No Head for Cauliflower

This was my first attempt at growing cauliflower...an abysmal failure at aesthetics. However, once the leaves and "flower" were chopped and sauteed, it was not the disaster it appears to be. If you're gardening for a small amount of food production, you have to put your pride aside and accept that people are not born with green thumbs, but develop them through trial and error. Since eating is the primary purpose of growing vegetables, this first attempt at cauliflower was a small success. Next year I try for a later planting date since I jumped the gun on this one. The cultivar I chose to grow was Cheddar, a yellow orange cauliflower that is said to have a higher protein level than any other cauliflower. It's probably negligible since cauliflower, along with most vegetables, is packed with carbohydrates. Still, it's pretty (or should be) and I developed a soup recipe for it.

Update:

Here is the way Cheddar should look. After posting this originally, I went to Civic Center Farmers' Market (January 2009) and photographed cauliflower that was being offered for sale. Look what I found! Even professional growers can have their cosmetic challenges.

Portrait of Graham Thomas

It's no secret that I love David Austin roses, and own quite a few of his cultivars, but the most surprising attachment I have is to his yellow Graham Thomas. I have always disliked the color yellow; in the garden it reminds me of weeds. Practically every weed on record has yellow flowers...that must signify tenacity in the plant world. Why did I plant it...for sentimental reasons. My husband would bring me single yellow roses every time he saw me when we first met. He loves them and I love him and so I capitulated when he requested that I plant one. Perhaps it was King Alfred daffodils he wanted (he still has to wait on those), but I did plant a yellow flower and it was Graham Thomas.


When I shopped for our very first rose bush, I was told there would be no success with roses of more than 20- 27 petals in San Francisco. I looked at the lesser endowed roses and found very few attractive or even very interesting. Having little experience in the garden, it would seem logical to take professional advice, especially about plants I had never been familiar with growing up. I saw a Graham Thomas and tossed logic aside, bought the plant and placed it where it would get the most sun year round. It flourished and is seen by neighbors several gardens away from mine. This little 3 foot bush grows to 7 feet in San Francisco without much care at all. Every year I gather its honey scented petals to layer with sugar for use in preserves and baking. It's a "honey" alright!