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Ruud Kleinpaste: How we plan our garden

Author
Ruud Kleinpaste,
Publish Date
Sat, 30 Aug 2025, 11:21am
Photo / Getty
Photo / Getty

Ruud Kleinpaste: How we plan our garden

Author
Ruud Kleinpaste,
Publish Date
Sat, 30 Aug 2025, 11:21am

The Courier smiled as he deposited the two catalogues on our door-step 鈥 he knows we鈥檙e Nature Nerds, and so do the lovely folk at Kings Seeds.   

We both settled in front of the fireplace, going through the Nurture/Nourish reading. I was checking all the tomato varieties and other food delicacies, while Juuls browsed all the pretty stuff in Kings Seeds line-up.  

Always interesting to see how two people focus on the plant species that is close to their Heart, Art, and Stomach!

I kept my Tomato wishes in the same group it's always been: Bloody Butcher and Tigerella, while sniffing around the Cherry Tomatoes in all their magnificent colours.  

Last March I managed to harvest the seeds of Tomato Gardeners delight, so those are also ready to be sown, along with Black Krim and Tessaloniki and some more tomato seeds living in my shed. Now it is a matter of sorting out where they鈥檒l go in the tunnel house. 

Watermelon Sugar Baby is something I haven't grown for far too long 鈥 it's a yummy dessert!鈥  

Remarkably, Julie decided to interfere in my choices by flagging the tomatoes鈥疊randy Wine Pink鈥痑nd鈥疜ellogs Breakfast. This feels like an attack on my tunnel house too. But then again, she reckons that beefsteak tomatoes are very useful when cooking!鈥  

She鈥檚 right, of course!  

Her Botanical knowledge is quite amazing and going through a catalogue is like re-arranging the garden:鈥  

Aster King Size Apricot feels like one of those鈥痭ew varieties that she needs to try. I reckon it's probably decades old and had (so far) escaped her attention 鈥 it's pink!  

Talking about "pink": How about a Banana ornamental Pink!  

Julie has always loved鈥疌osmos. She just fell in love with the鈥疌osmos double click Rose Bon bon鈥痵imply because it is part of "creative writing" 鈥 something that English Teachers really appreciate. Rose Pink Blooms with multiple layers of ruffled petals -what's鈥痭ot鈥痶o like?鈥 鈥  

Lysimachia Beaujolais is something I cannot remember having seen before. It鈥檚 a stunning plant that looks like it would dominate the borders in your garden with dark wine-coloured flowers on spikes. I look forward to Julie鈥檚 decision of where to plant it.  

Poppy Amazing Grey is not your regular bright red poppy, but a purple-grey variety that would work well with a coloured background. This is a great flower to experiment with. As is often the case with poppies, keep the seeds for a few weeks in the fridge before sowing.  

I was invited to take a close look at a new Thalictrum, Thalictrum White 鈥 鈥淛ust want to point out this plant will be attracting bees and other Entomological critters鈥. I reckon I should go out at night and bathe the pure white flowers in UV Torch-light!  

Zinnia elegans is a group of wonderful cut flowers in amazing colours. Have a look at the Kings Seeds Catalogue: 20 different varieties giving your garden surprising powers of accent. Zinnia Queen Lime blush ended up as Julie鈥檚 choice of 2025/26.   

Lime coloured! 

Finally we agreed on a regular food item for Spring, Summer, and Autumn: a decent type of Lettuce, Lettuce Little Caesar. 

But this one? Honestly?  

Gotta be English! Organic Pumpkin New England Pie. 

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