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The Garden
January 2004
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Plant Forum
Try a tree chilli
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Capsicum pubescens, sometimes known as tree chilli, is one of the novelties in a selection of unusual vegetables available from The VidaVerde Seed Collection.
Native to South America, it can be grown as a perennial in Britain if overwintered indoors. Startling purple flowers develop into fleshy pendent fruit, which ripen to red and contain black seeds. Fruits are moderately hot and suitable for spicing up sauces or for pickling.
Limited stocks of seeds cost £1.60 for 20. For a catalogue, mailto:catalogue@vidaverde.co.uk |
Image: VidaVerde Seed Collection
Peas for 2004
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In the 2004 Thompson & Morgan seed catalogue two new British-bred peas make their debut.
Pisum sativum ‘Celebration’ (left) is a first early petits pois that crops heavily and retains fine colour and taste after freezing.
T&M says good downy mildew resistance helps to ensure a heavy crop from Pisum sativum ‘Starlight’.
Both are priced at £1.49 for 300 seeds. Tel: 01473 695225. |
Image: Thompson & Morgan
Exotic produce
An amazing array of vegetables from hotter climes are available for British gardeners to grow from seed. Vibrant colours and sizzling flavours are bound to excite those who enjoy cooking Oriental and spicy dishes.
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Originally from Taiwan, lovely aubergine ‘Pingtung Long’ bears such beautiful elongated, lavender coloured fruit that it could double as part of an ornamental display. Aubergines on this vigorous plant can reach 30cm (12in) in length and will ripen more rapidly if grown under glass. |
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Another highly decorative plant that will produce a useful kitchen crop is chilli pepper ‘Fish’. Its strong green foliage is delicately marbled with cream and the pendent green fruit, reminiscent of fish, are emblazoned with stripes of orange, brown or red. |
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Highly productive, with an unusual hot citrus flavour, chilli pepper ‘Lemon Drop’ is a must for the chilli enthusiast. It hails from Peru, where it is used to season local dishes. Bushy plants will reach 60cm (2ft) high and become laden with long, crinkly, bright yellow fruit.
Images: Plants of Distinction |
All three of these exotics are available from Plants of Distinction by mail order. Tel: 01449 721720 or visit www.plantsofdistinction.co.uk
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Used widely in Southeast Asian cooking, the ‘yard long’ bean Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis with its narrow, dark-green, pencil-thick pods, will make an exciting addition to the vegetable plot. Each pod can reach an amazing 90cm (3 ft) in length.
It is available from Dobies and is included in the runner-bean section of their 2004 catalogue. To order call: 0870 1123625 or visit www.dobies.co.uk
Image: Dobies |
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Excellent brewing qualities combined with a compact, easily manageable habit, make Humulus lupulus ‘Diva’ perfect for growing in a smaller garden. It reaches a height of 1.8 - 2.8m (6 - 9ft) and its bold, golden foliage is decorative trained on trellis or walls. |
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New second early potato ‘Inca Sun’ is best planted at 60cm (2ft) intervals to allow its tubers to develop to a good size. Allowing this extra space is worthwhile as the potatoes have attractive yellow flesh and a distinctive nutty flavour. |
These new garden crops are available from Marshalls. Dwarf hop ‘Diva’ plants are priced at £8.95, and 3kg (6.6lb) of ‘Inca Sun’ seed potatoes cost £9.95. Tel: 01945 466711 to order.
Images: Marshalls
Edible fig with fascinating foliage
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Bluebell Nursery and Arboretum near Ashby de la Zouch, Derbyshire is making a new fig cultivar available as part of its 2004 collection. As its name suggests, the large, mid-green leaves of Ficus carica ‘Digitata’ are deeply divided into long finger-like sections.
Its unusual foliage gives the plant a highly ornamental appearance, particularly when trained against a wall or fence. |
But decorative qualities have not been selected in preference to productivity, as this plant will produce a fine crop of figs. Like other cultivars of F. carica, it will flourish in a sheltered, sunny position, with well-drained soil.
Ficus carica ‘Digitata’ is available from Bluebell Nursery and Arboretum priced at £20. Tel: 01530 413700 to order or visit www.bluebellnursery.com
Image: Tim Sandall
Penstemon cultivar
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Charming spires of pink-flushed, tubular blooms that darken to a rich coral-pink with age, make new Penstemon ‘Pink Chablis’ a wonderful garden plant. In addition, this introduction from the USA has been bred to tolerate poor clay soils.
It will be available from March 2004 from Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants. Tel: 01256 896533 or visit www.hardys-plants.co.uk
Image: Tim Sandall |
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