It seems that in recent years, vegetables are coming out of their traditional plot to be incorporated into the home landscape. And aside from their obvious edibility, their form and texture adds a punch to the winter garden.

The Riverbanks Botanical Garden has been planting winter vegetables for years. These greens (and reds and purples) have been the main staple for the winter garden while the more typical pansies, violas and bulbs phase in and out of bloom. Winter foliage vegetables come in various sizes, forms and shades of green. All but the mustards will last well into the spring when they can be replaced by your emerging perennials.

Use these vegetables in masses or mixed and matched in containers. They are best located at the back or center of large plantings. Growing alongside a carpet of violas they add the needed height and texture.

Kale (Brassica oleracea ‘Russian Red’; B. oleracea ‘Lacinato’ "Dinosaur Kale"; B. oleracea acephala "Ornamental Kale")

Can be waist high by spring. "Dinosaur" has wrinkled leaves. Kale should not be allowed to flower.

Mustard (Brassica juncea var. rugosa; B. juncea ‘Savanna’ B. juncea ‘Osaka Purple’)

Not as hardy as most winter foliage vegetables. Easy to start from seed.

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea ‘Red Savoy’; B. oleracea ‘Tropical Giant’; B. oleracea capitata "Ornamental Cabbage")

"Red Savoy" is a purple-veined, heading variety. "Tropical Giant" is just that. B. capitata is typical of what you might find at local garden centers under the heading: Ornamental Cabbage.

Tatsoi (Brassica rapa rosularis)

It’s a turnip with dark green, spoon shaped leaves. Low growing habit when weather is cold, more upright when warm.

Mizuna (Brassica rapa nipposinica)

Another turnip with deeply cut, notched foliage. Can be cut time and again, but keeps growing.

Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea ‘Capri’; B. oleracea ‘Purple Vienna’; B. oleracea ‘White Vienna’; B. oleracea ‘Gigante’)

The purple leaves rising on the elongated stems positioned around the circumference of the exposed Kohlrabi root adds uniqueness to the fall and winter garden.

Chard (Beta vulgaris cicla ‘Bright Lights’ "Swiss Chard"; B. vulgaris cicla ‘Paros’ "Swiss Chard"; B. vulgaris ‘Rhubarb Chard’ "Ruby Chard"; B. vulgaris ‘Joseph Coat’)

Swiss Chard shows large leaves with red or yellow stems and veins.

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum neapolitanum "Italian Parsley"; P. crispum ‘Frisca Curly’; P. crispum ‘Italian Dark Green’ "Plainleaf Parsley")

Parsley adds shape, form and texture in borders and it looks great from fall to spring.

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)

Chervil has finely cut, lacy, almost fernlike leaves and delicate white flowers that possess a fragrance similar to that of tarragon.

Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)

Cardoon is cousin to the artichoke and is a common vegetable in the Mediterranean. It can grow head high with purple flowering seedpods on stalks with long, toothed, silvery gray leaves. Give this plant room if you want to enjoy its full grandeur.

You can add winter to spring color to your home landscape with annual ornamentals. They can be used in mass plantings or to accent evergreen shrub borders and to shield those shrubs that shed their leaves in winter.

Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena globosa; G. globosa ‘Buddy’; G. globosa ‘Strawberry Fields’)

Delphinium (Delphinium elatum; D. elatum ‘Blue Bird’; D. elatum ‘Galahad’; D. elatum ‘Percival’)

Five-spot (Nemophila maculata; N. maculata ‘Black Face’)

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

Love-In-A-Mist (Nigella damascena; N. damascena ‘Miss Jekyll’)

Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis)

Bush Morning Glory (Convolvulus tricolor)

Wall Flower (Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’)

Cup Flower (Nierembergia violacea ‘Purple Robe’)

White Mullein (Verbascum caixii ‘Album’)

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