Dig into the joy of a life outdoors
Find peace and purpose by reconnecting with nature, creativity and the joy of making things in your own patch of paradise.
Discover extraordinary, unusual, and beautiful plants from around the world — each with growing and care tips to help you cultivate these weird and wonderful species in your own space.
Solanum lycopersicum
Tomato
The most widely grown home fruit crop, a frost-tender plant bearing juicy red, yellow, orange or…
- Full sun
- 0.6–2 m (2–7 ft)
- H1c · Zone 10
Solanum tuberosum
Potato
A staple tuber crop grown from seed potatoes, producing bushy leafy plants with white to purple…
- Full sun
- 0.5–1 m (2–3 ft)
- H2 · Zone 9
Capsicum annuum
Sweet pepper, Bell pepper, Chilli pepper
The species behind most sweet and bell peppers and many chillies, a bushy, heat-loving plant with…
- Full sun
- 45–90 cm (18–35 in)
- H1b · Zone 10
Solanum melongena
Aubergine, Eggplant, Brinjal
A heat-loving fruiting vegetable with soft, felted leaves, purple star flowers and glossy purple, white or…
- Full sun
- 0.6–1 m (2–3 ft)
- H1b · Zone 10
Cucurbita pepo
Courgette, Zucchini, Summer squash
A fast, productive squash species that includes courgettes (zucchini), pattypan and other summer squash, plus some…
- Full sun
- 45–90 cm (18–35 in)
- H2 · Zone 10
Cucurbita maxima
Winter squash, Pumpkin
A vigorous trailing squash grown for large, hard-skinned fruits such as Hubbard, buttercup, kabocha and giant…
- Full sun
- 30–60 cm (12–24 in)
- H2 · Zone 10
