Yesterday I found a box of seed packets at my door step. New seed packets for spring 2009 already! How exciting. I didn't know next year's seeds were available already.
The seeds are from one of my favorite companies, Botanical Interests. They sent a selection for me to try.
The varieties are: carrot carnival blend (a mix of purple, red, orange, yellow and white carrots), pumpkin Jarrahdale (an heirloom ribbed gray with 6-12 lb fruit), a red mesclun lettuce mix called Valentine that includes 6 different varieties, hyacinth bean vine, a purple violet poppy and a sunflower I have long admired called Goldy Honey Bear ("a fully double radiant beauty"). I look forward to trying these in my garden.
The poppy packet (Lauren's Grape) suggests planting in the fall for early spring color among spring bulbs. I don't know if our zone (6A) is too cold for this, but I always enjoy an experiment. There are lots of seeds in the packet so I'll plant a few next time I'm in the garden and see what happens. I'll save the rest for spring.
8 comments:
Love the hyacinth bean...
I find it likes the sun, but can handle some shade down here in Houston. The flowers are beautiful. It is a VIGOROUS vine, so plan accordingly!
I think they'll be nice on my garden fence, which can use some thing pretty covering it. Maybe I only need a couple plants. Thanks.
The packet says Hyacinth Bean Vine a 6-20 foot vine. Wow! That's big. I saw these last year on a fence at our community garden and wondered what they were. Now I know. The packet also says the plant is toxic and no part is edible. Another thing I wondered about.
What lovely bright seed packets:D
Those are the prettiest seed packets I've ever seen! I'm saddened that the company doesn't ship outside the US.
It's interesting that the seed packet says all parts of the plants are toxic. My understanding is that only the mature seeds have toxins that can actually be leached out to make them edible. I've grown it for the beautiful flowers and pods and I've eaten the immature pods and survived, the flavor is not to my liking though. A book that I have about Asian vegetables says that the young leaves are eaten raw and older leaves are eaten cooked. It is also used fresh and dried as a fodder plant.
Anyway, you'll enjoy growing them for their beauty and if you like hummingbirds they are attracted to them as well.
Those poppies look gorgeous! I just love poppies...
And I'm intrigued by the carrots, especially the white one!
Glad to hear the hummingbirds will like the hyacinth beans. There are great hummingbirds the at our gardens.
And the poppy color is really interesting. None of the orange tone that I don't like in a poppy as it doesn't mix well with other flowers. I'm looking forward to seeing the color. I think my photo made it look more red than the seed package which is more purple.
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