The Growing Season at Cafe Drake HRV: Part IV

A new edition to the front yard is this recently planted white dogwood tree.

At Cafe Drake HRV we always keep a container of micro-greens growing, ready to be snipped at whim for garnishes or tiny decorative side salads.

Nasturtiums in containers of all shapes and sizes dot the gardens. We adore the caper-like flavor of both the leaves and jewel-toned flowers. Once those arrive.

Struggling but still here - Lady's Mantle. This flowering herb is sometimes used medicinally and often an ingredient in lotions and soaps.

Dianthus

The papalo plants, a Latin America herb that tastes of cilantro -on steroids - is finally beginning to fill out.

Self seeding borage returns every year, whether one wants it or not. The tiny star-shaped blue flowers that will soon appear are charming. Additionally it's an excellent pollinator plant, albeit a bossy one; borage grows long and wide, taking up as much space as available.

Komatsuna and Asian mustard greens all in a pretty row! We love these leafy greens not only for their bite but also their incredibly brief cooking time.

Finally. Finally. The tansy is growing. A fascinating herb popular in the Elizabethan era, tansy's eucalyptus scent repels mosquitoes and enchants human guests.

That classic French herb, chervil, has to be the hardest of all to grow. At least for us. This year we're off to a better start than usual but our optimism for thriving full plants is cautious.

THIS is what we love about lemon balm. Pictured above is a tall, proud specimen grown from a clipping, planted less than 3 weeks ago. Keep snipping your lemon balm, rooting it in only water and replanting. A dozen plants for the price of one within a month!

Little Marvel green peas, shiso, Thai basil and arugula.

Even if they're not super productive, our peas have the prettiest leaves and snowy blossoms.

Kai-lan is sometimes referred to as Chinese Broccoli or Chinese Flowering Kale.

Varieties of lettuces grown at Cafe Drake HRV include the Red Oak Leaf seen above.

Ruby Streak Mizuna

Kohlrabi, we love you so much.

Another potted herb, grown from a cutting - Anise Hyssop.

We grown two types of marjoram including this trailing one with vine-like stems.

Salad Burnet tastes of cucumber and parsley and was once added to cups of wine.

Shade loving plants all grown from cuttings, again, or root division: lemon balm, rau ram and upland cress.

Fields of Dill.

Tomatoes Everywhere! This year we're growing Green Zebra, Cherokee Purple, Honey Drop, Yellow Pear, Pink Brandywine and Japanese Black Triefle varieties.