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E.F. Schumacher with his 'Small is beautiful'
dictum, really got it right when you come to think of its implications in the garden. If
you are starting a garden, start with a small area, small fruit, vegetable and flower
cultivars and small tools. As your passion grows everything else can too. Small tools, don't laugh. There are small spades, that make light
work, for what-ever gender or age! The small fork is an absolute god-send and I wouldn't
be without my small hand rake, trowel and dibber. Even small plant labels make good sense.
Annie even has a small pair of Italian secateurs, that don't fit my hand... great idea!
Small cultivars for the vegetable patch, try
'Jack-be-Little' pumpkin [Kings Seeds], 'Buttercup' mini pumpkin [Yates seed], Thai Hot
Chilli pepper [plants], 'Paris market mini round' carrots [Diggers seed], 'Mini green'
lettuce [Yates mail order seed] or 'Bambino' lettuce [Yates seed], 'Butterbean' French
yellow dwarf bean [Floriana seedlings] and 'Bikini' Snow pea [Smarts seedlings].
Small flowers from seedlings, Alyssum 'Tiny Tim' , Lobelia
'Riviera Lilac', Portulaca 'Mango', Petunia 'Lullaby', Antirrhinum 'Camelot' mix, and from
plants Ajuga 'Pink ElfPBR', Callistemon 'Little John', Dwarf Pink Diosma
(Coleonema) and seed to sow now, 'Petit Yellow' Marigold, Torenia, Nierembergia 'White
Robe' and 'Dwarf Red' Salvia.
Small fruit, 'Pixzee'® Peach, 'Nectazee'® Nectarine,
'Ballerina® Waltz' Apple, all from Flemings in local nurseries as container plants in
spring, are ideal for 45cm terra cotta pots. They set lots of fruit too. |
