Edible But Beautiful

The garden is really beginning to fill up with colour and flowers. This plant is the arctic raspberry that I grow in a container at the top of the steps entering the garden. It is delightful at the moment.  When I bought the plant last year I did not know what pleasure it would give me. It was cheap at The Range and sounded interesting so I took a bet on it. Having been restrained by a small pot, it was only a little thing when I bought it and looked overwhelmed by the container I put it in. But its growth took off and even gave a harvest of sweet deep red berries in its first year. It laughed at this year's cold winter, which was no surprise given it does indeed grow in arctic conditions, and now is in full bloom. The Russians call it the Prince of Berries and I agree. 

I am counting down the days before the weather improves and I can get back into the garden. Sadly I have found the cold weather can trigger my angina, so I must be patient. But in the meantime I am planning and researching. Here is what I am hoping to grow this year: SPRING/SUMMER Borlotti beans French beans (climbing) - blauhilde, goldmarie Lablab bean Runner bean (dwarf) - hestia Crimson-flowered broad beans Carrots in raised containers - nantes, red samurai, purple sun Beetroot (yellow, bolthardy, and cylindra plus bull's blood for leave  Chilli pepper - Trinidad perfume  Hyssop Amaranthus calaloo Lettuce - various Basil Cucumber - jogger Cape gooseberry Tomatoes - rosella, karla, venus, bajaja, vilma, aztek Sweet pepper - ontara Summer savory Peas - kelvedon wonder, shiraz (mangetout), sugar bon (sugarsnap) Salsola Pattypan squash - disco Chard - rainbow swisschard,  perpetual spinach Spinach - New Zealand, red-veined, Orach Sunflower...