Island Life Magazine Ltd April/May 2010 | Page 97

gardening Island Life - April/May 2010 Tina's gardening tips for April and May Planting the initial seed Over the last few years there’s been an interesting change in the seed buying habits of British gardeners with vegetable seeds now outselling flowers. Many vegetables can be very ornamental so on this occasion you can as it were have your cake and eat it. I love Rainbow Chard, the variety called 'Bright Lights' is good, the stems are a mixture of red, orange, pink and white which look lovely with sunlight shining on them, they’re tasty too. Sow regularly to provide small succulent leaves for salads, or allow them to mature and use as you would spinach. Look for ornamental lettuce varieties to use as an edible edging to a bed, along with herbs such as parsley and corriander. interesting varieties of beans, with unusual coloured pods to provide both a visual and culinary feast. Peppers and chillies grow well in beds or pots if given a prime spot against a south or west facing wall where the residual heat will help Protect any early fruit blossoms or tender them to full