the red garden

This spring I had a few seeds of flame lettuce left over from last year. I planted them in my lettuce bed and my eye is drawn to their leaves every time I step out my back door. Over spring break I read Alice Hoffman's latest novel The Red Garden and I was inspired to use that as a theme for part of my garden.



This is a red dianthus that survived the winter and came back twice as big in my flower bed. I planted more of this hearty plant this year in hope that it will come back twice as strong next year.



I did ask myself if I could pull off this "stripey" red petunia in the garden but planted it anyway for its playful presence. Striped petunias make me think of carnivals and gypsies.



I love to reuse mesh produce bags. I also planted red onions in decorative clusters in my perennial beds.


Does this count as red? My radishes have been beautiful this year. Tonight I chopped them up and used them in a stir fry with grilled pork.