like this dill in the flowers and hope they will come back in self-uniformity next year. As a bonus, they add even more colour and interest to the garden.
Coriander is another herb that I do this. I have the bad habit of using coriander too late in spring and try to flower quickly. I pinched the buds for a few weeks and tried to make the plant last a little longer. Until finally giving up the fight and thrives these rather small white flowers.
However, most of these adorable species do not spread out in the garden. As soon as they turn brown, I cut the clusters out of the plants and place them in brown paper bags to dry them further. When all the seeds fall off the stem, I grind them into coriander powder, which I use all year round.
Marigold is not a new addition to my garden this year. Last year I enjoyed several different varieties. However, I skipped the marigold departure from the seeds and chose to buy them from the local nursery, getting more plants and more varieties. In fact, I decided to plant some in my tomato and pepper container as well. These giant African marigolds (Tagetes erecta, annual) have produced the most flowers so far this year.
Disco orange French marigold (Tagetes Patula, Annual) is less dense, but its bright single flowers are much more popular in honeybees.
These French marigolds in double flowering – I believe they are Bonanza™ mix – are another varieties that are in modest bloom, but their incredible colour and double crested flowers stop when they pop up.
Finally, another French marigold called Disco Marietta: these may be my favorite of the varieties planted this year. It has a simple shape, but it has some really amazing colors.
I hope you enjoy this little tour of flowers in my vegetable garden! If you are interested, I can offer you a tour of vegetables and herbs that I have decided to grow this year. Please let me know in the comments!
What plants have given your garden a boost this year? Are there new plants to refresh in the old bed? Have you tore a terrible seed that was ramping at the ignored horns? The common emotion in the garden photo that day is that the garden really doesn’t take place. It’s overwhelming, but it also means endless opportunities to reassess, rethink and activate. Consider sharing your amazing garden achievements with your blog! Follow the instructions below to send a photo by email or DM via Instagram: @girlherdogandtheroad.
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