Colorful plants in the vegetable garden

Why should we wait for the picking of beets or the ripening of tomatoes, eggplants or peppers to enjoy the colors of the vegetable garden? There are a host of varieties of plants that will brighten up your garden quickly and sometimes even all summer long. Better still, the vast majority of the vegetable gardens that we present to you today are sold in plants. Instant color!

Pierre Gingras
special collaboration

Foliage

Herbs

Many species and varieties have variegated or yellowish colors. This is particularly the case with mint. In addition, the very popular basil has several shades of purple. For its part, the “Tuscany” cultivar has dark green, nicely embossed leaves. Without forgetting the borage which gives innumerable small edible blue flowers.

The artichoke

A splendor that this giant thistle which requires space. Pale to silvery green foliage, edible flower bud. Often not very productive, it is mainly grown for the beauty of its large blue flowers.

Lettuces

Preferably use leafy varieties, which are easier to grow than head or romaine. Several have very cut leaves with purple or soft green colors.

Cabbage

Some kale cultivars produce waffle leaves, including the popular and beautiful ‘Black Magic’. The “Red Bord” is a fairly pronounced red. Among traditional cabbage, Savoy cabbage is sought after for its waffle texture. This is particularly the case for “Melissa YR”, “Alcosa” and “Formosa”. In addition, you can also plant a few decorative cabbages sold mainly for their show at the end of the season until winter. Some can also be cooked.

The stems

The petioles of some plants show amazing colors. They are edible, if not delicious, although we usually prefer their foliage.

Swiss chard

From the beet family, Swiss chard leaves taste like spinach. They are the size of a hand and grow on very colorful, shiny petioles. From bright yellow to pink, red, orange and green. The award-winning ‘Bright Lights’ cultivar alone offers a mosaic of colors. The petioles are better and more tender if the leaf is picked earlier than later.

The beets

Those with purple roots produce leaves with stems of the same shade, more or less dark, petioles that will embellish the vegetable patch until harvest. Beet greens are excellent. The “Chiggoa” variety with white flesh mottled with red has tender green stems spotted with pink.

The corn

Why not plant some corn plants? Always amazing! Attention, it is necessary to choose a site which will not make shade with the other tenants of the kitchen garden.

fruit and flowers

Runner bean

This climber is famous for its reddish and edible flowers.

Okra

An experience to try. From the mallow family, okra (or okra) produces a yellowish flower with an almost black heart. Very similar to hibiscus flowers, like the latter, the okra flower is rather ephemeral before its final transformation. Sometimes sold asHibiscus esculentus.

peppers

Several varieties of small peppers are prolific and very decorative. On the other hand, the award-winning varieties “Chilly Chili” and “Pretty N Sweet” are grown for decorative and food purposes. They are sweet. To buy in seedlings to enjoy the beauty of their fruits as long as possible.

yellow zucchini

The cultivars are usually early, showy and exquisite. “One Ball” is round, delicious too. To be picked when it is the size of a tennis ball.

Perennials

Some decorative vegetable beds are perennials. It will also be necessary to provide them with a corner where they can grow permanently.

Asparagus

We can pick the tips (or turions) in the spring for a more or less long period depending on the maturity of the plant. The 1.5m tall stems are dainty, provide little shade, and turn a beautiful bright yellow or golden in fall.

Chives

Delicate stems, edible and very persistent purple flowers.

Egyptian onion

Produces pretty, strange-looking, edible purple bulbils on large 60 cm hollow stems.

Absinthe

This is the great absinthe, the one sung by poets. We make concoctions. Yellow flowers, very fragrant silver foliage.