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audreyaronoff

New member

Audrey McDermott
10 years ago

Hi guys!

I just wanted to say hi! I finally decided to join gardenweb after trolling the forums for a few years. I live in the Dallas area and am constantly looking for new and interesting plants, especially those that serve double duty in the landscape - look great and provide food for either me or the birds/bees. The pic is of my most recent addition to my front yard - romanesco broccoli, 2 types of kale, mustard greens, marigolds, and snapdragons, planted alongside some squash.

Comments (7)

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    10 years ago

    Andbowen, WELCOME ! Your double duty bed is beautiful! You might check out Malabar spinach for a beautiful vine with huge green leaves that no bugs bother. It's edible and very tasty in my opinion. :-)

  • PKponder TX Z7B
    10 years ago

    What a pretty garden! I echo Roselee's welcome!

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    10 years ago

    Nice garden. Welcome to GW. I have a bunch of the romanesco broccoli starts this year. Now if only the sweet potato would shrink so I can plant them. I am sure that Ruby chard and fordhook giant would look good in your garden. I also like arugala when it blooms. There is a yellow blooming slow bolting Italian arugala that is cold and heat hardy and grows in part shaded areas. I have had my plant growing for two years. It has made a lanced shaped spice green through the summer AND winter, I just cut it back. It also over hangs ledges nicely, so it will look good in a large planter.. ooh ooh ooh. The texture of dinasaur kale is really cool.

  • cynthianovak
    10 years ago

    I love the bed and welcome! Where did you find broccoli romanesco...I failed at starting from seed....again. Any tips or tricks? Where in DFW are you? I'm in Arlington.
    c

  • Audrey McDermott
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Roselee, we grew malabar spinach two years ago, and I was so surprised to see it comeback on its own the next spring! What a cool vine!

    Wontonamara, I'm planning on planting tons of chard, more kale, collards, arugula, rapini, etc. in the front yard over the coming months. I'll post pics as I update the landscape. :) Yellow flowered arugula sounds so cool! I only have the wild/white flower version. I like to let it bolt because the flowers are quite tasty.

    Cynthianovak, I'm in the Richardson/Addison area.
    I found the romanesco starts at North Haven Gardens. I don't have space to start seeds indoors, so this early in the winter season I just buy starts from nurseries and direct sow seeds. I'm going to try winter sowing for the first time this year, and I'm hoping to get some good results. By failed, do you mean failed to germinate, or failed to grow?

  • Gretchen W.
    10 years ago

    Welcome to Garden Web. I live in Carrollton. Would like to grow vegetables if I could find the space.

  • Audrey McDermott
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    gretchen7, you can always tuck them into your front yard landscape beds! Most greens and herbs blend in very easily. I take it to the extreme with squash and watermelons in my front beds, but it doesn't have to be overboard to be useful.