Several visitors and staff members have asked for the names and sources of some of the plants growing in the children’s vegetable garden. I have copied the inventory below along with a very informal rating and source code. The rating scale is from “-” (no germination/poor performer) to “++” (star performer). If there is neither a plus nor minus next to the plant then it performed adequately. This was an unsual growing season. Typically tomatoes perform very well, but this year we had to remove them due to the late blight. Other plants are usually short-lived but lasted all season, such as the cosmos. So take the rating with a grain of salt. I have also listed the sources for the seeds; the key is at the bottom of the list.

One thing stands out, when I cast my eye down this list – the children planted an awful lot! This year we kept them moving pretty much non-stop. It is amazing what a group of 6 to 11 year olds can accomplish in just one day a week. I’d like to thank the parents, interns, and staff who helped the children accomplish this. Most of all, I’d like to thank the kids for doing such a great job with their gardens. It takes more than just hard work to make a garden - a really good garden needs to be fun and creative. That is what all of you brought to the garden this year THANK YOU.

Younger Gardeners

Tomato Celebrity (plants removed due to blight)
Eggplant (plants)
Marigolds (plants)
Simpson Elite Lettuce (++P)
Reggae Radish (P)
Thumbelina Carrot (P)
Carson Bush Wax Bean (++J)

Older Gardeners

Tomato Celebrity (plants removed due to blight)
Eggplant (plants)
Marigolds (plants)
Mint (plants)
Parsley (plants)
Freckles Lettuce (+P)
Watermelon Radish (P)
Mokum Carrot (++P)
Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos (+P)
Lilliput Mix Zinnia (+P)
Royal Burgundy Bush Bean (++J)
Nufar Basil (-J pelleted seed)
Bronze Fennel (+J)

Projects

Gloriosa Polyheaded Sunflower (+S)
Curiosity Nigella (S)
Mammoth Russian Sunflower (+B)
Envy Zinnia (++B)
Purity Cosmos (+P)
Lavender Queen Zinnia (+P)
Miss Willmott Zinnia (+P)
Nigella damascena (P)
Only the Lonely Nicotiana (P)
Zebulon Dwarf Sunflower (++J)
Sebring Zucchini (++J)
Birdhouse Bottle Gourds (+ FM, J)
Cucumber Lemon (-B)
Blueberries (plants of various cultivars)
Rhubarb (plants)
Walking onion (plants)
Moon and Stars Watermelon (+FM)
Serena Purple Angelonia (++ plants)
Junior Hybrid Sunflower (++B)
Sensation White Cosmos (B)
Sensation Picotee Cosmos (+FM)
Tea Time Series Four O’Clocks (+B)
Lipstick Nasturtium (B)
Summer Berries Mix Scabiosa (B)
Apricot Twist Sunflower (B)
Jersey Supreme Hybrid Asparagus (plants)
Mesabi Strawberry (- plants)
Paradiso Fig (plants)

B Burpee
FM Ferry Morse
J Johnny’s Selected Seeds
P Pinetree Garden Seeds
S Seeds of Change

For background on our children’s garden see Kids Grow.
Posted in Garden, Plants, Products ]]> http://gardenblog.winterthur.org/2009/09/10/whats-flowering-in-the-childrens-garden/feed/ 3 Chris Strand DF_Final-Zinnia-Lilliput DF_Final-Cosmos DF_Final-Fig DF_Final-Gourd DF_Final-Lettuce-2 DF_Final-Lettuce DF_Final-Sebring DF_Final-SFlower-1 DF_Final-SFlower-2 DF_Final-SFlower-3 DF_Final-Watermelon DF_Final-Zinnia