Spring is just around the corner, so many of us are starting seeds indoors for our vegetable gardens, making plans for new ornamental flowers and shrubs, and consulting landscaping experts.
Tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, and lettuce are all staples on anyone’s list, but why not throw in some unique plants and tasty new treats? Your rose bushes may still be the pride of your garden, but you could spark the curiosity of your neighbors with some unusual and exotic varieties.
Want to learn more? Read on to discover five unique plants to show off in 2018.
1. Rainbow Carrots
The kids might do a double take when you put these unique plants on their plates. And if you get them involved in the planting, your children will giggle with delight when they pull these festively colored carrots out of the ground.
If you ever wanted to cure picky eating, these carrots might do the trick. And every newly grown carrot (Imagine them now, in purple, red, orange, pink, white, and yellow!) will bring new joy to your kids.
2. Purple Cauliflower
Cauliflower is all the rage. It can replace rice or pizza crust in gluten-free recipes, and it can also be used to make vegan buffalo wings. Purple cauliflower not only tastes delightful, but it also brings a brilliant color to the garden.
The purple heads are sweet to eat, and they turn a bright green when cooked. Rumor has it that they’re actually easier to grow than the white variety too.
If you have extra space in your garden, purple cauliflower might be a wonderful edition. But, be aware that the heads can grow as big as 15 inches in diameter!
3. Cucamelon
These adorable fruits from Mexico and Central America look like mini-watermelons but taste like lime-infused cucumbers. Their citrus-y flavor makes them a great addition to salads. If you bring these to a potluck, everyone is sure to ask you about them.
Cucamelon vines grow quickly and are plentiful when matured. You can eat them right off the vine, and they taste great when pickled, too. And, if those options don’t appeal to you, you can always throw one in a citrus cocktail.
4. Pink Sunflower
You might not think of sunflowers as unique plants, but the myriad sizes, colors, and varieties in which they are available do make them unusual.
And nothing says summer more than driving by fields of them on the way to the farmer’s market. The golden color of giant sunflowers is so cheerful, and that joy can be doubled by integrating pink ones into your garden.
These gorgeous sunflowers stand 20 to 30 inches tall and come in nearly every shade of pink, such as pale fuchsia, burgundy, and light purple. Imagine how they could look towering over your garden!
5. Voodoo Lily
If you want to go for something all-out strange and mysterious, try your hand at adding a voodoo lily to your garden.
This bizarre plant will bloom out of a dormant bulb, even if you forget about it all winter. But when it blooms it smells like rotting flesh, so you might want to not have it in a pot in the house at that point.
Should you decide to grow a voodoo lily, here are some interesting facts you can share about these interesting plants:
- Voodoo lilies are a type of corpse flower, which acquired their name due to their repulsive odor.
- The bulb continues to grow underground, even when the plant is in dormancy. Each year, the bulb grows larger, and the plant gets bigger every time it emerges.
- They’re easy to grow in pots or in the garden. But, if you live in a colder climate, don’t forget to bring your plants inside for the winter.
Unique Plants for Inspiration
Hopefully, this list inspires you to have fun with your garden. It’s always a good time to bring in some unique and interesting varieties.
But, this list is just a sample. There are dozens more vegetables and flowering plants to choose from that can make your garden the talk of the town. Who knows, your plant selection could be the start of a garden wonderland!
If you’d like to find other ways to make your garden stand out, our landscape design team can certainly turn your vision into a reality. Contact us today for a consultation!
