Herb - Basil Purple Ruffles
The Basil Purple Ruffles, 'Ocimum basilicum', is a beautiful form of basil that grows about 1 1/2 feet high and has ruffled jagged leaves. The scent and flavor are slightly different from sweet basil with more licorice and cinnamon flavor. Purple Ruffles Basil can grow in shadier areas than sweet basil but still needs about 3 hours of sun per day. It is excellent for both culinary or ornamental uses in the garden or containers. Purple Ruffles can be finiky because it needs a very uniform spot where it is not too hot, too cold, or too dry. Purple Ruffles has beautiful lavender pink flowers which are edible also. Basil is used in so many foods, it is hard to mention them all. It is used in Italian foods and pesto and pasta sauces. Fresh basil makes a nice tea, an excellent vinegar, and tastes great fresh with fish, poultry, rice, mild vegetables, eggplant and many others. Plant 1 to 2 weeks after the last average frost date. Place the Basil seeds in well drained soil with lots of organic matter. To harvest, cut about a third of the branch from the top, down to where a new set of leaves is beginning to grow. ... more
Petunia - Tidal Wave Purple The Tidal Wave Purple Petunia, 'Petunia x hybrida hedgiflora', has a growth habit based on how closely the plants are spaced in the garden. Place the plants close together and they will get taller. When spaced a minimum of 12 inches apart, it forms a dense, mounded hedge from 16 to 22 inches tall. Grown in restricted space with support, it will grow an extra 2 to 3 feet upward, like a vine. When given plenty of space, this petunia makes a floriferous groundcover spreading 2. 5 to 3 feet. The Tidal Wave petunia was a University of Georgia 1999 Gold Medal Winner. Tidal Wave petunias require no pinching or pruning. The low maintenance qualities and excellent weather tolerance make them well-suited for landscapes and large containers.
