Spring has arrived, and Hattie’s Garden is reopening for the season.

While we have downsized and no longer attend the Historic Lewes Farmers Market, we are alive and well here at the garden, growing a variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and plants for you to pick up directly from us during the growing season. We will publish a weekly blog post beginning at the end of April detailing what is available and our hours of operation.

This year we will again grow plants for your garden using Vermont Compost potting soil. These plants are probably the healthiest starts you will find. Vermont Compost creates some of the best performing compost-based potting soils available, and Hattie’s Garden has relied on this premium product for over 20 years. There is none better.

What follows is a list of the plants we are growing. If there are specific varieties you know you want, you may reserve them ahead of time by emailing Hattie.

Heirloom Tomatoes

• Pineapple Bicolor — Great old-fashioned full, complex flavors. A good choice heirloom for slicing into sandwiches or salads.
• Pink Brandywine — One taste of this heirloom and you’ll be enchanted by its superb flavor and luscious shade of red-pink.
• Cherokee Purple — These have a rich, full flavor that is tangy and sweet. At full ripeness, they make an excellent tomato sandwich or addition to your favorite sub.
• Amish Paste — These tomatoes have a rich, sweet, and slightly tangy flavor, ideal for sauces, canning, and fresh eating.

Hybrid Tomatoes

• Early Girl — A reliable early producer with classic tomato flavor, great for slicing and salads.
• Celebrity — A dependable, disease-resistant variety with firm, flavorful fruits perfect for all-purpose use.
• Big Beef — Large, juicy tomatoes with excellent flavor, ideal for sandwiches and fresh eating.
• San Marzano — A classic Italian plum tomato prized for rich flavor, perfect for sauces and canning.
• Juliet — A small, elongated tomato with sweet flavor and excellent crack resistance, great for snacking and salads.

Cherry Tomatoes

• Supersweet 100 — Prolific clusters of bright red cherry tomatoes with exceptional sweetness.
• SunGold — A favorite golden-orange cherry tomato known for its intense, fruity sweetness.
• Black Cherry — Deep, dusky-colored cherries with rich, complex, slightly smoky flavor.
• Red Pearl Grape — Small, bite-sized tomatoes with a balanced sweet flavor, perfect for salads and snacking.

Sweet Peppers

• Revolution Green Bell — Thick-walled green bell pepper with crisp texture and excellent yield.
• Flavorburst Yellow Bell — Bright yellow bell pepper with sweet, juicy flavor and beautiful color.
• Carmen Frying Pepper — An Italian-style pepper with sweet flavor, perfect for frying, roasting, or fresh use.

Hot Peppers

• Pablano — Mild heat pepper with rich flavor, excellent for stuffing, roasting, and traditional dishes.
• Jalafuego Jalapeno — A vigorous jalapeño with consistent heat and thick walls, great for fresh use or pickling.
• Shishito — A thin-skinned Japanese pepper, mostly mild with the occasional surprise heat, perfect for blistering.
• Cayenne — A classic hot pepper with strong heat, ideal for drying, sauces, and spice blends.

Eggplants

• Galine Italian — Smooth, dark purple eggplant with tender flesh and excellent flavor for cooking.
• Rosa Bianca Italian Heirloom — Beautiful round heirloom with mild, creamy flavor and low bitterness.
• Orient Express Asian — Long, slender eggplant with thin skin and delicate flavor, perfect for stir-frying.
• Violet Delight Asian (like Pingtung Long) — Slender purple fruits with tender texture and mild flavor, great for quick cooking.

Herbs

• Genovese Basil (Powdery Mildew Resistant Variety) — Classic Italian basil with strong aroma and flavor, bred for improved disease resistance.
• Large Leaf Parsley — Robust, flat-leaf parsley with fresh flavor, ideal for cooking and garnish.
• Chives — Mild onion-flavored herb, perfect for finishing dishes and adding fresh garden flavor.

Flowers

• Benary Giant Cutting Zinnias (very tall, mixed) — Tall, vibrant blooms ideal for cutting gardens and long-lasting arrangements.
• Oklahoma Cutting Zinnias (mixed) — Strong stems and bright colors make these excellent for bouquets.
• Cut ‘n Come Again (heirloom cutting zinnia) — A classic variety that produces continuously with repeated cutting.
• Zahara Bedding Zinnia (double mixed) — Compact plants with double blooms, great for beds and containers.
• Double Click Mix Cosmos (tall) — Soft, double-petaled flowers on tall stems, perfect for airy garden displays and cutting.
• Audray Mix Gomphrena — Globe-shaped blooms that hold color well, excellent for fresh and dried arrangements.
• Jewel Mix Nasturtiums — Bright, edible flowers with a peppery flavor, great for garden color and salads.

Happy Growing!

Yours in the Garden,