The Cupertino Courier

Gardening

Seed catalogs can be tempting for gardeners this time of year

By Tony Tomeo

Seeds make great gifts. Their small envelopes fit nicely into cards and letters. They are generally inexpensive, so several different kinds can be purchased and kept available for any occasion. Besides, almost everyone enjoys growing something from seed, even if it is for the first time.

This is what I keep reminding myself this time of year when the seed catalogs arrive in the mail. My garden may be large, but it cannot accommodate all the seed that I want to buy. Giving seed as gifts is a good excuse to buy more than I can use, even as I try to imagine fitting it all into my garden.

My first and largest delivery of seed came from Renee's Garden. Actually, some of the first seed I ever received by mail came from Renee's Garden, which was then known as Shepherd's Seeds. Renee's Garden has many very unusual varieties of some of the more usual vegetables, herbs and flowers. Even its nasturtiums are extraordinary! I like to stick with the basics, but was compelled to try some (well, actually many) of their distinctive selections, including at least one of each of the different vegetables and most of the herbs. The catalog and information about local retailers that stock Renee's Garden seed can be requested by telephone at 888.880.7228 or accessed directly online at www.reneesgarden.com.

Annie's Annuals and Perennials has more rare, heirloom and unusual plants than I have friends to give them to as gifts. I would like to add many of their plants to my otherwise conventional garden simply because I have never seen anything like them before. Many are very unusual varieties of California natives, such as California poppy in white, red, pale purple, semi-double rose and semi-double apricot. It also have many varieties of lupines, clarkias, hollyhocks--plants that attract butterflies. It is probably better to see it all in the catalog at www.anniesannuals.com, which can also be requested by telephoning 888.266.4370.

The Tomato Growers Supply Company seems to have just about every variety of tomato and pepper imaginable. Its catalog can be found online at www.tomatogrowers.com or requested by telephoning 888.478.7333. While confirming the availability of the good old-fashioned basic Roma tomato, I found tomatoes in all sorts of odd colors, shapes and sizes. This catalog contains more greens, whites, yellows, oranges, pinks, purples and reds than a 1985 fashion magazine. There were more stripes, spots, blotches, splotches and swirls than the driveway under my 1976 Ford. Some of the smaller tomatoes look like currants. Some of the larger types might require zoning permits.

Another very interesting catalog came from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, and can be found online at www.rareseeds.com or requested by telephoning 417.924.8917. I was very impressed with its selection of vegetables that were once standard but are becoming increasingly rare, including okra, black-eye pea and various greens. I actually ordered sorghum seed, because I do not expect to see it again until the catalog comes again next year. I was also very impressed with the dedication to "pure" seed that has not been contaminated by genetically engineered stock.

Flower of the Week: Helleborus

From the middle of winter to the middle of spring, helleborus bloom with clusters of small flowers in pale pink, red, purple and white with green. Flowers face outward from the dark green foliage or droop slightly. Each of the "palmately compound" leaves is divided into several leathery leaflets radiating from the end of a petiole (leafstalk). Most hellebores are less than a foot tall, but Corsican helleborus, Helleborus argustifolius, can get taller than 2 feet. Helleborus prefer partial shade and rich, well-drained soil.

Mature helleborus do not like to be bothered. Their caustic sap makes them difficult to handle but also deters deer. If transplanted, established plants need a few years to recover, or may not even survive. However, seedlings that appear around mature plants are easily transplanted in early spring, and may bloom by the following spring with flowers that are sometimes different from those of the parent.

Listen to Tony Tomeo's 'New Image Garden Report' Friday mornings at 8:10 a.m. on KSCO-1080 AM (or online at www.ksco.com). He can be reached at www.ttomeo@newimagelandscape.com or 408.358.2574.