Kitchen Garden Creation

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Jennifer Bartley grows scarlet runner beans on a trellis. Their bright red flowers attract hummingbirds, and both the beans and the blossoms are edible. Once asparagus stops producing, its feathery foliage adds interest to any border or fence line. With its silvery, carved, angular leaves, topped by thistle-like flowerheads, cardoon is positively statuesque. The deep magenta leaves of ‘Bull’s Blood’ beets are edible as well as attractive. ‘Rouge Vif d’Etampes’ squash is reminiscent of the fairy tale pumpkin stagecoach in Disney’s Cinderella.

‘Green Zebra,’ ‘Striped German’ and ‘Cherokee Purple’ heirloom tomatoes, ‘Rosa Bianca’ eggplant, and coiled garlic scapes are popular with gourmet chefs. ‘Harlequin’ corn’s dramatic variegated leaves brighten any vegetable patch, and the deep purple curds of ‘Graffiti’ cauliflower turn blue when cooked. ‘Rattlesnake’ pole beans not only have an intriguing name, but the stunning mottled green and purple beans lose their purple streaks and turn green when cooked. 

Gardening as therapy

“There’s something very therapeutic about any kind of garden,” says Jennifer Bartley. “It’s not just the labor of being out in the garden that’s healthy – it’s actually seeing the garden, looking at the flowers, enjoying all the birds and butterflies and hummingbirds that come to the garden.”

Consider creating a kitchen garden near your house. Start small with good soil and a few vegetables and herbs you love. Then add a few of your favorite flowers. Place a bench in the garden where you can sip a cup of coffee and appreciate the scene. Soon you’ll have a garden that is as beautiful as it is productive, and you’ll be part of the healthy ‘slow food’ movement.

Margaret Haapoja tends her kitchen garden outside the back door of her Bovey, Minnesota, home.

Space-saving Veggies & Herbs

‘Sweet 100’ tomato
‘Tom Thumb’ lettuce
‘Cherry Belle’ radishes
‘Ichiban’ and ‘Bambino’ eggplant
‘Super Bush’ tomato
‘Garden Babies’ lettuce
‘Pot of Gold’ chard
‘Bush Slicer’ cucumber
‘Pizza My Heart’ pepper
‘Cameo‘ basil
‘Fine Leaf’ chives
‘Slow Bolt’ cilantro
‘True Greek’ oregano
‘Thumbelina’ and ‘Baby Spike’ carrots
‘Two Inch Strawberry’ popcorn 

Read descriptions in seed catalogs to find more dwarf varieties.

Pretty Plants

‘Bright Lights’ Swiss chard
‘Outrageous’ and ‘Olga’ romaine
‘Red Sails’ and ‘Freckles’ lettuce
‘Afro’ parsley
‘Romanesco’ broccoli
Ornamental kale and cabbage
Scarlet runner beans
‘Gigante’ cardoon
‘Bull’s Blood’ beets
‘Rouge Vif d’Etampes’ squash
‘Green Zebra,’ ‘Striped German’ and ‘Cherokee Purple’ heirloom tomatoes
‘Rosa Bianca’ eggplant
‘Harlequin’ corn
‘Graffiti’ cauliflower
‘Rattlesnake’ pole beans
‘Mariachi’ chile peppers
‘Lacinato’ Tuscan kale
‘Purple Passion’ asparagus
‘Moon and Stars’ watermelon
‘Turk’s Turban’ squash
‘Kolibri’ kohlrabi
‘Red Express’ cabbage

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