I may have a problem.

I've been wanting to do this for a while, form an inventory of all my plants in stock and I am realizing that NOT maybe I have too many plants, but I do have a lot...

I have been thinking as a good winter exercise to blog about all the plants in my inventory and talk about their aspects. I might need to select the best of the list but... hey winter is long.

NOTE: I did this pretty much entirely in my head and when I think I am done, I always think of more:
(n.b. this doesn't count the prior structure landscaping plants of oak tree, nandinas, hollies, azaleas, otto luykens and etc.)

FRONT GARDEN
-random rose
-spiderwort
-iris (swamp and bearded)
-bells of ireland
-ice plant
-day lily
-california poppy
-icelandic poppy
-red and yellow and bengal cannas
-cinnamon, painted, tokyo, beech ferns
-purple perilla
-solomon's seal
-red hellebore
-asian ginger
-nasturtiums: India Empress, Jewel, Fordhook, Alaska mix
-hollyhock
-columbine (little lanterns)
-autumn joy sedum
-vinca minor
-(maybe) anemones
-camellia sinensis (green tea plant)
-2 various Chinese herbs
-scented geraniums: citronella, ginger, rose and mint

BACK reg GARDEN:
-hostas
-chrysanthemums
-strawberry begonia
-golden turkey vine
-creeping jenny
-pennyroyal
-osmandus fern
-white calla lily
-shade sedum
-May night and Friesland Salvia

VEGETABLE GARDEN EDIBLES:
-All American pickling cucumber
-Clemson spineless okra
-burgundy okra
-everbearing strawberries
-blue lake and kentucky wonder pole beans
-Scarlet Runner Beans
-passionflower (passiflora incarnata)
-Red Stem Malabar Spinach
-Jersey Knight asparagus
-Baritone Bush Beans
-sweet bell peppers
-eggplant
-Tomatoes: Green stripe zebra, Nebraska Wedding, Brandywine
-Sweet potato
-Siberian blue Kale
-India Mustard
-English and sugar snap and snow peas
-Zucchini and waltham butternut and acorn squash
-carrots
-parsnips
-purple top turnips

-hot peppers: jalapeno, poblano, serrano, cubanelle, tricolore garda, calico

HERBS:
-common and golden oregano
-thyme
-dill
-cilantro
-sages: purple, variegated, regular culinary (but it died), pineapple
-bee balm (coral reef)
-rosemary
-lovage (may die)
-rue
-feverfew
-(maybe) black cumin/nigella
-mints: garden and chocolate
-culinary ginger
-stevia
-lemon balm
-lemon verbena
-Basils: purple ruffles, sweet, cinnamon, thai, lemon, spicy globe, (random hybrids from basils crossing, eg. lemon-cinnamon???)
-Egyptian Walking Onion
-softneck garlic

RANDOM FLOWERS:
-morning glories (heavenly blue and grandpa ott)
-cardinal vine
-hyacinth bean vine
-Hibiscus: Red river, white one, Haight Ashby

MORE RANDOM PLANTS:
-random palm
-escargot begonia
-random begonia
-kohleria (black velvet, I think?)
-avocado
-purple passion vine

HOUSEPLANTS:
-2 phalaenopsis orchids
-1 cymbidium orchid
-deersfoot fern?
-parlor palm
-snake plants
-umbrella plant
-wandering jew looking sedum

I did not even want to count all that. Granted this is nothing compared to Diane Meucci's garden Oy Vey (http://www.gardensoyvey.com/), but I am also not a nursery and live on 0.2 acres...

I am starting to understand my husband for thinking that maybe I have enough plants?

Hot-cha!

Hibiscus and Malabar spinach, as well as various herbs being my choice for ornamental gardening (all edible, please note), I find the most satisfaction in ornamental peppers. They are not only are fantastic looking, but edible and can be brought indoors to continuously flower and fruit throughout the winter!

Current varieties I have are:

Tricolore Garda (I grew by seed)
http://gurneys.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_73606

This beauty will grow upward pointing peppers that turn purple, cream, orange and finally red (so much for tri-colors...) Obviously they are still in their early stages, but I am so excited to see all the colors (....Duke! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwlMHJE82Mk),

and

Calico (bought from a nursery)
http://www.ballhort.com/Landscapers/plant_info.aspx?phid=045600001000942

This is a green-white-lavender variegated leaf dark purple-black tiny pepper packs a punch. It's so unusual I had to have it!

I really want to grow Black Pearl (http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/3953/)
(Thanks OSU for pic)

Black leaves and red/black pearl round peppers! I had ordered seed from Park seed, but after going out of town at one point, the peppers seedlings kicked it from the heat.

Ornamental peppers are edible, though considered to be extremely hot and somewhat pungent; vinegary is the best way to describe it.

My tricolore is just starting to fruit and I am excited by how the fruits seem to stand straight up. More on their heat when they get big enough. I will probably take a stab at trying them at their various color stages to see if it makes a difference in heat level.

When my husband and I tried the calico pepper fruits, when they were a deep purple black, it was a simple *chewchewchew,* "Man, these aren't that hot..." to "HOOO, okay, they've got some heat!" to "OHWHERE'STHEBATHROOM?"

Needless to say, you can't have a sensitive stomach for these lovelies.

For the longest time I was under the impression that you shouldn't grow peppers by seed and that the plants were the only way to go. I had heard that their heat got killed when you grew them by seed or they needed to be grafted or something odd like that, so I didn't bother. When I saw that the seed was advertised though, I figured they must retain that heat... the ad says so! So I am happy to find that it's working out just fine.

I (un)fortunately found that Park seed has a plethora of ornamental pepper seed and while I don't need so many... maybe I'll give the extras away to friends/family or sell some, who knows?

Park seed ornamental pepper links:

Tepin:
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/5608/

Shu:
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/4000/

Explosive Ember:
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/3987/

Sangria Hybrid: (MILD though)
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/51524/

Marbles:
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/5290/

Thai Hot:
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/5643/

Purple Flash:
http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/51523/