The sweetness of community gardening
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 
Lathyrus odoratus 'Cupani's Original' growing in the plot beside mine
Ah, sweet peas. They always delight me. But these ones also surprised me. You see, I thought ordinary, edible, green peas were twining up the trellis in the neighbouring plot. So I paid little attention to them the past couple of months because I was growing my own 'Little Marvel' shelling peas.
That is, until a week ago Sunday: while I was bending over my tomatoes and peppers, a breeze carried a familiar scent to my nose. I turned around to see my favourite heirloom sweet peas beginning to bloom. I did a happy dance, clapped my hands and squeeeeed. Though I think this spontaneous, enthusiastic response was completely internal, I can't recall for sure. Anyway, I know I put down the pruners, picked up the Nikon and spent several minutes capturing prettiness.
Originally this post was going to be about all the inedible yet nourishing features of community gardening. But if you look at these sweet peas, know that school children and their parents sowed the seeds and tend the plants, and appreciate there are no fences between neighbouring plots, you can probably write this post yourself.
And now, after I press "publish", I'm off the garden, to see and smell the sweet peas (yes, they're still blooming) and inspect the tomatoes, chard and beet (the last one).
But one question before I go: what pleasant surprises are sweetening your garden this summer?
6 Comments | Share Article | Permalink | tagged Lathyrus odoratus, beauty, community gardening, diversity, sharing, surprise, sweet peas in Bloom
Reader Comments (6)
That is a really pretty flower. I have never grown sweet peas, though I have always wanted to. Maybe I should buy seeds this winter. I've never been in a situation where I couldn't have my own garden in my backyard, but whenever I see a community garden, I aways love to stop and look at it. It is so much fun to see all the different things that the gardeners are growing.
As for delighful liltle things in my garden... I'm loving all the little toads and mushrooms in my garden. We have far more toads this year than I have seen before. And the fact that the garden is doing so well despite extremes in weather is a pleasant surprise as well!
Gorgeous - I grew this sweet pea variety last year and it is a beauty.
I'm so glad the community garden is providing you with so many different types of nourishment Elaine. This is our last year in our current garden (hopefully) and I haven't done much active planting and so I'm enjoying what surprises the garden decides to offer me (this week damsons, plums and some tiny tomatoes on my one healthy tomato plant, a self seeder)
Hello, Kateri. Oh, I do think you should grow sweet peas -- at least once. I suspect if you try them, you'll like them & will grow them every spring. Tonight while I was at the community garden, a couple passing by made an intentional detour to the bed with the sweet peas so they could smell them.
What wonderful surprises in your garden. I'd love to have toads or frogs in mine. So glad to hear despite poor weather you're enjoying a good garden harvest.
Hello to you, too, Sophie. Next year at this time I hope you'll be harvesting vegetables from the garden in front (or back) of your new home, sweet home. That's lovely you're savouring a few surprises from your current garden. I'm wondering what delicious recipes you'll make with your damsons and plums.
Oh I do love sweet peas. My mum usually grows them and when I go down to visit my parents in summer there's always a little vase with sweet pea flowers in my bedroom. Such a lovely scent. And despite the fact they don't really last when cut, I always feel welcomed and cherished when I see those little flowers.
There's not a lot in my new garden yet, except for some really ugly plants and a lot of weeds. I had never thought I'd say the phrase "ugly plants" as generally there's something to appreciate in everything, but not the ones in our garden. So when I get some time, there's some pulling up to be done.
However we do, as you know, have our gorgeous lime tree. While it's been fruiting like crazy since we moved in, it's now covered in flowers, so I'm hoping we're going to get a second harvest. The scent of the lime flowers is wonderful.
Hello, Kathryn. Reading your comment this morning before I begin work has made my day. What a lovely story about how your mum welcomes you home.
Oh, I agree, some plants are downright ugly and completely unwelcome. Especially when they choke out the good ones.
As soon as I have a moment I'm going to do a Google image search on "lime flowers". I don't think I've ever seen them. How wonderful you may get a second fruit harvest. Will you be growing any tomatoes so you have some lycopene to go with the limes ;-) ?
Wow, that heirloom sweet pea flower is a beauty. Summer always remind me of daylilies and lavender. Right now, our garden is blooming with daffodils. They are my favorite flowers during spring.
Logan Chamberlain