There is something wonderfully reassuring about green.
The first tender shoots appearing in spring. Rows of peas climbing their supports, glossy courgettes tucked beneath enormous leaves and the quiet abundance of a vegetable garden in midsummer.
Green is the colour of growth, renewal and possibility.
It is also the colour of some of the most useful, delicious and rewarding foods we can grow.
From a handful of freshly picked spinach to a bowl of peas eaten straight from the pod, green fruits and vegetables have a particular charm. They are often wonderfully simple to prepare, full of flavour and, in many cases, surprisingly easy to grow.
They also bring plenty to our diets.
Green vegetables can provide fibre, folate, vitamins C and K, potassium and a wide range of naturally occurring plant compounds. But their nutritional value varies considerably. A cucumber, for example, offers something rather different from a serving of kale or broccoli.
And that is precisely why variety matters.
We do not need to regard spinach as a cure for tiredness, celery as a magical detoxifier or broccoli as the answer to every health concern.
Good food does not need extraordinary promises.
Sometimes the greatest pleasure is simply stepping into the garden, picking something fresh and turning it into a lovely meal.
So, rather than chasing the latest superfood, let’s celebrate the green fruits and vegetables we can grow in Britain.
Let’s sow them, grow them and feast on them.
Why Are Fruits and Vegetables Green?
The familiar green colour of plants comes largely from chlorophyll, the pigment that allows them to absorb light for photosynthesis.
It is one of the most important natural processes on Earth, enabling plants to use light energy to produce sugars from carbon dioxide and water.
But there is much more to green vegetables than chlorophyll.
Depending on the plant, they may provide dietary fibre, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, calcium and other essential nutrients.
Many leafy vegetables also contain carotenoids, including beta-carotene and lutein.
We tend to associate carotenoids with orange and yellow foods, but these pigments are also present in green leaves, where their colours are masked by chlorophyll.
Green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, kale and rocket contain another interesting group of compounds called glucosinolates.
These naturally occurring substances contribute to the characteristic flavours of brassicas and have attracted considerable scientific interest.
However, the presence of a particular compound does not mean a vegetable can prevent or treat a disease.
The sensible approach is to enjoy a wide variety of plants.
And if we can grow some of them ourselves, so much the better.
Spinach – Spinacia oleracea
The tender green that makes itself useful in almost everything.
Spinach has enjoyed a rather heroic reputation over the years.
Popeye probably has something to answer for.
Although spinach contains iron, the non-haem iron found in plants is generally less readily absorbed than the haem iron found in animal foods. Spinach also contains compounds called oxalates, which can affect mineral absorption.
Nevertheless, it is a nutritious leafy vegetable, providing folate, vitamin K and carotenoids.
And, perhaps more importantly for the kitchen gardener, it is quick to grow and wonderfully versatile.
Sow It
Spinach prefers the cooler parts of the growing season.
Sow directly outdoors in spring and again in late summer or early autumn, choosing varieties suited to the season.
Make small, regular sowings rather than emptying the entire packet into one drill.
A succession of tender leaves is much more useful than a sudden mountain of spinach.
Grow It
Choose fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil.
Keep plants watered during dry weather.
Hot temperatures and long summer days can encourage spinach to bolt, sending up flowering stems rather than continuing to produce tender leaves.
Harvest young leaves for salads or allow them to grow larger for cooking.
Feast
Wilt spinach into pasta dishes, curries and soups.
Add young leaves to salads or cook briefly with butter and garlic.
One enormous pan of spinach will reduce to what appears to be approximately three forkfuls.
This is entirely normal.
Peas – Pisum sativum
The vegetable that rarely makes it into the kitchen.
Few home-grown foods can compete with the sweetness of a freshly picked pea.
There is something immensely satisfying about opening a pod and discovering a neat row of little green treasures.
Peas provide fibre, plant protein, vitamin C and folate, among other nutrients.
But their greatest attraction is flavour.
A pea eaten moments after picking is a very different experience from one that has spent several days waiting to be cooked.
Sow It
Peas are generally sown outdoors from early spring, depending on soil conditions and variety.
Some hardy varieties can be sown earlier with suitable protection.
Sow in drills or blocks, allowing sufficient space for plants to develop.
Pea shoots can also be grown in containers for a quick harvest.
Grow It
Most pea varieties appreciate support.
Twiggy branches, pea netting or purpose-made supports work well.
Keep plants watered during flowering and pod development, particularly in dry weather.
Pick pods regularly while the peas are young and sweet.
Feast
Eat fresh peas raw, steam them briefly or add them to risotto and pasta.
Pea and mint soup is a lovely way to celebrate a generous harvest.
Young pea shoots and tendrils are edible too.
And if a few peas disappear before reaching the kitchen, that is simply one of the privileges of growing your own.
Courgettes – Cucurbita pepo
The vegetable that never quite knows when to stop.
Courgettes are among the most productive crops in the summer vegetable garden.
One or two healthy plants can produce an astonishing number of fruits.
At first, every courgette feels like a triumph.
By August, you may find yourself quietly leaving them on neighbours’ doorsteps.
Courgettes are summer squashes belonging to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae.
They provide fibre, potassium and vitamin C, although their precise nutritional composition varies.
Their high water content and mild flavour make them particularly versatile.
Sow It
Sow courgettes indoors in individual pots during late April or early May.
Alternatively, sow directly outdoors once the soil has warmed and the danger of frost has passed.
Grow It
Give courgettes a sunny position, fertile soil and plenty of room.
They appreciate generous watering during dry spells.
Mulching can help retain soil moisture.
Harvest fruits regularly while they are young and tender.
A courgette overlooked beneath the leaves for several days can develop into something resembling a small submarine.
Feast
Grill, roast or sauté courgettes.
Grate them into fritters, add them to pasta or bake them into cakes.
Their flowers are edible too, provided they have been correctly identified and grown without unsuitable chemical treatments.
When the inevitable glut arrives, make chutney using a tested recipe.
Every courgette grower eventually reaches the chutney stage.
Green Beans – Phaseolus vulgaris and Phaseolus coccineus
A generous harvest from a handful of seeds.
There is something rather lovely about walking into the garden to pick the vegetables for tonight’s dinner.
Green beans are particularly rewarding because regular harvesting can encourage plants to continue producing.
French beans belong to Phaseolus vulgaris, while runner beans are Phaseolus coccineus.
Both can be harvested while their pods are young and tender.
They provide fibre, folate and vitamin C, among other nutrients.
Sow It
Beans need warmth to germinate and grow.
Start seeds under cover in spring or sow directly outdoors once conditions are sufficiently warm and frost risk has passed.
Dwarf French beans are particularly useful for smaller gardens and containers.
Climbing French beans and runner beans make excellent use of vertical space.
Grow It
Climbing varieties require sturdy supports.
A mature row of runner beans covered in foliage and pods can become surprisingly heavy.
Keep plants watered during dry spells, especially when flowering and developing pods.
Harvest regularly before the pods become tough and stringy.
Feast
Cook beans until tender and serve with butter or olive oil.
Add them to salads, pasta dishes and vegetable stews.
Green beans should be cooked rather than eaten raw, particularly runner beans, because raw or undercooked beans can contain harmful lectins.
For preserving, blanching and freezing is a practical option.
Broccoli – Brassica oleracea Italica Group
Much more interesting than its reputation suggests.
Broccoli deserves a little more attention than it sometimes receives.
There is not just one type.
Calabrese produces the familiar large green heads, while sprouting broccoli develops smaller shoots that can be harvested over a longer period.
Purple sprouting broccoli is particularly useful because many varieties provide a harvest in late winter or early spring, when relatively little else is ready.
Broccoli provides fibre, vitamin C, folate and vitamin K.
It also contains glucosinolates, compounds characteristic of brassica vegetables.
Sow It
Sowing times depend on the type and variety.
Calabrese is commonly grown for harvesting within the same growing season.
Many sprouting broccoli varieties require a longer period of growth, often overwintering before producing their shoots.
Check the seed packet carefully.
Grow It
Broccoli prefers fertile, firm soil and an open position.
Protect young plants from pigeons and cabbage white butterflies.
Fine insect-proof mesh can be particularly useful.
Keep plants watered during prolonged dry spells.
Feast
Steam, roast or stir-fry broccoli.
Add it to pasta dishes, soups and vegetable bakes.
And do not automatically throw away the stalk.
Peel away any tough outer skin and the tender centre is perfectly edible.
It is one of the most frequently wasted parts of the vegetable.
Kale – Brassica oleracea Acephala Group
The dependable green of the winter garden.
Kale has experienced an extraordinary journey from humble winter vegetable to fashionable ingredient.
Throughout all of this, it has remained what it always was.
A very useful garden crop.
Kale provides fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K and carotenoids.
It is also wonderfully hardy, making it valuable during the colder months.
Sow It
Sow kale in spring or early summer for harvesting later in the year.
Exact timings depend on the variety.
Grow It
Plant into fertile, firm soil.
Protect young plants from pigeons, caterpillars and other brassica pests.
Many kale varieties tolerate frost and can remain productive through winter.
This makes kale particularly useful when much of the vegetable garden has become quiet.
Feast
Steam or sauté the leaves.
Add them to soups, pasta and dishes containing beans or lentils.
Remove particularly tough stalks before cooking.
Kale can also be baked into crisp leaves with a little oil and seasoning.
They are delicious.
Although there is no need to pretend they are exactly the same as potato crisps.
Cabbage – Brassica oleracea Capitata Group
The vegetable that deserves a second chance.
Cabbage has not always enjoyed the best reputation.
Perhaps generations of school dinners have something to answer for.
But a fresh cabbage, harvested from the garden and cooked with a little care, is a wonderful thing.
Green cabbage provides fibre, vitamin C, folate and vitamin K.
By choosing varieties carefully, gardeners can harvest cabbage at different times throughout the year.
Sow It
There are spring, summer, autumn and winter cabbages.
Sowing and planting times vary, so choose varieties appropriate to the intended harvest.
Grow It
Cabbages appreciate fertile, firm soil and consistent moisture.
Protect plants from caterpillars, pigeons and slugs.
Allow sufficient spacing for the heads to develop.
Feast
Shred cabbage into coleslaw.
Stir-fry it with garlic, steam it briefly or add it to soups.
Savoy cabbage is particularly lovely with butter and black pepper.
The secret is not to boil it until the entire house smells of cabbage.
We have moved on.
Brussels Sprouts – Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group
The little green vegetables that divide the Christmas table.
Brussels sprouts are among Britain’s most debated vegetables.
Some people love them.
Others seem to regard their appearance on the Christmas table as a personal insult.
But properly grown and carefully cooked sprouts are wonderfully sweet and nutty.
They provide fibre, vitamin C, folate and vitamin K.
Sow It
Brussels sprouts require a relatively long growing season.
They are generally sown in spring for harvesting from autumn into winter, depending on the variety.
Grow It
Choose a sunny position with fertile, firm soil.
Allow plenty of room between plants.
Tall varieties may need staking in exposed gardens.
Protect them from pigeons and caterpillars.
Feast
Steam sprouts briefly, roast them until their edges begin to caramelise or shred and stir-fry them.
They are delicious with chestnuts, garlic or a little lemon.
If your only experience of Brussels sprouts is a grey-green vegetable boiled for half an hour on Christmas morning, I would suggest you have not really met a Brussels sprout yet.
Lettuce and Salad Leaves – Lactuca sativa and Other Species
The simplest luxury of the kitchen garden.
If you are completely new to growing food, salad leaves are an excellent place to begin.
You do not need an allotment.
You do not even need a traditional garden.
Many varieties grow beautifully in pots, troughs and window boxes.
Different salad leaves provide varying amounts of folate, vitamin K and other nutrients.
Sow It
Sow small amounts regularly from spring onwards.
Cut-and-come-again mixtures are particularly useful because young leaves can be harvested while the plants continue growing.
Choose varieties suited to warmer or cooler seasons as appropriate.
Grow It
Keep the growing medium moist but not waterlogged.
Watch for slugs and snails.
During very hot weather, a little afternoon shade can help reduce stress and premature flowering.
Feast
Pick what you need immediately before eating.
Wash thoroughly and combine with herbs, tomatoes or other seasonal vegetables.
Fresh salad leaves, harvested five minutes before lunch, are one of the simplest pleasures a garden can provide.
Rocket – Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa
Small leaves with a wonderfully peppery personality.
Rocket is quick to grow, takes up little room and brings a lively flavour to salads.
It belongs to the brassica family and contains glucosinolates.
It also provides nutrients including vitamin K.
Sow It
Sow directly outdoors or in containers from spring onwards.
Small, repeat sowings are more useful than one enormous crop.
Grow It
Rocket prefers reasonably moist soil.
Hot, dry weather can encourage plants to bolt and may make the leaves particularly strong in flavour.
Spring and autumn crops are often especially successful.
Feast
Scatter rocket over pizza after cooking.
Add it to salads and pasta dishes.
Blend it into pesto with olive oil, nuts and cheese.
A generous harvest can disappear surprisingly quickly once you discover how useful rocket is in the kitchen.
Cucumbers – Cucumis sativus
The refreshing taste of summer.
There is something immensely satisfying about discovering a cucumber hiding beneath a mass of leaves.
Particularly because it seems capable of doubling in size while you are not looking.
Cucumbers have a very high water content and provide modest amounts of several vitamins and minerals.
They are valued primarily for their refreshing flavour and crisp texture.
Sow It
Sow cucumber seeds indoors in spring.
Choose varieties suited to greenhouse or outdoor growing.
Grow It
Cucumbers appreciate warmth, fertile soil and consistent moisture.
Many greenhouse varieties are trained vertically to save space.
Feed appropriately once plants begin producing fruits.
Check the variety’s pollination requirements. Some greenhouse cucumbers are bred to produce fruits without pollination, and their growing needs differ from traditional outdoor varieties.
Feast
Eat cucumbers fresh in salads.
Make tzatziki with yoghurt, garlic and mint.
Add slices to sandwiches or pickle suitable varieties using a reliable recipe.
A cucumber eaten moments after harvesting can be surprisingly fragrant.
Celery – Apium graveolens var. dulce
For gardeners who enjoy a little challenge.
Celery has a reputation for being demanding.
It is not entirely undeserved.
But home-grown celery can be crisp, aromatic and deeply satisfying.
It contains plenty of water, alongside fibre, folate and potassium.
Sow It
Celery needs a long growing season and is usually started indoors in late winter or early spring.
The tiny seeds require careful handling and suitable germination conditions.
Grow It
Celery appreciates fertile, moisture-retentive soil.
Consistent watering is particularly important.
Dry conditions can result in tough, stringy stems and may encourage bolting.
Modern self-blanching varieties are generally easier to grow than traditional trench celery.
Feast
Eat celery raw or add it to soups, stews and sauces.
It is one of the classic ingredients in the aromatic vegetable base of onion, carrot and celery.
The leaves are useful too, bringing plenty of flavour to stocks and cooked dishes.
Asparagus – Asparagus officinalis
An investment in future spring dinners.
Asparagus is a crop for gardeners who understand the value of patience.
Planting an asparagus bed is rather like making a promise to your future self.
There will be waiting.
But once established, a healthy bed can produce delicious spears for many years.
Asparagus provides fibre, folate and various vitamins and minerals.
Grow It
Choose a permanent, sunny position with well-drained soil.
Prepare the bed carefully before planting.
Asparagus is commonly established from one-year-old crowns, although it can also be grown from seed.
New plants need time to develop strong root systems.
Avoid heavy harvesting during their early years.
Feast
Fresh asparagus requires very little attention.
Steam, roast or griddle the spears.
Serve with butter, olive oil or a squeeze of lemon.
When you have waited years for something to grow, covering it in an elaborate sauce seems almost unnecessary.
Green Apples – Malus domestica and Pears – Pyrus communis
The pleasures of a productive orchard.
Not everything green comes from the vegetable patch.
Apple and pear trees can bring structure, blossom, wildlife interest and delicious fruit to the garden.
Green-skinned varieties are particularly attractive, although their nutritional value depends on much more than skin colour.
Apples and pears provide dietary fibre and various naturally occurring plant compounds.
Grow It
The most important consideration when choosing a fruit tree is not simply the variety.
It is also the rootstock.
Rootstock influences the eventual size and vigour of the tree.
Choose one suited to your available space and soil conditions.
Check pollination requirements too.
Some varieties are self-fertile, while others need a compatible variety flowering nearby.
Both apples and pears generally appreciate sunny, sheltered positions with reasonably fertile, well-drained soil.
Feast
Eat apples straight from the tree.
Poach pears with warming spices.
Bake apples, make compote or turn surplus fruit into chutney.
And there is always crumble.
A particularly good answer to almost any autumn fruit harvest.
Green Herbs: Small Plants, Enormous Flavour
Herbs deserve a place in every edible garden.
Parsley, basil, mint, chives, coriander and dill all bring freshness and character to cooking.
They contain various vitamins and naturally occurring plant compounds, although the quantities eaten are often relatively small.
Their greatest contribution is flavour.
Parsley – Petroselinum crispum
A useful biennial herb, generally grown as an annual for its leaves.
Excellent in sauces, soups, salads and vegetable dishes.
Basil – Ocimum basilicum
A tender herb that appreciates warmth.
Grow in a greenhouse, on a sunny windowsill or outdoors in a sheltered summer position.
Wonderful with tomatoes.
Mint – Mentha Species
Hardy, vigorous and remarkably enthusiastic.
Mint is excellent with peas, potatoes and summer drinks.
Grow it in a container unless you are happy for it to become a major feature of the garden.
Chives – Allium schoenoprasum
A hardy perennial with slender leaves and attractive edible flowers.
Lovely with potatoes, eggs and salads.
Coriander – Coriandrum sativum
A useful herb for cooler growing conditions.
It can bolt quickly during hot weather, so repeat sowings are worthwhile.
Both leaves and dried seeds are used in cooking.
Dill – Anethum graveolens
An aromatic annual with feathery foliage.
Excellent with cucumbers, fish and potatoes.
Feast
Use herbs generously.
Make pesto.
Chop parsley over roasted vegetables.
Add mint to peas.
Scatter chives over new potatoes.
Sometimes the difference between an ordinary meal and something memorable is simply a handful of freshly picked herbs.
What About Avocados and Kiwi Fruit?
Not every green food needs to come from the garden.
Avocados and kiwi fruit are both useful additions to a varied diet, although they offer rather different nutritional qualities.
Avocados – Persea americana
Avocados provide mostly unsaturated fats, along with fibre, folate and potassium.
They can be grown as ornamental plants indoors, but producing a reliable harvest in Britain is difficult without specialised conditions.
Kiwi Fruit – Actinidia Species
Kiwi fruit provides vitamin C and fibre.
Some kiwi varieties can be grown successfully in Britain, particularly in sheltered positions.
The vigorous climbing plants need strong supports and plenty of room.
Pollination requirements vary, so choose varieties carefully.
Growing your own food does not have to mean attempting complete self-sufficiency.
Grow what suits your garden.
Enjoy what you grow.
And buy the rest.
Planning Your Own Green Kitchen Garden
One of the loveliest things about green crops is how easily they can be incorporated into gardens of different sizes.
You do not need an enormous vegetable patch to begin.
A few pots, a raised bed or a small sunny corner can provide a surprising amount of fresh food.
For a Small Patio or Courtyard
Try growing:
- Cut-and-come-again salad leaves
- Rocket
- Dwarf French beans
- Parsley, chives and mint in containers
These crops make good use of limited space and provide regular harvests.
For a Modest Vegetable Garden
Add:
- Peas
- Courgettes
- Spinach
- Kale
- Broccoli
Choose crops according to the season and the space available.
For a Larger Garden
Consider:
- Runner beans
- Winter cabbages
- Brussels sprouts
- An asparagus bed
- An apple or pear tree
A little planning can turn a garden into a productive space across much of the year.
A Green Harvest Through the British Seasons
With thoughtful planting, green crops can provide something to harvest in almost every season.
| Season | Green crops to enjoy |
|---|---|
| Spring | Asparagus, spinach, rocket, early salad leaves and suitable overwintered brassicas |
| Early summer | Peas, lettuce, herbs and early beans |
| High summer | Courgettes, cucumbers, French beans, runner beans and salad leaves |
| Autumn | Kale, cabbage, broccoli, celery, apples and pears |
| Winter | Kale, Brussels sprouts, winter cabbage and suitable sprouting broccoli |
Harvest times depend on the variety, weather and location.
A mild winter can make a considerable difference to what remains productive.
And a cold spring can remind us that the garden follows its own timetable rather than ours.
What to Do When the Green Harvest Becomes a Glut
There is a familiar moment in the growing year when the question changes.
In spring, we wonder whether anything will ever grow.
By August, we are wondering what on earth to do with everything that has.
This is when a little preserving becomes particularly useful.
Freeze Beans and Peas
Blanch suitable vegetables before freezing to help preserve their quality.
Freeze in convenient portions for soups, stews and winter meals.
Make Herb and Rocket Pesto
Blend fresh herbs or rocket with olive oil, nuts and cheese.
Keep refrigerated and use promptly, or freeze in small portions.
Do not assume homemade herb mixtures in oil are safe for long-term storage at room temperature.
Preserve Courgettes
Turn surplus courgettes into chutney using a tested preserving recipe.
You can also grate and freeze courgettes for later cooking, although their texture will soften after thawing.
Pickle Cucumbers
Small cucumbers are excellent for pickling.
Follow a reliable recipe with appropriate vinegar strength and processing instructions if you intend to store them outside the fridge.
Freeze Spinach
Blanch spinach before freezing for best quality.
It is particularly useful for adding to soups, curries and pasta dishes.
Share the Harvest
And, of course, give some away.
A basket of freshly picked vegetables is a lovely thing to offer a neighbour.
Although anyone who grows courgettes should perhaps ask first.
Three Delicious Ways to Feast on Green
Garden Pea, Spinach and Mint Soup
A fresh, vibrant soup that celebrates the flavours of spring and early summer.
Ingredients
- 300g peas, fresh or frozen
- 100g spinach
- 1 onion
- 1 small potato
- 750ml vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- A handful of fresh mint
- Black pepper
Method
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and gently soften the chopped onion.
Add the diced potato and vegetable stock.
Simmer for approximately 15 minutes, until the potato is tender.
Add the peas and cook until tender.
Stir in the spinach and allow it to wilt.
Remove from the heat, add the mint and blend until smooth.
Season with black pepper and serve with crusty bread.
Roasted Courgette, Green Bean and Herb Salad
A lovely way to use a generous summer harvest.
Ingredients
- 2 medium courgettes
- 200g green beans
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- A handful of parsley
- A handful of basil
- Juice of half a lemon
- Salt and black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, or 180°C fan.
Cut the courgettes into thick slices.
Toss with one tablespoon of olive oil and roast for approximately 20–25 minutes until tender and lightly golden.
Meanwhile, cook the green beans in boiling water until tender, then drain.
Combine the courgettes and beans.
Add the remaining olive oil, crushed garlic, chopped herbs and lemon juice.
Season and serve warm or at room temperature.
Creamy Kale and Broccoli Pasta
A comforting meal for cooler evenings.
Ingredients
- 250g pasta
- 150g kale
- 200g broccoli
- 2 garlic cloves
- 100ml single cream
- 40g grated mature Cheddar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Black pepper
Method
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
Add the broccoli to the cooking water during the final few minutes, followed by the kale, and cook until both are tender.
Reserve a little pasta water before draining.
Heat the olive oil in a pan and gently cook the garlic.
Add the cream and cheese, stirring until combined.
Toss through the pasta and vegetables.
Add a splash of reserved pasta water if necessary.
Finish with black pepper.
Simple, filling and a very good reason to grow kale.
Eat the Rainbow, But Grow It Too
There is good reason to include plenty of different fruits and vegetables in our diets.
They provide a wide variety of nutrients and naturally occurring plant compounds.
Green foods are an important and wonderfully diverse part of that picture.
But they do not need extraordinary promises to justify their place on our plates.
Spinach does not need to give us superhuman strength.
Celery does not need to detoxify anything.
Cucumber does not need to make us look ten years younger.
And broccoli does not need to solve a particular health problem before it earns a place at the dinner table.
They are simply good foods worth enjoying.
For those of us who grow our own, however, there is another pleasure.
The first peas appearing on their supports.
The delicate leaves of spring spinach.
The enormous foliage of a courgette plant spreading across the soil.
The quiet determination of winter kale, still producing leaves when the rest of the garden seems to have gone to sleep.
And the moment we step outside, basket in hand, to see what might be ready for supper.
Growing food encourages us to notice the seasons.
It teaches patience, rewards curiosity and occasionally gives us far more courgettes than any sensible household could possibly require.
But most importantly, it connects us with what we eat.
From the first seed sown into the soil to the final forkful on the plate, there is something deeply satisfying about the journey.
Because the real joy of green fruits and vegetables is not simply what they contribute to our diets. It is the life they bring to our gardens, the flavour they bring to our kitchens and the pleasure of enjoying something we have grown ourselves.
Sow it. Grow it. And feast on it.
Further reading: Why You Should Eat More Purple, Why Eating Green Is Good For You, Eat the Rainbow: The Power of Red, Why Orange Foods Deserve a Place on Your Plate, The Incredible Benefits of Growing Your Own Food
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