Choco Sun is an easy-growing sunflower that is bushy and compact. Helen Chesnut
Tickled Pink is a climbing (or cascading) petunia with large, dark pink flowers. It is joined this year by Tickled Blush, a pale pink petunia with a similar habit. Helen Chesnut
An escarole called Natacha produces an abundance of leaves on heads with creamy, blanched hearts. Helen Chesnut Among the seed and garden catalogues that I’ve used regularly, over many years, one of the most engaging is from T&T Seeds. It’s always an easy-reading pleasure to leaf through, and each new issue brings interesting introductions. Already I’ve turned down the top corners of numerous pages in the 2021 edition and highlighted items to be ordered.
Calendulas bring colourful notes to vegetable garden plots. They are very hardy. These plants are blooming at the end of November. Helen Chesnut
Another beautiful late autumn garden flower is Nerine, a South African plant that grows from a bulb and thrives in warm, sunny, well-drained sites. Helen Chesnut This late fall season has been even more heavily garden and plant centred than usual. First, there’s my budding re-addiction to indoor plants. It’s become nearly impossible to pass by a local garden centre that I know is filled with a tantalizing selection of house plants without going in for at least a quick inspection of the leafy enticements. My window ledges are quickly filing up.