Hattie’s Garden open weekly Thursday and Friday from 10 to 5

What could tomatoes and lisianthus have in common? Maybe not much at first glance, but for us, they are both beginning their harvest this week and that is cause enough to celebrate!

Our lisianthus start slowly and we will include them in many of our bouquets this week. These are gorgeous flowers similar to a rose without the thorns, and make some of the best cut flowers — it will last in the vase for 2 to 3 weeks where multiple blossoms will continue to open. By next week, you can buy them individually and in bunches as large beautiful stems if you like … although the heat may hurry the blossoms more than we can anticipate right now.

As we begin slowly to harvest the first tomatoes of the season from Hattie’s Garden, be advised the best chance of getting these beauties is here at the garden on Thursday or Friday. We will bring whatever we have to our two Historic Lewes Farmers Markets (HLFM), but they will go quickly this week as they are still few in number.

In addition to our cherry tomatoes, we are harvesting three popular heirloom tomatoes this season: the rich flavored Cherokee Purple, the beautifully-marbled Striped German and the favorite, large, pink, sweet German Johnson. Now some tomato aficionados would say if you’ve never had an heirloom tomato then you’ve never tasted a real tomato. Just remember, whatever you do, don’t store these beauties in the refrigerator.

What’s Available This Week

The following will be available on Wednesday from 8 to 11 at the Historic Lewes Farmers Market (HLFM) located at Kings Highway across from Crooked Hammock Brewery, Thursday and Friday from 10 to 5 at Hattie’s Garden located at 31341 Kendale Road in Lewes, and the HLFM on Saturday from 8 to noon located at George H.P. Smith Park (Block House Pond). You can also email Hattie to make an appointment to stop by Hattie’s Garden at another time.

• Scallions — New this week, they look just beautiful.
• Tomatoes — Pints of mixed cherry tomatoes in all colors and sizes, as well as Cherokee Purple, Striped German and German Johnson heirloom tomatoes. Limited quantities.
• Patty Pan Squash — So delicious … We just can’t get enough of these.
• Young Arugula — Triple-washed and kept cold for you in our coolers.
• Loose Leaf Lettuce — Triple-washed and kept cold in our coolers.
• Mesclun — Mix of young arugula and loose leaf. Triple-washed and kept cold in our coolers.
• Specialty Cut Flowers — We have lots of absolutely beautiful flowers this week that include zinnias, gomphrena, cosmos, a couple kinds of salvia, red and blue ageratum, celosia, and lisianthus. We can make you a custom bouquet while you wait that will include just the flowers you want, or you may chose from one of our beautiful pre-made arrangements. Each bouquet comes with a packet of flower food. These bouquets should last at least a full week for you as we cut and condition them professionally.

Yours in the Garden & Markets,