Sorry, this isn't the best photo but you can get the general idea. I've got four okra plants in one of the containers in the pots downstairs. I went for the "fancy" okra which has red pods instead of the green. They turn green when you cook them, so no worries, and they sure look pretty while they are growing! The blossoms on the plants look like small hibiscus flowers--amazingly beautiful for such a strange looking vegetable.
Anyway, I've always combined my flowers and vegetables as gardening space has been limited and I had to be crafty about using whatever space I had available. This often meant sneaking the vegetables into the front yard so that they would get enough sun, hence hiding them amongst the flowers so the neighbors wouldn't complain. The flowers bring more bees and other polinators, often help keep the pest bugs away and just make it all look prettier. These tall okra plants (currently 5 feet tall in the pot and growing) would be great to have even if we weren't harvesting food from them, too!
We've also picked the first batch of Serrano peppers and they are in the freezer (peppers are easy to save as you just wash them, dry them and pop them in double freezer bags or use freezer boxes--no need to do any other prep!) And I've got almost enough ripe Roma tomatoes to roast them on the grill before putting them in the freezer. A touch of Summer tucked away for those dismal Winter nights to come!
