Tomboy, try flowers

roselle

Usually, I'm not very interested in growing flowers, but last year, I enjoyed my toothache plant so much, with its round yellow and red buds, I decided I'd make room for some. My thinking was always that I only had space for vegetables and herbs, but flowers can help attract beneficial insects and just overall, contribute to a garden's diversity.

Roselle, or jamaica (ha-may-ca), is related to hibiscus. The deep red flowers are not showy like a hibiscus (I like it like that), but you can make a tart, refreshing drink from them that's supposed to be a beautiful red. I like how the leaves look too, and the red of the plant's stem.

 

queen red lime zinnia

I like the shape of zinnias. This variety's flower starts out green and gets pink from the outside in. It's been a challenge figuring out where to put all of the flowers I'm growing, as most spaces have already been filled with vegetables. I think this one will go next to the trellis planter box.

black peony poppy

I like non-pink, non-totally-feminine flowers. This one is supposed to get dark purple-cranberry, almost black, petals. These goth flowers are going next to my new tomato planter (courtesy of Luke — I'll post about it later — it's cool!).

billy button

Billy button, craspedia globosa, is from New Zealand. I'm most excited about this flower. Just like toothache plant, this one just looks like a sphere, all yellow. Don't the leaves look cool?

In addition, I'm growing bergamot, which has a kind of frilly flower that attracts bees. To see those industrious bees in my garden makes me so happy. Here and there, there's more toothache plant, marigold, chamomile, mignonette and night-blooming phlox. Also, it's joyful to see arugula flowers, mustard green flowers (neon yellow), tomatillo flowers, and last year, I loved bringing in beet flower spikes, which were like tiny garlands

I started all of these from seed indoors. I love the fact that I sowed the seed weeks ago and tend them one by one.