Garden Faerie Botanicals

06/18/2026

Grandma's Shelling Pea!

The cutest little plants ever! Like micro peas!!

06/18/2026

06/17/2026

Piękny Jaś (Handsome Johnny) Bean 🫘

Not all giant beans are lima beans. I soaked these and am going to plant them now.

Piękny Jaś, also known as Handsome Johnny, is a traditional Polish runner bean grown for its enormous white seeds. The vigorous vines can climb several metres tall, producing impressive pods packed with some of the largest edible beans grown in home gardens.

Unlike many runner beans known for their bright red flowers, Piękny Jaś typically produces elegant white blooms before setting its giant beans. It has been cultivated in Poland for generations and remains a favourite for hearty soups, stews, and other traditional dishes.

As a runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus), it often performs well in cooler climates, making it an interesting choice for Canadian gardeners looking to grow something a little different.

A bean so large that a handful can fill your palm!!

06/13/2026

The garden just got a little more interesting!

A package arrived all the way from Poland containing Chufa Nuts—also known as Tiger Nuts. Despite the name, they aren't nuts at all. They're small edible tubers that have been grown for centuries and were even enjoyed in ancient Egypt.

Chufa produces sweet, crunchy tubers with a naturally nutty flavour and can be grown in many Canadian gardens during the summer. They're a fascinating crop for gardeners who enjoy growing something a little different from the usual potatoes and carrots.

Now the adventure begins. Time to get these planted and see how they perform!

Have you ever grown Chufa before?

06/13/2026

🌱 Lillian's Caseload Pea: A Seed Saved from Disappearing 🌱

Some of the best garden varieties exist today because someone refused to let them vanish.

Lillian's Caseload Pea traces its roots to a commercial variety called Caseload that was once sold through Johnny's Seeds. When the variety was discontinued, a Mennonite farmer named Lillian decided it was too good to lose. She tracked down seed, continued growing it, and carefully saved seed year after year. After nearly two decades of selection, the pea had developed its own unique characteristics and became known as Lillian's Caseload Pea. 

The result is a productive shelling pea with compact 2-3 foot vines that are loaded with 2½-3 inch pods. Each pod typically contains 5-7 large, sweet peas with exceptional flavour. Many growers consider it one of the finest tasting peas available today.

What makes this variety special isn't just the flavour—it's the story. Lillian's dedication transformed a discontinued commercial pea into a treasured heirloom that can now be enjoyed by gardeners for generations to come. It is a reminder that seed saving plays a vital role in preserving garden diversity and ensuring outstanding varieties aren't lost forever.

If you love sweet shelling peas, rich history, and varieties with a story worth telling, Lillian's Caseload deserves a place in your garden.

🌿 One gardener's determination helped save this pea from extinction. Today, we get to enjoy the harvest. 🌿

FoodSecurity

06/11/2026

Alaska Pea

One of the oldest and most dependable garden peas, Alaska was introduced in the late 1800s and quickly became known for its ability to produce well in cool weather. This hardy heirloom remains popular with gardeners because it germinates in cold soil, matures quickly, and delivers reliable harvests even when spring conditions are less than ideal.

Alaska produces compact vines covered with pods filled with sweet green peas. Its early maturity makes it a favourite for short-season gardens, allowing growers to enjoy fresh peas before the heat of summer arrives. The plants are vigorous, productive, and well suited to succession planting for an extended harvest.

As an open-pollinated heirloom, Alaska has stood the test of time through generations of gardeners who valued its dependable performance, excellent flavour, and ability to thrive where many other varieties struggle.

Days to Maturity: 55–65 days

Can also be used as a soup pea !

06/09/2026

🌽 SHUCK IT. JUST SHUCK IT ALL! 🌽

Think it's too late to plant corn? Not when you're growing Coldstream and Yukon Chief.

Yukon Chief matures in as little as 55 days — and with warm June soil and months of growing weather still ahead, there's still time to sow, grow, and harvest your own corn this season. Why wait until next year?

✔ Short-season heirloom corn ✔ Ideal for Canadian gardens ✔ Plant now ✔ Next-day shipping across Canada

25% off all corn seeds for a limited time — use coupon code CORN25 at checkout.

The season isn't over. Shuck it and plant corn. 🌽

06/09/2026

June 9th - June 14th: Waning Crescent’s Restful Rhythm

Hello, Lunar Gardeners! 🌟 As we move into the Waning Crescent phase, our approach to gardening shifts to a restful and maintenance-focused rhythm. This phase is a time for rest and reflection, not for active planting. Here's what you can focus on during these tranquil days:

Rest and Reflect: Pause your planting during this phase; it's a time to think ahead and make plans for future growth.

Harvest and Store: If you have mature crops, now is the time to harvest. This phase is perfect for storing produce to ensure its longevity and flavour.

Fertilize and Transplant: It's still a good time to fertilize your garden and make any necessary transplants, setting the stage for healthy growth in the next cycle.

W**d and Prune: Take this opportunity to clear weeds and prune your plants. This helps control growth and prepare your plants for the coming months.

06/09/2026

Golden Dragon Chickpeas

This year, Golden Dragon chickpeas earned a place in the dry farming garden.

Golden Dragon is a traditional Desi-type chickpea, producing small golden-orange seeds with a rich, nutty flavour. Unlike the large chickpeas commonly found in grocery stores, Desi chickpeas have been grown for centuries and are prized for making chana dal, curries, soups, and other staple foods.

The variety carries an interesting history. It was preserved through seed stewards Harry MacCormack and Krishna Khalsa, along with a story that those who eat Golden Dragon gain "the power of the dragon."

Chickpeas are among the most drought-tolerant food crops in the world. Their deep root systems and ability to thrive with limited rainfall have made them an important crop across dry regions of Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean for thousands of years.

As a legume, Golden Dragon also fixes nitrogen, helping build soil fertility while producing a protein-rich harvest.

Now the seeds are in the ground, after i soaked them for a bit to help them get a head start.

One interesting fact: chickpeas are one of the oldest cultivated crops on Earth, with evidence of cultivation dating back more than 7,000 years. Desi types like Golden Dragon are considered closer to the ancient forms that were grown long before the larger Kabuli chickpeas became popular.