There is something rather magical about purple in the garden.
The glossy skin of an aubergine catching the afternoon sunshine. A handful of blackberries gathered from the hedgerow, their dark juice staining your fingers. Great ruffled leaves of red cabbage, the first purple shoots of broccoli emerging after winter, and branches heavy with sweet, dusky plums.
Purple is not a colour that goes unnoticed.
It brings richness to the vegetable patch, a little drama to the kitchen and, occasionally, a surprising amount of colour to the washing-up water.
Anyone who has boiled purple carrots will know exactly what I mean.
But these beautiful fruits and vegetables have more to offer than their appearance.
Many contain naturally occurring pigments called anthocyanins, alongside different combinations of fibre, vitamins, minerals and other plant compounds.
There is good reason to enjoy a wide variety of colourful foods, although we needn’t start treating every purple vegetable as a miracle cure.
Blueberries do not need to transform our memory. Beetroot does not need to detoxify our liver. And a purple potato does not need extraordinary health claims to justify its place on the dinner table.
Sometimes the most compelling reason to grow something is that it tastes wonderful.
And, from a gardener’s point of view, purple crops are enormous fun.
So, rather than searching for the latest superfood, let’s explore the extraordinary variety of purple fruits and vegetables we can grow in Britain.
Let’s sow them, grow them and feast on them.
Why Are Some Fruits and Vegetables Purple?
The rich purple, blue and almost black colours found in many fruits and vegetables come from naturally occurring plant pigments called anthocyanins.
These belong to a wider group of compounds known as flavonoids.
Anthocyanins are responsible for the colouring of many familiar foods, including blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, red cabbage and purple-skinned aubergines.
Their colours can change depending on the acidity of the plant tissue and other conditions.
This is why red cabbage can turn pinkish-red when cooked with vinegar and take on a bluish shade in more alkaline conditions.
A rather entertaining little chemistry experiment, particularly when supper is involved.
But not every purple vegetable gets its colour from anthocyanins.
Beetroot, for example, contains pigments called betalains.
And purple fruits and vegetables are not nutritionally identical simply because they share a colour.
Some provide generous amounts of vitamin C. Others contribute folate, potassium, fibre or different naturally occurring plant compounds.
Research continues into the possible health effects of anthocyanins and other plant substances, but laboratory findings do not automatically translate into proven health benefits from eating particular foods.
The sensible message remains wonderfully straightforward.
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, enjoy different colours and make room for plenty of plants in your diet.
And if you can grow some of them yourself, all the better.
Aubergines – Solanum melongena
The glossy beauties of the summer greenhouse.
Few vegetables look quite as elegant growing on the plant as aubergines.
Their smooth, deep-purple fruits hang beneath broad green leaves, looking almost too beautiful to harvest.
Almost.
Aubergines belong to the nightshade family, Solanaceae, alongside tomatoes, peppers and potatoes.
They provide fibre and modest amounts of several vitamins and minerals.
The purple skin of many varieties contains anthocyanins, including a pigment called nasunin.
But the real reason to grow aubergines is their extraordinary versatility in the kitchen.
Sow It
Aubergines need a long, warm growing season.
Sow seeds indoors from January to March, depending on the warmth and light available.
They germinate best with consistent warmth, generally around 21–27°C.
Once seedlings appear, give them plenty of light to encourage sturdy growth.
Grow It
In much of Britain, aubergines are most reliable in a greenhouse or polytunnel.
They can also grow outdoors in particularly warm, sunny and sheltered positions.
Compact varieties are well suited to large containers.
Provide fertile compost, consistent watering and suitable feeding once flowers and fruits begin developing.
Some plants may need supporting as their fruits become heavier.
Feast
Roast aubergines until their flesh becomes beautifully soft.
Add them to curries, ratatouille and pasta dishes.
Make aubergine parmigiana or blend roasted flesh with tahini, garlic and lemon for baba ganoush.
Aubergines absorb flavours wonderfully, particularly olive oil, herbs, garlic and spices.
Suddenly, growing three plants seems entirely reasonable.
Purple Carrots – Daucus carota subsp. sativus
An old-fashioned vegetable with a rather surprising appearance.
We tend to think of carrots as orange.
Yet carrots have been cultivated in several colours for centuries, including purple, yellow, white and red.
Purple varieties are particularly attractive.
Some have purple skins surrounding bright orange centres, while others are coloured almost all the way through.
They provide fibre and various plant compounds, including anthocyanins in purple tissues and carotenoids in orange tissues.
They are also wonderfully entertaining to harvest.
Sow It
Carrots are best sown directly into their final growing position.
Sow from spring into summer, choosing varieties suited to the season.
They prefer reasonably fine, stone-free soil.
If your garden has heavy clay or particularly stony ground, consider shorter-rooted varieties or growing in deep containers.
Grow It
Keep the soil moist during germination.
Thin seedlings only where necessary, taking care not to disturb neighbouring roots.
Carrot root fly can be troublesome.
Fine insect-proof mesh, fitted securely around the crop, provides useful protection.
Feast
Roast purple carrots with thyme and olive oil.
Grate them into salads or add them to soups.
They are also delicious steamed and served with butter.
Some purple varieties release considerable colour during cooking.
Your saucepan may look as though it has been involved in an artistic experiment.
This is entirely part of their charm.
Beetroot – Beta vulgaris Conditiva Group
The vegetable that refuses to be ignored.
Is beetroot red?
Purple?
Burgundy?
Perhaps the answer depends on how much of it has ended up on your hands.
Whatever colour we call it, beetroot certainly belongs in this part of the edible rainbow.
Its rich colouring comes from betalain pigments rather than anthocyanins.
Beetroot also provides fibre, folate, potassium and naturally occurring dietary nitrates.
It is one of the most dependable crops for a British kitchen garden.
Sow It
Sow beetroot directly outdoors from spring into summer.
Make smaller sowings every few weeks to provide a succession of roots.
Beetroot seeds are often clusters containing more than one embryo, so several seedlings may emerge close together.
Thin where necessary.
Grow It
Choose a sunny position with fertile, well-drained soil.
Keep plants watered during prolonged dry weather.
Harvest roots while they are young and tender.
Larger roots remain useful for cooking, but smaller beetroot often has a particularly pleasant texture.
The leaves are edible too.
Young leaves can be added to salads, while larger leaves can be cooked similarly to chard.
Feast
Roast beetroot with thyme and garlic.
Combine it with feta, walnuts and salad leaves.
Grate young roots into salads or pickle them using a tested recipe.
And perhaps avoid preparing beetroot immediately before leaving the house in your best white shirt.
Some lessons are learned only once.
Red Cabbage – Brassica oleracea Capitata Group
The purple vegetable with a red name.
Red cabbage is, quite clearly, purple.
Gardening is full of these little mysteries.
Its beautiful colour comes from anthocyanins, while its nutritional contribution includes fibre, vitamin C and vitamin K.
It is also a useful crop for autumn and winter, bringing colour to the garden when many summer vegetables have finished.
Sow It
Choose varieties according to the intended harvest season.
Red cabbages are commonly sown in spring for harvesting later in the year, although timings vary.
Start seeds in modules or a seedbed before transplanting young plants into their final positions.
Grow It
Cabbages prefer fertile, firm soil.
Allow enough space for the heads to develop properly.
Protect plants from pigeons and cabbage white butterflies.
Their caterpillars can turn a beautiful cabbage into something resembling lace with remarkable efficiency.
Fine insect-proof mesh is particularly useful.
Feast
Shred red cabbage into winter salads and slaws.
Cook it slowly with apples, onions and warming spices.
It is also delicious pickled.
A bowl of braised red cabbage brings wonderful colour to a winter meal, especially when served alongside roasted vegetables or a traditional Sunday lunch.
Purple Sprouting Broccoli – Brassica oleracea Italica Group
The patient gardener’s reward.
Purple sprouting broccoli is one of the loveliest crops for bridging the gap between winter and spring.
For months, it occupies a substantial piece of the vegetable garden, apparently doing very little.
Then, just when the garden seems reluctant to wake from winter, the first purple shoots begin to appear.
Suddenly, there is something fresh to harvest again.
Purple sprouting broccoli provides fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K and folate, alongside glucosinolates and other plant compounds.
Sow It
Many traditional purple sprouting broccoli varieties are sown in spring or early summer for harvesting the following late winter or spring.
However, some modern varieties mature more quickly.
Always check the seed packet.
Grow It
Give plants fertile, firm soil and plenty of space.
Protect them from pigeons, caterpillars and other brassica pests.
Tall plants may need staking in exposed gardens.
Once the main shoots are ready, harvest them regularly to encourage further side shoots.
Feast
Steam, roast or sauté the tender shoots.
Serve with butter, lemon or garlic and olive oil.
There is something particularly satisfying about waiting months for a crop and then cooking it as simply as possible.
Good seasonal vegetables rarely need much assistance.
Blackberries – Rubus fruticosus Aggregate
The wild generosity of late summer.
Blackberries are a reminder that not every harvest begins with a packet of seeds.
By late summer, Britain’s hedgerows can be heavy with dark, glossy fruits.
Their rich colour comes largely from anthocyanins.
Blackberries also provide fibre, vitamin C and vitamin K.
Wild blackberries are wonderful, but cultivated varieties offer advantages too.
Many are productive, and thornless selections are considerably kinder to your arms.
Grow It
Blackberries generally appreciate a sunny position, although some tolerate partial shade.
Cultivated plants benefit from support and can be trained along wires or fences.
Pruning depends on the variety and fruiting habit, but many traditional types fruit on canes produced during the previous year.
Remove spent fruiting canes after harvest and retain healthy new growth for the following season.
If foraging, collect only where permitted, identify plants confidently and avoid contaminated locations.
Leave plenty for wildlife and other foragers.
Feast
Eat ripe blackberries fresh.
Scatter them over yoghurt, bake them into crumble or turn them into jam.
They freeze particularly well.
Spread berries on a tray before freezing, then transfer them to suitable containers.
This prevents the harvest becoming one enormous blackberry iceberg.
Blackcurrants – Ribes nigrum
Small berries with enormous character.
Blackcurrants have a wonderfully distinctive flavour.
Sharp, aromatic and intensely fruity, they are not always the sort of berry you eat by the handful.
But in the kitchen, they are extraordinary.
Blackcurrants are particularly rich in vitamin C and contain fibre and anthocyanins.
They are also excellent plants for British gardens.
Grow It
Blackcurrants prefer fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil.
They crop best in a reasonably sunny position.
Mulch around established plants to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Pruning encourages the development of productive young wood.
Once bushes are established, remove some older stems periodically to make room for vigorous new growth.
Feast
Make blackcurrant jam, compote, cordial or fruit sauces.
Add them to summer puddings and cakes.
Freeze surplus berries for use throughout winter.
Their sharpness makes them particularly good alongside sweeter fruits.
Blueberries – Vaccinium Species and Hybrids
The little blue berries that belong in our purple garden.
Blueberries may have blue in their name, but their skins contain pigments that produce shades of blue and purple.
These pigments are anthocyanins.
Blueberries also provide fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese.
They are attractive shrubs, with delicate spring flowers, summer fruits and often beautiful autumn foliage.
But there is one important requirement.
They need acidic growing conditions.
Grow It
Blueberries prefer acidic soil, generally around pH 4.5–5.5.
If your garden soil is unsuitable, grow them in containers filled with peat-free ericaceous compost.
Use rainwater where possible, particularly in hard-water areas.
Keep the growing medium consistently moist without waterlogging.
Growing more than one compatible variety can improve pollination and may extend the harvest season.
Feast
Eat blueberries fresh.
Add them to porridge, yoghurt, pancakes and muffins.
Freeze surplus fruit for later use.
Like strawberries, blueberries have a remarkable ability to disappear between the garden and the kitchen.
Purple Potatoes – Solanum tuberosum
An unexpected surprise beneath the soil.
There is something rather wonderful about cutting open a potato and discovering that it is purple all the way through.
Some varieties have purple skins but pale flesh.
Others contain deep violet or blue-purple flesh, thanks to anthocyanin pigments.
Purple potatoes also provide carbohydrates, fibre and potassium, alongside other nutrients.
Their nutritional composition varies with variety and preparation.
Sow It
Potatoes are usually grown from certified seed potatoes rather than botanical seed.
Choose varieties according to whether you want first earlies, second earlies or maincrop potatoes.
Planting times vary with location, soil conditions and variety.
Grow It
Grow purple potatoes in the same way as other potatoes.
Plant in fertile, well-drained soil or suitable large containers.
Earth up plants as they grow to protect developing tubers from light.
Keep plants watered during dry spells, particularly while tubers are forming.
Feast
Boil, roast or mash purple potatoes.
Some varieties retain their colour better than others during cooking.
Purple mashed potato may cause a moment of confusion at the dinner table.
Personally, I consider that an advantage.
Purple Cauliflower – Brassica oleracea Botrytis Group
Proof that cauliflower needn’t be ordinary.
Cauliflower has not always enjoyed the most glamorous reputation.
But a purple cauliflower growing among broad green leaves is a beautiful sight.
Its colour comes from anthocyanins.
Like other cauliflowers, it provides fibre, vitamin C and folate.
It is also a satisfying crop to grow, although cauliflowers can be rather particular about their conditions.
Sow It
Choose a variety suited to the season.
Different cauliflowers are bred for harvesting at different times of year.
Start seeds in modules or a seedbed and transplant carefully.
Grow It
Cauliflowers prefer fertile, firm soil and consistent growing conditions.
Interruptions caused by drought, poor nutrition or other stresses can affect head development.
Protect plants from pigeons, caterpillars and other brassica pests.
Feast
Roast purple cauliflower with olive oil, garlic and spices.
Add it to curries, vegetable bakes or warm salads.
Roasting brings out a wonderful nutty flavour.
A considerable improvement on the over-boiled cauliflower some of us remember from childhood.
Purple Asparagus – Asparagus officinalis
For gardeners who appreciate the long game.
Purple asparagus is a crop that rewards patience.
Like green asparagus, it is a hardy perennial.
Once established, a healthy bed can produce spears for many years.
Purple varieties contain anthocyanin pigments and provide fibre, folate and other nutrients.
Some purple asparagus varieties are also particularly tender and sweet when harvested young.
Grow It
Choose a permanent position with well-drained soil and plenty of sunshine.
Prepare the ground carefully before planting.
Asparagus is commonly established from crowns, although it can also be grown from seed.
Allow new plants time to develop strong root systems.
Avoid heavy harvesting during the first few years.
Feast
Steam, roast or griddle young spears.
Serve with butter, olive oil or lemon.
Purple asparagus may lose some of its vivid colouring during cooking.
For the greatest visual impact, try shaving very young, tender spears into salads where suitable.
After waiting years for a proper harvest, the first spears deserve a little celebration.
Plums – Prunus domestica
The sweetness of the late-summer orchard.
A productive plum tree is one of the great pleasures of a British garden.
Its spring blossom is beautiful, while the fruits can range from yellow and green to red, blue and deep purple.
Purple-skinned varieties contain anthocyanins in their coloured skins.
Plums also provide fibre and potassium.
And when perfectly ripe, they are wonderfully fragrant and sweet.
Grow It
Choose a variety and rootstock suited to your available space.
Some plum varieties are self-fertile, while others benefit from a compatible pollination partner.
Plant in fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny, sheltered position.
Prune established plum trees during the growing season rather than winter to reduce the risk of diseases such as silver leaf.
Feast
Eat ripe plums fresh.
Poach them, bake them or turn them into jam and chutney.
Plum crumble is a particularly lovely way to welcome autumn.
The only difficulty is that a productive tree may decide to ripen most of its fruit during the one week you have gone on holiday.
Fruit trees have an unfortunate sense of timing.
Figs – Ficus carica
A taste of warmer places, grown at home.
Figs are not always purple, but many familiar varieties ripen to beautiful shades of burgundy and deep violet.
Their soft flesh is sweet, fragrant and quite unlike many other fruits.
Figs provide fibre, potassium and other nutrients.
They can also be grown successfully in sheltered British gardens.
Grow It
Figs appreciate warmth and sunshine.
A south-facing wall is often ideal.
Restricting root growth, either through container growing or a purpose-built root barrier, can help encourage fruiting.
In colder areas, winter protection may be necessary.
Choose a variety known to perform well in Britain.
Feast
Eat perfectly ripe figs fresh.
Serve with yoghurt, soft cheese or in salads.
Bake them with a little honey or turn surplus fruit into preserves.
A ripe fig picked from your own tree is one of those small gardening luxuries that is difficult to improve upon.
Red Onions – Allium cepa
Another supposedly red vegetable that is quite clearly purple.
Red onions bring beautiful colour to the vegetable garden and the kitchen.
Their purple-red skins contain anthocyanins, while onions also provide various sulphur-containing compounds and flavonoids, including quercetin.
They are useful, versatile and relatively straightforward to grow.
Sow It
Grow onions from seed or sets.
Sets are small immature bulbs and are often the easiest option for beginners.
Spring-planted sets are generally planted from March into April, while suitable overwintering varieties can be planted in autumn.
Grow It
Choose a sunny position with fertile, well-drained soil.
Keep beds weed-free because onions compete poorly with surrounding plants.
Water during prolonged dry spells while bulbs are developing.
Harvest once the foliage begins to yellow and fall over naturally.
Cure suitable storage varieties thoroughly before putting them away.
Feast
Slice red onions into salads.
Roast them with thyme or cook slowly until soft and sweet.
Make quick-pickled red onions for sandwiches, salads and savoury dishes.
They are one of those ridiculously simple additions that make an ordinary meal feel rather special.
Other Purple Crops Worth Growing
Once you begin looking for purple vegetables, you discover them everywhere.
There are purple varieties of crops we usually associate with entirely different colours.
Purple Brussels Sprouts – Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group
Purple varieties bring beautiful colour to the winter vegetable garden.
Grow them in much the same way as green Brussels sprouts.
They require a long growing season, fertile soil and protection from common brassica pests.
Purple French Beans – Phaseolus vulgaris
Purple-podded French beans are wonderfully ornamental.
Many varieties produce deep purple pods that turn green when cooked.
They grow in much the same way as other French beans.
Harvest regularly while the pods are young and tender.
Purple Kohlrabi – Brassica oleracea Gongylodes Group
Kohlrabi is one of the more unusual-looking vegetables.
Its swollen stem sits above the soil, giving the impression of a small purple turnip that has forgotten where it is supposed to grow.
Purple-skinned varieties are attractive and productive.
Harvest while young for the best texture.
Purple Basil – Ocimum basilicum
Purple basil is both an edible herb and an ornamental plant.
Its dark leaves bring colour to containers and herb gardens.
It needs warmth and sunshine, just like green basil.
Use it in salads, sauces and herb dressings.
These unusual varieties are a reminder that the vegetable garden need never be predictable.
Planning Your Own Purple Kitchen Garden
You do not need an enormous allotment to enjoy a little purple abundance.
A few carefully chosen crops can bring colour to even the smallest growing space.
For a Small Patio or Courtyard
Try:
- Purple carrots in a deep container
- Purple basil in a sunny pot
- A compact aubergine in a greenhouse or sheltered summer position
- Purple French beans grown up suitable supports
For a Modest Vegetable Garden
Add:
- Beetroot
- Red cabbage
- Purple potatoes
- Purple cauliflower
- A cultivated blackberry trained along a fence
For a Larger Garden
Consider:
- Purple sprouting broccoli
- Blackcurrants
- A plum tree
- A permanent purple asparagus bed
- A fig tree against a sunny wall
Choose plants suited to your growing conditions and the foods you enjoy eating.
There is little point filling the garden with beautiful vegetables that nobody wants for supper.
Although the neighbours may be delighted.
A Purple Harvest Through the British Seasons
With thoughtful planning, purple crops can provide harvests across much of the year.
| Season | Purple crops to enjoy |
|---|---|
| Spring | Purple sprouting broccoli, purple asparagus and suitable early radishes |
| Early summer | Purple kohlrabi, beetroot, early purple carrots and soft fruit |
| High summer | Blackcurrants, blueberries, blackberries, purple beans and aubergines |
| Autumn | Plums, figs, beetroot, purple potatoes and red cabbage |
| Winter | Stored purple potatoes, red cabbage, suitable Brussels sprouts and preserved fruit |
Exact harvest times depend on the variety, location and weather.
And, as every gardener knows, the weather rarely consults our plans.
What to Do When the Purple Harvest Becomes a Glut
There comes a point in the growing year when abundance becomes something of a logistical challenge.
The blackberries are ripening.
The beetroot is ready.
The plum tree has decided that every fruit should be harvested immediately.
And the kitchen worktop has disappeared beneath baskets of produce.
This is when preserving becomes particularly useful.
Freeze Your Berries
Blackberries, blueberries and blackcurrants freeze well.
Spread them on trays before transferring them to suitable containers.
Frozen berries are excellent for puddings, compotes and baking.
Make Jam and Chutney
Plums and blackcurrants are particularly good for preserves.
Use tested recipes and appropriate preserving methods, especially when making products intended for storage at room temperature.
Pickle Red Onions and Cabbage
Quick-pickled red onions are useful for salads and sandwiches.
Keep refrigerator pickles chilled and follow suitable storage guidance.
For shelf-stable pickles, use a tested recipe with appropriate acidity and processing instructions.
Store Suitable Root Crops
Some potato varieties store well when properly cured and kept in cool, dark, well-ventilated conditions.
Store only healthy, undamaged tubers.
Share the Harvest
And, of course, give some away.
A bag of home-grown produce handed over the garden fence is one of life’s small pleasures.
Especially when the recipient is genuinely pleased to receive another beetroot.
Three Delicious Ways to Feast on Purple
Roasted Purple Vegetables with Garlic and Thyme
A colourful dish that celebrates the autumn harvest.
Ingredients
- 3 medium beetroot
- 3 purple carrots
- 1 red onion
- 400g purple potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- Salt and black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, or 180°C fan.
Wash and prepare the vegetables.
Cut the beetroot and potatoes into smaller pieces than the carrots if necessary, so everything cooks evenly.
Toss with olive oil, garlic, thyme and seasoning.
Spread in a roasting tray.
Roast for approximately 35–50 minutes, turning occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.
Serve alongside roast chicken, lentils or a simple green salad.
Blackberry and Plum Crumble
A wonderfully comforting pudding for late summer and autumn.
Ingredients
For the fruit:
- 400g plums, stoned and chopped
- 250g blackberries
- 40g caster sugar, adjusted to taste
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
For the crumble:
- 150g plain flour
- 90g cold butter
- 75g light brown sugar
- 40g rolled oats
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C, or 170°C fan.
Place the fruit in a baking dish and toss with the sugar and cornflour.
Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Stir in the sugar and oats.
Scatter over the fruit.
Bake for approximately 35–40 minutes, until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling.
Serve warm with custard, cream or yoghurt.
Purple Cabbage and Apple Slaw
A fresh, crunchy accompaniment to autumn meals.
Ingredients
- Quarter of a small red cabbage
- 1 crisp apple
- 1 small red onion
- 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Black pepper
Method
Finely shred the cabbage and red onion.
Cut the apple into thin matchsticks.
Combine the yoghurt, mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice.
Toss everything together.
Season with black pepper.
Chill until ready to serve.
It is particularly good alongside baked potatoes, sandwiches and roasted vegetables.
Eat the Rainbow, But Grow It Too
There is good reason to include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in our diets.
Different plants provide different combinations of fibre, vitamins, minerals and naturally occurring compounds.
Purple foods are one beautiful part of that bigger picture.
But they do not need extraordinary health claims to justify their place on our plates.
Blackberries do not need to improve our memory.
Beetroot does not need to detoxify our liver.
And purple potatoes do not need to be more virtuous than ordinary potatoes.
They can simply be delicious.
For those of us who enjoy gardening, however, there is something more to appreciate.
The first purple carrot emerging from the soil.
The glossy aubergines developing beneath their leaves.
The long-awaited shoots of purple sprouting broccoli appearing after winter.
The sweet scent of ripe plums on a warm afternoon.
And the familiar pleasure of returning from the garden with a basket of food we have grown ourselves.
Growing food encourages us to notice the seasons.
It teaches us patience, rewards curiosity and reminds us that familiar vegetables can be wonderfully surprising.
Carrots do not have to be orange.
Cauliflowers do not have to be white.
Potatoes do not have to be pale.
And the kitchen garden certainly does not have to be ordinary.
Sometimes all it takes is a packet of unusual seeds to discover an entirely new favourite.
Because the real joy of purple fruits and vegetables is not simply what they contribute to our diets. It is the colour they bring to our gardens, the flavour they bring to our kitchens and the satisfaction 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
Follow us on Instagram, Threads, BlueSky, Twitter, Pinterest & Facebook
Not sure where to start? Take a look at our Grow Your Own Packs with detailed step by step instructions, seeds and 1 years online support.