Catalogs Received, Impressions Made

Smith & Hawken: This is the sort of garden gear you almost hate to get dirty. Still, photo of patio furniture on San Francisco balcony (looking deceptively warm for so late in the evening, and also deceptively like Manhattan) filled me with lust for an urban, rooftop lifestyle.

Big copper spheres would be nice to place around the garden; somehow seem like they would make me look like I know what I'm doing. Carved wooden geese, ducks, etc. are cool, but I haven't become the sort of person who keeps carved wooden figurines around the house, have I?

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange: Peppers, tomatoes, beans, melons. It's never warm enough to grow that stuff here. Cabbage? Just can't get excited enough about cabbage to order any particular variety from a catalog--a six-pack from the nursery will do just fine.

Nichols Garden Nursery: Ooooh, yes, a cheesemaking kit. We're very interested in that. Does anyone make cheese? What about this fodder crop called 'Tyfon Holland Greens'? It's a mixture of stubble turnips (I don't know what those are) and Chinese cabbage. Wonder if I could plant this for the chickens. Sounds like something they'd like.

Gardens Alive: There's my $25 coupon, thankyouverymuch. I'll be ordering more Fruit Trees Alive for the apple trees & berry vines, and some Seranade.

Cooks Garden: How I love this little catalog. Amazing the difference a little artwork makes. I'm tempted by the microgreens, as well as the 'Perpetual Spinach' chard and all the kale. They used to offer mingonette, which I was very eager to try. It's an old-fashioned fragrant flower that was one popular as a cut flower. Has anyone grown it? Also called Reseda. Must keep looking. Someone will have it.

The mail just arrived with yet more catalogs. I may never get through these. To be continued...