Now more than ever, the plants we use in fall and winter
gardens can bless both the
palette and the palate.

For years, pansies were all we had for winter planting, and
they do give us a growing
array of colors, flower faces and bloom sizes. Now, however,
pansies have had to make room
for exciting additions to their winter beds.

Within the past several years, many new plants have been
added to the growing palette
for fall and winter. Most of the new winter plants are edible,
as are the blossoms of
pansies.

Now, parsley is a mainstay, both curly and Italian flat
leaf. Parsley adds a bright new
dimension to beds with its unique, curled leaves and
yellow-green color. It’s best planted
in the fall and will last throughout the winter in most of
Georgia.

Electric Swiss Chard

All of the beautiful Swiss chards have been added. Intense,
electric stems in a marvelous range of colors on 15- to 20-inch
plants make outstanding borders and accents in the garden.

But this is also a delicious vegetable — succulent, sweet
and highly nutritious, too.
Cooked lightly like spinach, it retains its coloration for a
gorgeous presentation on the
plate.

In the “Bright Lights” series, stems come in a
brilliant array of yellow,
gold, pink, crimson, pink-and-white striped, orange, scarlet,
purple, white and green.

With bright green leaves, it’s easy to grow with full sun
and good garden soil.
Chard comes in crimson stalks, too, with bright green
leaves.

Colorful Cabbages

Next comes the cabbage family. Beautiful ornamental cabbages
are familiar now. And
kales come in reds, pinks and white, both flat-leaf and curled,
along with the Peacock
series that’s frilly-leafed.

Others include the Scotch curled kales and new thin-leaf
kales that add variety to the
garden. Red Giant mustard can really brighten up a fall bed,
too, with its large
maroon-red leaves with green-veined stalks.

Lettuces are also a good selection. Now, with their rich
colors, you can grow Red
Butterhead, Red Sails and both Red and Green Oakleaf, along
with Burgundy Ice.

No one said you couldn’t have your flower garden and eat it,
too.