:: petroselinum crispum ii ::

 the alluringly-coloured fly sits atop what look like tightly-bunched fists...

...that open slowly, slowly...many days here...

...and then the teeniest of white and yellow parsley (Italian) flowers appear...

:: brassica oleracea ::

...it is always wondrous to be about in a garden first thing of a day (whatever time that is for you!) and this morning I was enchanted by the tiny waterdrop in the centre of this broccoli flowerhead...

...'flowering crest of the cabbage', is the meaning of the Italian word broccoli, and it is indeed a bunch of tiny flowers on a stubby stalk...

...this was the original choice of a photo of it - alongside some French breakfast radishes and atop a small laundry basket of broadbeans I'd just harvested - but...I think I like my little broccoli with a little rainbow now...what do you think?

(rainbow courtesy of sunshine through the crystal hanging in our kitchen window!)

:: Rheum rhabarbarum ::

Best known for its laxative effect and association with custard, Rhubarb holds a place dear to many hearts. 

But in Medieval Europe it was so costly to bring across from China that it was two or three times the cost of other valued herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, opium and saffron...

...the account of a trip by a traveller of the times: "The best of all merchandise coming to Samarkand was from China: especially silks, satins, musk, rubies, diamonds, pearls, and rhubarb..."

:: cynara cardunculus ii ::

One from the harvest trug today - the very shapely globe artichoke.

I was quite surprised to see the first flowerhead steadily pushing skywards in what seemed like the coldest part of August, but two months on, it seems like just the right thing at the right time.

I'd planted these artichokes for a few reasons - and planting for more than one reason always seems like a good plan to me - for their perennial nature, their grey-green foliage and its striking, sculptural form, because they are food and ... because of the artichoke's wonderful powers of filtering and slowing down the wind in a windy South-west-facing corner of the garden...

...these ones are probably a bit further on than their best, as I've just discovered by doing the necessary research...but I'm sure I can coax them into behaving nicely for our dinner plates this evening!

When the next batch come on I shall be that much wiser ;-) !!

:: euphorbia ::

...or 'spurge' - what a name - meaning 'to purge' as in times long ago it was used as a purgative...

...the name 'euphorbia' is in honour of Euphorbos, who was a famous Greek physician to King Iuba II, who in turn was also famous for marrying Anthony and Cleopatra's daughter...

...the plant has a milky white latex sap, which is such a powerful irritant, that when large succulent specimens of the plant are cut in a greenhouse, precautions to ensure the workspace is very well ventilated are taken...it is known that the mere vapours of euphorbia are enough to cause irritation the eyes and throat several metres away!

:: hydrangea iii ::

this is precisely why it is a good plan to leave some of the tidying up in the garden 'til really late...

...because when there is a frost, what are really the untidy leftovers from Summer's hydrangea bushes that have dried to a lifeless brown, take on a whole different look with minute ice crystals rimming their every papery edge...

...so beautiful, so worth the frozen fingers out in the front garden at -1 this morning :-)

:: brassica oleracea ::

yesterday I was having a discussion about what colour 'chatreuse' actually is - these striking heads of romanesco broccoli are indeed that verdant colour...

...while the romanesco broccoli (or Roman Cauliflower, Romanesque Cauliflower or Broccolo Romanesco, as it is also called) does not appear to be a flower in the traditional flowers-in-vases-sense, it is in fact an edible flower bud! Cool!

...as well, it is visually interesting in that its form is a series of ever-decreasing spirals that terminate in tiny peak buds, the logarithmic spirals following the pattern of fractals - sacred geometry of nature on the kitchen bench...

..and, no, I did not grow this fine specimen here - it was from our visit to the Opawa Farmer's Market this morning - wish I was growing such beauties - one day...!