Why Biodiverse Gardening?
At Lotus Flower Farm (home of Tomato Bliss), biodiversity makes our farm grow and makes each year of growing easier and more abundant. One of the cornerstones of biodynamic growing is choosing trees, shrubs and plants that serve multi-purposes. It's a principle that's easy to adopt for garden and container planting and usually gets people talking.
To start, combine perennials and edibles in a patch of your garden and you'll begin to build microbial life in your soil and find delight in surprising bouquets.
Some of my favorite perennials and edibles for a biodiverse garden are Mountain Mint, Coneflower, Hyssop, and Sweet Pea Currant Tomato. Each is easy to grow from seed and will bring multi-layers of surprising delight.
Mountain Mint
Mountain Mint is a perennial native to many states in eastern and southern North America. It has a delicious spearmint flavor that attracts pollinators and a beautiful fragrance. See the Tomato Bliss team picking Mountain Mint bouquets in the photo above.
Pale Purple Coneflower
Another native perennial we all know and love that contributes to a biodiverse garden is Pale Purple Coneflower. This year-round knockout is also beloved by hummingbirds and butterflies.
Anise Hyssop
One of the most fragrant, easy to grow and abundant summer foliage plants is Anise Hyssop. Its purple flowers are striking in mixed bouquets and as single specimens on a minimalist table.
Sweet Pea Currant Tomato
Sweet Pea Currant Tomato is the easiest tomato to grow and one of the most delightful. Children love it and sprays of tomatoes, itty-bitty tomatoes make a beautiful and surprising addition to a place setting.
