Garden Plantings: Experiments, Family, and a Riot of Colour

Every spring in our household, the garden isn’t just a patch of earth—it’s a stage where Opa’s boundless enthusiasm collides with my love of lists, sketches, and a good challenge. This year was no different. It started innocently enough: garlic and strawberries were already tucked in, gladiolas and a Dahlia seed nursery mapped out, and I was quietly plotting how to convince Opa to build a new asparagus bed. But before I could even bring it up, Opa—never one for half-measures—announced he wanted corn and pole beans, too. The look on his face said it all: “No excuses, just make it happen.” And honestly, how could I resist?

That’s how it always goes with us. I scribble plans, Opa dreams bigger, and suddenly what was a modest garden becomes a six-bed expansion sprawling across what used to be lawn. My sketches said 16’x20’; Opa’s shovel (and his trusty little tractor) stretched it to 20’x30’. Who am I to argue if he’s willing to do the digging? I’m more than happy to fill those beds with experiments and oddities—anything to keep things interesting for both of us.

Our garden is a living story, one that grows more colorful and unpredictable every season. Each plant has its own tale: the asparagus and Italian Strigolo greens promising years of quiet return, the Ao Daimaru eggplant and Strawberry-Spinach adding a dash of the unexpected, and the Purple Velvet snow peas climbing alongside a trio of zucchini, all chosen as much for their hues as their flavors. There’s a purple theme this year, not just for beauty but because those deep colors mean anthocyanins—nature’s own antioxidants—will nuritious us in the months ahead.

Adding to this year’s riot of colour is Black Hungarian hot peppers and Midnight Polish sweet peppers add both heat and depth. Tomatoes are a rainbow: Black Prince, Ukrainian Purple, Purple Bumble Bee Cherry, and the showy Atomic Grape (Golden Boy), ripening to a golden-violet. Even the celery is dramatic—Pink Plume, with purple-flushed stalks and a bold, almost fennel-like flavour. 

Of course, Opa’s corn and pole beans made the cut, and I couldn’t resist a little science experiment with gynoecious, parthenocarpic cucumbers (try saying that three times fast). I’ve separated the corn and beans on different towers, just in case the rumors about cross-pollination are true. But honestly, if next year we discover a new hybrid by accident, it’ll just be another chapter in our garden’s ongoing saga.

Potatoes are sprouting in containers and grow bags (I’ll let you know how that goes), onions are tucked in wherever I can find space, and carrots—bright Red Sun and Red Dragon—will add another pop of colour to our harvest. For the grandsons, a Golden Midget watermelon sits quietly, waiting to surprise them with its sweet, sun-warmed fruit later in the summer. And a nod to the Acadian side of the family, the holiday staple rutabagas (they refer to them as Turnips) —Helenor and York—planted in July.

Every bed, every seed packet, even the way I organize my seeds (two massive binders, if you’re curious) is part of this evolving family story. Our garden isn’t just about food; it’s about the joy of making things happen together, of learning and laughing when things go sideways, and of always, always finding room for one more experiment. As any gardener knows, the real magic isn’t just in what you grow—it’s in the stories that take root alongside the plants

Garden Tips from Oma’s Notebook

Stay Organized: Tag plants with start dates and days to maturity, and the variety. Make notes and use binders or photo organizers to keep seed packets sorted by type.

Succession Planting: Keep tucking in seedlings as space opens up.

Direct Sowing Small Seeds: After sowing carrots or lettuce, lay a board gently over the row. This keeps moisture in and birds out. Check daily—once you see the first sprouts, remove the board so seedlings can reach the light.

Chitting Potatoes: Place seed potatoes in a bright, cool spot for a week or two before planting. Letting them sprout (“chit”) gives them a head start, especially in our unpredictable spring weather.

Microgreens for the garden: Don’t hesitate to take Microgreen sprouts and plant them in the garden.

If you’re searching for unique seed varieties from Canadian suppliers (especially those close to Atlantic Canada), here are a few of my favourites:

Canadian Seed Companies

• Richters Herbs (Ontario)
• The Incredible Seed Company (Nova Scotia)
• Vesey’s Seeds (PEI)
• Revival Seeds (Nova Scotia)
• Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds (Saskatchewan)

US Seed Company

• Johnny’s Selected Seeds (Maine, USA)

“My thinking is generally to grow varieties that are not found in the stores.”

Gardening is always an adventure, and this year’s patch is shaping up to be our most colourful and experimental yet. I’ll keep you posted on what thrives, what surprises us, and which new favourites make it onto next year’s list.

Seed Varieties: Note – Availability of specific varieties may change year to year. If a direct link is not provided, search the company’s site for the variety name.

Variety	Direct Link (if available)
Orca Calypso Beans	The Incredible Seed Co – Orca Calypso Beans
Ao Daimaru Green Eggplant	Richters – Ao Daimaru Green Plant
Strawberry Spinach	The Incredible Seed Company – Strawberry Spinach Revival Seeds – Strawberry Spinach
Purple Velvet Snow Peas	Revival Seeds – Purple Velvet Snow Pea
Black Beauty Zucchini	Richters – Black Beauty Squash
Costa Romanesco Zucchini	Revival Seeds – Costata Romanesco Zucchini
Magda F1 Zucchini	Johnny Seeds – Magda F1 Zucchini
Black Hungarian Hot Peppers	Revival – Black Hungarian Pepper
Midnight Polish Pepper	Revival – Midnight Polish Pepper or Zulu-pepper
Black Prince Tomato	The Incredible Seed Company – Black Prince Tomato Richters – Black Prince Tomate
Ukrainian Purple Tomato	Revival Seeds – Ukrainian-purple-tomato
Purple Bumble Bee Cherry Tomato	Revival Seeds – Purple Bumble-Bee Cherry Tomato
Atomic Grape (Golden Boy) Tomato	Revival Seeds – Atomic Grape (Golden Boy) Tomato
Pink Plume Celery	Revival Seeds – Pink Plume Celery
Quick Snack Cucumber	Johnny’s Selected Seeds – Quick Snack Cucumber
Corinto F1 OG Cucumber	Johnny’s Selected Seeds – Corinto Cucumber
Orchard Babycorn	Revival – Orchard Baby Corn
Hybrid Bi-colour XR F1 Corn	Johnny Seeds – Sweet Corn Bolt-XR-f1
Seychelles OG Pole Beans	Johnny’s Selected Seeds – Seychelles Bean
Santa Anna Pole Beans	Store Bought – McKenzie Seeds – Santa Anna Pole Beans
Rosemarie Potato	MacArthur’s Nursery – Rosemarie Potato
Bellanita Potato	MacArthur’s Nursery – Bellanita Potato
Spanish Yellow Onion	Store Bought – McKenzie Seeds
Walla Walla Sweet Onion	Johnny’s Selected Seeds – Walla Walla Onion
Matador Shallots	Johnny’s Selected Seeds – Shallots
Golden Midget Watermelon	Revival Seeds – Golden Midget Watermelon
Helenor Rutabaga	Johnny’s – Helenor Rutabaga
York Rutabaga	Vesey’s – York Rutabaga
Sweet Mama Winter Squash	Veseys – Sweet Mama Squash
Burgess Buttercup Squash	Veseys – Burgess Buttercup Squash
Red Malabar Spinach	Richters – Red Malabar Spinach
Red Sun Carrot	Vesseys – Red Sun Carrot
Red Dragon Carrot	The Incredible Seed Company – Red Dragon Carrot

For microgreen seeds, visit Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds