My garden 2015

Hi all:

I just wanted to post some pictures of the garden I planted this year.  I haven't planted one for many years and decided I would try one again this year.  In the past, I loved stepping outside and snipping off fresh herbs and eating just-picked carrots and sweet peas. I also remember making the most wonderful home-made tomato soup from my tomatoes and vowing to never buy canned tomato soup again! That didn't last long, but I hope to try and replicate that fresh, flavourful soup again this year. I hope this year's bounty does not disappoint.

Here are some pictures of my garden.

Here, you can see tomato plants in the back. The plant on the left is a Burpee "Big Daddy" and the plant on the right is a Burpee "Power Pops" cherry tomato. In between the tomatoes, is McKenzie Seeds "Bright Lights" Swiss Chard. It should provide a rainbow of colour in the garden and look impressive. I never really know what to do with the Swiss Chard once it has grown, but it looks pretty in the garden. I also think that when I say I planted Swiss Chard, it makes me sound like I know what I am doing!

In front of the Swiss Chard are Gusto Italia Beets which have red and white flesh inside and when cut open, look like pinwheels. I love beets, especially pickled beets.  Maybe I will try my hand at pickling some this year. I am already thinking of making a salad with pickled beets and feta cheese.

In front of the beets are McKenzie Seeds "French Breakfast" heirloom radishes. These are large, oblong red radishes with a white tip and are juicy with a mild, sweet flavour (package description). These grow fast and are great eaten right out of the ground.

In front of the beets is Burpee "Tom Thumb" heirloom lettuce. They are small and compact and have green leaves outside but butter yellow leaves inside. I still need to thin them; I better get on that, but I look forward to having some fresh lettuce for salads this summer.

Beside the lettuce are Marth Stewart organic "Nantes" carrots.  They don't seem to be coming up as well as I would like, but I will persevere.  There is nothing better than a fresh carrot pulled out of the warm summer ground. I have had some success with this variety before and they are dense and very flavourful.

The garden rat perched on the raised bed has been sitting in my garden for years. I was hoping he would deter the neighbourhood cats from using my garden as their "playground" but alas, he seems to not be fulfilling his end of the bargain.  I keep him on anyways!!

In this bed, I have planted McKenzie "Royal Burgundy" Heirloom bush beans. These are unique in that they grow a deep purple colour, yet turn a beautiful green when steamed.  They are also very flavourful and you can even eat them right off the bush. (Can you see that I like to use unique vegetable varieties?)

 I have also planted Mr. Fothergills Sweetpea "Old Spice mix" flowers. These are dwarf plants that are very fragrant and are prolific bloomers.

 Finally in this bed, on the far right, are Martha Stewart "Karina" organic peas. They are supposedly exceptionally great tasting (package description again) and I look forward to zipping open the pea pods and eating the peas right out of the shell.

 In the foreground, is a Burpee "Big Boy" tomato plant that my husband insisted on planting in a pot.  He claims it will grow faster that way and has thrown down the gauntlet, so to speak!! Now, we are competing to see who will harvest tomatoes the fastest.  I have to say though, my selection of the cherry tomato plant was genius! I already have some green tomatoes ripening on my plant.

Here, you can see some herbs in the foreground; chocolate mint on the left, rosemary and cilantro. I love cilantro!  In the bed behind the herbs are Martha Stewart "Marketmore" organic cucumbers (left), Martha Stewart "Black Beauty"zucchini and chives.  Cucumbers and zucchini are always impressive in the garden.  They grow fast and they continue to produce all summer long.  I can't wait for fresh cucumber salad and to make zucchini bread; so delicious.

There you have it.  My garden is small but I can manage that size easily.  I hope it is bountiful this year.  I will try to post pictures of my harvest; if I don't eat it all first!!

Happy "sowing",

Rosie