Adventures in an Urban Kitchen Garden
FLOWERS
Technically, some of these flowers are actually
|
||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Agastache (Start seedlings on February 25) Surface sow and press tightly into the soil. Keep seeds moist until germination. Light aids germination. Plant a little bit away from the vegetable garden, these flowers can lure cabbage moths away from Brassica crops A very light application of  will result in better flowers possibly to the detriment of the root system if grown as a perenial.
|
||||||||||||||||||
 |
a) Apricot Sprite Set off a blazing display of tangerine-colored fireworks in your garden with this phenomenal, fragrant agastache. This native wildflower’s blooms appear in mid to late summer. Plants reach 15 to 18 inches tall and about 24 inches wide. The foliage and flowers are delightfully fragrant, and the orange, trumpet-shaped blooms are highly attractive to hummingbirds and other pollinators.
|
|
||||||||||||||||
 |
b) Texas Hummingbird Tidy half-hardy perennial that is aromatic and attractive to pollinators. Plants fill the air with minty fragrance; the pretty spiked flowers are popular for arranging. This dynamic landscape plant is easy to grow, adds long-season color, and grows in neat clumps that do not spread or take over. Hardy, overwinters from zones 6a-9b, but can be easily grown farther north as an annual. Pollinators are drawn to its fragrance, and hummingbirds cannot resist the flowers! This plant can be dried for making tea and is also used to make a mosquito-repelling oil.
|
 |
||||||||||||||||
| 2 Celosia (Start seedlings on February 25) Leaves of this plant are edible and have a spinach-like taste while the plant is young but after flowering, the leaves turn bitter. A general-purpose fertilizer with equal amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium should be incorporated into the soil at time of planting. After planting, celosia should be fertilized monthly using a fertilizer with a higher phosphorus than nitrogen content to promote new blooms. |
||||||||||||||||||
 |
a) Chinese Wool Flower Brilliant blooms look like colorful tufts of yarn, setting landscapes and floral arrangements ablaze! This 2-3-foot-tall variety was a major standout in our trial gardens and is our new favorite flower! Baker Creek is delighted to reintroduce an all but forgotten edible ornamental and what we have found to be the most delicious flowering vegetable we have ever eaten! The fluffy and colorful heads of this amaranth family member are wildly colorful and make a bold everlasting flower for fresh or dried arrangements. What sets this apart as a truly remarkable edible ornamental is the delicate and gourmet flavor. The young leaves are a perfect spinach substitute. In the Baker Creek trial kitchen, we have tried it tempura style, stir fried, added to soups, lasagna and pizza; the possibilities are endless! The greens are incredibly nutritious as well. They are a good source of vitamins A & C as well as calcium, iron, and other nutrients. Baker Creek founder Jere Gettle was intrigued when he saw advertisements for the Chinese wool flower in seed catalogs dating back to 1915. He had never seen the plants in real life, and upon researching, he realized they were no longer available anywhere in the U.S! We took our search abroad and finally tracked down a single seed packet in Japan. We are thrilled to finally be able to offer it to the public!
|
|||||||||||||||||
 |
b) Eternity Mix Prepare to be enraptured with this fruity mix, it is resplendent in beauty! This dazzling mix of colors reminds us of a fruit bowl, blooms come in blood orange, Meyer lemon, raspberry and tangerine tones. Heads are feathery and fluffy, referred to as fusagaito in Japanese. The 2-2.5 foot tall plants are excellent for beds, borders, containers and cut flower use! The celosia is believed to have been introduced to Japan in the 8th century, there the young leaves have been used as an edible green, the colorful heads have been rendered into a beautiful natural dye and the plants were also traditionally burned in the home to deter mice from entering the home. We love this brilliant fruity mix!
|
|||||||||||||||||
 |
c) Plumosa Glorious Mix These feathery celosia come in a stunning mix of fruity tones, from raspberry to lemon, tangerine, and cherry. The extra-dwarf plants reach 8 to 10 inches tall and 6 to 8 inches wide. Tuck these tidy plants into pots, beds, and borders. One of the most care-free flowers, they are both heat and drought tolerant.
|
|||||||||||||||||
| 3 Craspedia (Start seedlings on February 25) |
||||||||||||||||||
 |
a) Yellow Drumstick A striking flower with unusual texture and vibrant color. Also known as “Billy Buttons” these 1 inch, spherical, canary yellow flowers make the most striking cut flower or everlasting bloom. The plants stand 2-2.5 feet tall with strong, stiff stems, perfect for arranging.
|
|||||||||||||||||
| 4 Gaillardia(Start seedlings on February 25) | ||||||||||||||||||
 |
a) Double Sunset Antique, extra showy variety dating back to at least 1886. An extraterrestrial take on our favorite pollinator-friendly prairie flower. Blooms have quilled single and double petals in fabulous mixed colors. This heat-tolerant, long-season blooming native North American wildflower is equally at home in the border or freely sown as a wild flower. Makes an exemplary cut flower!
|
|||||||||||||||||
| 5 Lupines (Started seedlings in December) | ||||||||||||||||||
 |
a) Mystery Lupines Seeds |
|
||||||||||||||||
| 6 Marigolds (Start seedlings on February 25) Marigolds control nematodes in the soil that prey upon tomatoes, cucumbers, and melons. Which is confusing because you *want* nematodes in the garden to work with the microorganisms to eat the vegetable matter in the soil to make it available to roots seeking their appropriate nutrients. Dog chasing its tail if you ask me. |
||||||||||||||||||
 |
a) Disco Mix Cheerful, 2-inch, single-petaled blooms in a fun mix of yellows, reds, oranges, and golds. This splendid blend adds sunshine to beds, borders, and the vegetable patch. Known as an early bloomer, these plants are quite short and tidy at just 9 inches tall by 6-10 inches wide. This variety is very floriferous, and each plant is jam packed with blocks of color, reminiscent of a checkered disco dance floor!
|
|||||||||||||||||
7 Nasturtiums (Start seedlings on February 25) |
||||||||||||||||||
 |
a) Alaska Mix Beautifully variegated, green-and-white foliage with stunning red, yellow, and orange flowers. Superbly unique and colorful!
|
|||||||||||||||||
 |
b) Orchid Cream A unique nasturtium that truly resembles an intricately painted orchid. Compact plants top out at just 12 inches tall and 10 inches wide and burst with creamy blooms. Each petal is splashed with blood red, a dramatic effect that catches the eye!
|
|||||||||||||||||
| 8 Poppy(Start seedlings on February 25) | ||||||||||||||||||
 |
a) Falling In Love Our new favorite, as it was the first to flower, with loads of blushing blooms all spring! Just try not to fall in love with this poppy with petals like vibrant silk! Its gleaming jewel tones of coral, salmon, rose and cerise make it a must have for any garden design. The dazzling blooms are semi double to fully double with picotee edging. The nodding blooms will gently blow in the breeze, beckoning pollinators and enthralling onlookers. This annual type poppy self sows, producing 18-30 inch tall plants with blooms that reach 3 inches across.
|
|||||||||||||||||
| 9 Snapdragons (Started seedlings in December) Try to find: Candy Showers 10 inches Cinderella 20 inches |
||||||||||||||||||
 |
a) Orange Wonder A stunning orange sunset-colored snapdragon, beloved by a broad spectrum of pollinators. The flower spikes in hues of soft pink and high-octane tangerine reach 2.5-3 feet tall and sway in the breeze. It makes a show-stopping cut flower and a statement piece for arrangements. The edible blooms beautify desserts and salads.
|
Activated 12/26/23. Moved a few stragglers to 2" pots on 01/06/23 |
||||||||||||||||
 |
b) Magic Carpet | 8" tall - Start January 21 | ||||||||||||||||
 |
c) Oriental Lantern A vibrant contrast of buttery yellow and candy-apple red make this a sizzling addition to beds, borders and container gardens. Plants reach just 12 inches tall and make a lovely bed design feature or short cut flower.
|
12" tall Activated 12/26/23. Moved a few stragglers to 2" pots on 01/06/23 |
||||||||||||||||
 |
d) Sonnet Yellow | Bought at Anawalt (cheating) | ||||||||||||||||
| 10 Violas (Started seedlings in December) | ||||||||||||||||||
 |
a) Envy This artsy pansy blends dusky tones of olive green with splashes of coffee, yellow, and tortoise, giving the blooms an avant-garde edge. These are certainly not your grandmother’s pansies! These tidy 10-inch-tall plants will sparkle in beds, borders, and in salads!
|
Activated 12/26/23. Moved a few stragglers to 2" pots on 01/06/23 |
||||||||||||||||
 |
b) Tiger Laeta A gleaming golden viola that adds a ray of sunshine to designs. Plants are smothered with golden blooms, and the petals have purple veining, making a gorgeous tiger stripe. This viola is ideal for container planting, especially when grown alongside tulips! Also perfect for beds, borders, and window boxes. Try topping your culinary creations with these regal blooms.
|
Activated 12/26/23. Moved a few stragglers to 2" pots on 01/06/23 |
||||||||||||||||
| 11 Zinnias (Start seedlings on February 25) | ||||||||||||||||||
 |
a) Queen Lime Blush We just can’t get enough of these vibrant, dahlia-flowered beauties! Large 3" blooms display an incredible lime green to red-ombre with red centers. Stems reach 25" tall, and the plants remain sturdy. These make an extra long-lasting cut flower. The butterflies seemed to especially appreciate this variety! Amazing!
|
|||||||||||||||||
