'The Pearl' is a much more showy form of Sneezewort than the single form. Developed in the late 19th C. in France by Lemoine, it was named 'Boule de Neige' (Ball of Snow). Its flowers are pure white and fully double. They grow in large clusters and are especially good as cut flowers - they can last for weeks in the vase. It's also a beautiful dried flower. Easy to grow, it has the same requirments as the single form.
This cottage-garden classic, native to Italy, is a statuesque plant with a heavy clump of long, lance-shaped basal leaves and towering 4-5' spikes of rich blue, giant forget-me-not type flowers (they're from the same family). 'Dropmore' is a 1905 selection that is still stunning today. Blooms in late spring/early summer. Tomato cages help it stay upright after blooming. Z 3-10. Sun; well-drained soil.
This is the original columbine that was such a cottage garden favourite. So different from modern hybrids, its delicate, short-spurred flowers of blue, purple or wine red nod gracefully from arching stems. Grown in gardens for hundreds of years, it is a hummingbird favourite. It reaches 24 - 36" in height & prefers sunny/partly shady site. Z 3-9.
This form of Lemon Basil grows tall and upright - to 2' - with leaves to 3" long, and is therefore more easily contained than the low-growing Lemon Basil. Other than that, they are very similar in fragrance and taste.
SORRY, SOLD OUT FOR 2009. (70 - 90 days) Aka Orca, Yin Yang. This beautiful bean is one of the best beans for baking and soup-making. Each bean is half-black/half-white with a contrasting eye - they do, indeed, resemble orcas or yin yang symbols (the Chinese symbol for harmony). Stout, 15" plants produce large harvests of these plump, delicious beans that have a potato-like taste. The markings remain when cooked, but turn to a tan and ecru colour combination. Harvest young as a snap bean or leave on the bush for a dried bean.
SORRY, SOLD OUT FOR 2009. (48 - 70 days) Grown before 1850, introduced by Peter Henderson & Co. in 1897. At one time, this bean was almost legendary amongst gardeners - it produces masses of delicious, tender, straight, 6" long green beans very early in the season. Leave some pods to dry on the bush and you'll also have an excellent dry black soup bean. Catalogues of the time described it as having "fine quality and delicate flavour". It's known for its hardiness, ability to grow in adverse growing conditions and resistance to bean mosaic.
(65-70 days for greenshell; 90-95 days for dry) It is very difficult to find soybeans that haven't been genetically modified - finally, I've come across this Japanese heirloom soybean. 'Agate' was introduced to the U.S. in 1929. It is an early-maturing variety that is recommended for short-season climates. The beans are a unique colour of olive-gold and brown and very falvourful. The short (12-18") plants are heavy producers. Rare.
(60-75 days) Peter Henderson & Co. introduced this Lima bean in 1887. I found this seed catalogue description from 1892, which I just have to repeat in its entirety: "This wonderful innovation created a greater furore (sic) last season than any vegetable novelty that has ever been offered. Those who never had a vegetable garden before were induced to plant the Henderson Bush Lima Bean, because it enabled them to have the most delicious of all vegetables without the trouble and expense of the unsightly poles. Hundreds of the most flattering letters have been received from every state telling of its wonderful success. A single plant was shown last season which had 271 pods on it at one time. Henderson's New Bush Lima grows without the aid of stakes or poles in compact, bush form, about eighteen inches high, and produces enormous crops of delicious Lima beans, which can be as easily gathered as the common garden bush sorts. Is at least two weeks earlier than any of the climing Limas. This fact alone would stamp it as the most valuable novelty of recent years, but when, in addition to this, we consider that it is a true bush bean, requiring no supports, some idea of its great value can be realized. The New Bush Lima produces a continuous crop from the time it comes into bearing... until frost, and, being enormously productive, a very small patch will keep a family supplied with this splendid vegetable through the season." Whew! What can I add...other than to suggest you might want to try it for yourself.
SORRY, SOLD OUT FOR 2009. This beautiful, airy plant was named after the French naturalist Pere Armand David, who "discovered" it in 1867 growing in its native China, where it is known as "Summer Lilac". Long popular in gardens due to its ability to attract butterflies, it also attracts bees, hummingbirds, moths and ladybugs. Growing 5-7', it has an open growing habit with long panicles of purple, pink or white florets in summer. One of the easiest shrubs to grow from seed, it can bloom the first year if sown early enough. Hardy to Z5 and benefits from being cut down to about 1' (30 cm) high early each spring.
Ah, well, I don't think there is anything common about chives. For one thing, they have an ancient pedigree, dating back to perhaps 5000 years of cultivation. They were a mainstay in the Middle Ages, and the Romans valued chives for their medicinal purposes. Romanian Gypsies used chives in fortune telling. They are one of the essential ingredients in the "herbes fines" of France. They have myriad culinary uses and are super easy to grow. Just let chives grow in clumps and harvest the leaves as needed, or three times a year for major harvests. They are not fussy about soil and growing conditions, other than to prefer well-drained soil and sun. Hardy to Z3. Sun.
(80-100 days) I have been looking for a good variety of Citron for years! This is a very old heirloom watermelon that cannot be eaten raw (it's quite indigestible) but is absolutely delicious when preserved, pickled or candied. The attractive fruits are light green with dark green stripes and spots, and grow to 12 lbs. with white flesh and bright red seeds. These were grown by "every practical housewife" (according to a late 19th C. seed catalogue) in the 19th and early 20th centuries for making preserves and jam.
60-70 days) One of the most nutritious of all greens, collards are a vegetable staple in the southern U.S., and their popularity is growing rapidly in all other regions. The vigorous, short-stemmed, easy to grow plants are tolerant of both heat and cold. The juicy, thick, green leaves are rich in vitamins and minerals and have a mild cabbage-like flavour. They're delicious fresh in salads, boiled or steamed. 'Champion' is a Vates-type of collard, non-heading.
(85-90 days) One of the best-tasting and most ornamental flour corns around! Mandan Bride bears soft, multi-coloured ears that have kernels that are various beautiful combinations of purple, red, yellow, white and variegated. The ears grow to 8" and the stalks to 6'. An old heirloom from the Mandan First Nations people of North Dakota. Tolerates heat and humidity well and ripens well in short-season areas. This one will do well in markets.
(58-65 days) A Japanese heirloom, this unusual variety of cucumber was introduced to North America in 1892 by the American seedhouse Thorburn. Its vigorous vines make it one of the best varieties for trellising and climbing fences and it produces 9" long, dark green, cylindrical fruits. The flesh is crisp and mild with a slightly tart flavour, making it an excellent slicing cucumber.
Aka 'Boston Pickling'. (55 days) Developed by the National Pickle Packers Association in collaboration with the Michigan Agricultural Experimental Station in 1924, this is a very popular variety with picklers! Highly-productive, disease-resistant vines start producing early and produce a wonderful abundance of dark green fruit with crisp white flesh and black spines. Retains quality over a longer season than most. Fruit can be picked small (2-3") for gherkins or larger (5-6") for full-sized pickles.
(60-75 Days) Aka 'Burr Cucumber' and 'Jerusalem Cucumber'. A cousin to the "regular" cucumber that we know, this annual vine is originally from Africa, was brought over to Jamaica and then introduced from there to North America in 1793. Vigorous vines grow 5-10', with large watermelon-type leaves, and produce tons of small, spiny ,oblong fruit (2-3" long and 1.5" diameter) throughout the summer. These are used primarily for pickling and make wonderful pickles! Rare.
This stunning form of dahlia is a descendent of an old English heirloom called 'Bishop of Landaff', which was itself introduced in 1927. The flowers are highly variable, coming in all colours and combinations of shades of red, orange, yellow, pink and purple and either single or double forms. The stems and leaves, however, are all dark - from green speckled with black to dark plum! The plants grow to 2.5' and are absolutely stunning! Wait...sorry...I said "stunning" before, can't repeat it. Alright, they may be stunning, but we can't say that more than once. So let's just say that, instead of stunning, these plants are ...spectacular!
This is an ancient species of dianthus, cultivated since the 13th C., this is rarely found now. I, myself, lost it a few yeas ago and am pleased to have tracked it down again. The "superb" in the botanical name refers to the intoxicating fragrance of this pink. Its common name alludes to the deeply-fringed petals of the lavender-pink flowers. Grows to 3'; sun; summer; Z 4-9.
