Not only are these lettuces laid out in beautiful patterns, they don't seem to have a single hole, blemish, aphid or unwanted creepy crawly. In fact, they look almost unreal, like something you'd see in a wacky window display in Harvey Nichols or Selfridges.
They are in the Model Vegetable Garden at Wisley where the word 'model' might appear to have several meanings. (On the subject of unreal veg, I never understood why butchers always had - and sometimes still have - plastic tomatoes and sprigs of false parsley in amongst the sausages and chops.)
Martha Negley prints!
Posted by: Kay | June 10, 2010 at 16:48
Very pretty, I love the even rows. I had to chuckle when you talked about the fake tomatoes and parsley, how true that is.
Posted by: Jennifer | June 10, 2010 at 17:07
How do they DO it??? Such a perfectly lovely display.
A bit different from my wilderness garden. As soon as I think a lettuce will soon be ready to eat, it disappears without a trace, overnight!
Posted by: quinn | June 10, 2010 at 17:25
Beautiful! I love photographs of vegetables, but that garden takes it to a whole different level!
Posted by: Sarah Rachelle | June 10, 2010 at 17:34
Grrr. I have just snipped some lettuce for our tea and had to pull a snail off it first. At least we are sharing nicely.
Posted by: lucy | June 10, 2010 at 17:39
For a moment I thought that was your garden and felt almost more envious of your lettuces than your tulips!
Does plastic parsley still exist? I haven't seen it for years!
Posted by: m | June 10, 2010 at 17:48
Am reminded of a Ladybird story-Rapunzel I think- where a queen is consumed with a craving for lettuce after seeing just such beautiful rows of lush green lettuce in a neighbouring garden. I always found an overwhelming desire for lettuce a bit unbelievable but now I can see the attraction. Gorgeous pics.
Sue xx
Posted by: Sue | June 10, 2010 at 18:46
Oh my!! Now THAT is inspirational and I must excuse myself and go plan my second crop of lettuce......
Posted by: April | June 10, 2010 at 18:50
I'd love to know how they stop all the slugs and other nasties - and the colour of the lettuces is bordering on the surreal! Maybe Wisley just bans all things nasty - or maybe, just maybe they spray them with things they really shouldn't? Do you think anyone will ever get to eat those oh so perfect lettuces?
Posted by: Helen in Switzerland | June 10, 2010 at 21:31
The potagers I saw in France were all planted in this fashion... I was in awe! Even the trees on some roads were green-aubergine-green-aubergine and so forth!
Posted by: Concha | June 10, 2010 at 21:44
Hope Peter Rabbit stays away from these stunning rows of lettuce.
Posted by: Glenda Childers | June 10, 2010 at 22:36
I've never seen lettuce look so pretty! Pretty lettuces and pretty pictures!
Posted by: Sara | June 10, 2010 at 22:38
They do look fabulous, partly because vivid green with any of the deep pinks/purples always works well as a colour combo - and of course the lack of snail eaten leaves helps!
Posted by: potterjotter | June 10, 2010 at 23:03
And how is it that each plant is uniform in size? Makes me suspicious! But, they are oh so beautiful to look at and make marvelous photos!
Posted by: karen B | June 10, 2010 at 23:36
they are slightly unreal, aren't they? I'm sure Mr McGregor would be delighting in them. Can I refer you to some (perhaps even more idealised) notions of naturally occurring patterns, here?
http://vimeo.com/9953368
(not sure the link will work in a comment. Cut and paste, if you will, or not. It is worth it, if you ask me.)
Posted by: Elaine | June 10, 2010 at 23:43
Perhaps elves are sent out early in the morning to pick the creepy crawlies off...
I myself love plastic displays of sushi, except when they get faded by the sun and turn icky green!
Posted by: Mary de B | June 10, 2010 at 23:44
For one moment, I thought you'd managed to create the most gorgeous vegetable garden.
Having visited my allotment today and discovered that my runner beans have been eaten, my carrots have gone awol and my peas are hibernating I was feeling rather envious!
Posted by: Rachael (Tales from the Village) | June 10, 2010 at 23:58
Phenomenal pictures.
Posted by: Katy | June 11, 2010 at 02:54
Very beautiful. Do you think someone eats them in the end or do they get wasted?
Posted by: Dianne | June 11, 2010 at 02:55
Somehow that first photo is my favorite among all the photos you have posted on your blog. And there have been so many beautiful ones!
Posted by: Jennifer | June 11, 2010 at 03:18
Head up on the lettuce design. Now if I could only the basics to my flower garden, instead of putting this here, putting this there...!
Posted by: rowena | June 11, 2010 at 10:01
Very quilt like...
Posted by: Georgia | June 11, 2010 at 13:24
I just found your blog and am enjoying it. I have been working on the Dutch translation of your book The gentle art of quiltmaking - I liked it a lot.
Posted by: tineke | June 11, 2010 at 14:19
Amazing! And so kitchen-frameable for a happy chef/gardener who has the wall space, unlike me.
My husband tried to grow leaf lettuces last year. Some of them had sawteeth at the edges of their leaves -- the lettuce that bites back! Not sure what went wrong; did we wait too long to harvest the leaves?
Posted by: Sarah | June 11, 2010 at 14:38
Those look so like the Britain's Floral Garden toy garden vegetables that I had as a child - something I was just thinking about just this morning.
My salad leaves are just a straggly mess but they taste good.
Posted by: Jane | June 11, 2010 at 17:34
Holy smokes! The visual perfection of that garden is amazing. Love it. Looks like puzzle pieces. Can you imagine one of those made into one of those maddening 1000 piece puzzles? Geesh.
Posted by: Rosie Girl | June 12, 2010 at 05:06
Have u ever seen garden designed by only lettuce? See this
Posted by: Madhu27 | June 12, 2010 at 07:29
All my lettuces (grown in pots so no room for lovely rows), hve been eaten by the snails. I think I got two salads and then they were gone!
These remind me of some embroidery that you did some years ago - or am I imagining things? I seem to remember some pretty squares stitched with rows of vegetables...
Posted by: Charlotte | June 12, 2010 at 14:17
I never knew it was possible to contract lettuce envy! I am trying this year to grow successional salad leaves - mine do not look as scrumptious but they taste OK.
Posted by: Janice | June 13, 2010 at 14:09
Beautiful, and just the bit of colorful whimsy I needed on (yet another) rainy morning. Thank goodness for happy places!
Posted by: Kymm | June 13, 2010 at 16:08
I just checked your book "Gentle art of domesticity" out of the library and am in love. Your forward was so articulate and wonderful. I can't wait to get into it more.
Your blog is equally as wonderful. Thank you for validating my love of crafts!
Posted by: Claire | June 15, 2010 at 02:50
Oy, just when I think my garden rocks! Actually it does, but this here is bonafide garden porn.
Posted by: Susan | June 15, 2010 at 05:33
It's edible art! Lovely.
Posted by: Margo | June 15, 2010 at 18:37
Gorgeous lettuces! Wow... my garden is so slovenly by comparison.
Regarding the faux garnish at the butcher, perhaps someone imagined an idle shopper strolling by with no thought of a meat purchase in their head. They stop, they notice the plastic parlsey, and, "I had no desire to buy meat before, but seeing it with green plastic has suddenly made it irresistible!" Steaks all around...
Posted by: April | June 17, 2010 at 18:50
I've never seen lettuce look so pretty! Pretty lettuces and pretty pictures!
Posted by: jordan sneakers | July 08, 2010 at 06:58