With New Years safely behind us and Valentine's Day soon upon us, the
season for giving sweets to the sweet is never ending. Choosing a gift with
a treat is simple for gardeners. For those who crave chocolate and can't get
enough can now savor the sweetness without gaining a pound or feeling
guilty. Plant a chocolate lover's garden!
When I came across some chocolate cosmos in a seed catalog
my blood sugar rose just thinking about a chocolate
garden. Not to mention a sweet idea for an article!
The fudgy flowers of the carob color cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus) are a hardy perennial to zone
6 with some protection. Blooms late only to tease your senses with a rich
reward.
The chocolate flower ( Berlandieva Iytata) is a irresistible daisy for
those chocoholics who can't get enough, another perennial, hardy to only
zone 4, it reseeds itself which makes it the gift that keeps giving..
A herbal cocoa treat is the chocolate mint, invasive as other mints, but
can be tamed in a container or bed of it's own. Makes a wonderful tea, or
just pick and chew on the leaves for an bitter sweet taste sensation.
For geranium fans, there is a chocolate peppermint variety (Pelargonium). The aroma from these leaves are worth planting alone, smelling
like a York peppermint patty! A speedy grower with a chocolate center and a
scent to match.
A true chocolate lover's delight would be the Akebia Quinata, a vine with
cocoa blossoms that grace the air with a vanilla fragrance. Plants are hardy
to zone 5 and climb easily, perfect for a tower to guard over this sinful
and semi sweet garden.
So, if your in need of a unique gift idea for your Valentine this year,
one that loves to garden, forget that box of chocolates, give them the fat
free garden to plant, they will love you for it, and so will their hips!
About the author:
Sue lives to garden, and when she can't play outside, she writes about
gardening! "We owe so much to this planet and my goal is to have everyone come to her aid
to ensure Mother Earth stays green!" said Sue. She's also a wife,
mother of five and a first time granny! Visit Sue at her website
The Grateful Gardener
Perennial & Landscaping Resources
Breck's: Bulbs & Plants
Spring Hill Nursery
Michigan Bulb
Henry Field's
Gurney's Seed & Nursery
Jackson & Perkins
White
Flower Farm
Nature Hills Nursery
