Kitchen Gardeners International: First garden gets its first planting

(Photo: Charles Dharapak/Associated Press)

According to a recent blog post at the Washington Post, the new White House kitchen garden may have planted the seed of an idea with some other world leaders:

The international press may have been exclusively interested in what Michelle Obama was wearing on her first trip abroad last week. But the first lady said that the world leaders she met were curious about something else entirely: "The number one question I got as the first lady from world leaders -- they were excited about this garden," she told a group of students who had come to help seed the new 1,100 square foot plot on the South Lawn. "Every single person from Prince Charles on down, they were excited we were planting this garden."

We're also starting to learn more about some of the different varieties that are being planted:

Under a brilliant blue sky, (First Lady) Obama, (US Agriculture Secretary Tom) Vilsack, the students and a team of White House chefs planted 25 varieties of heirloom seeds and seedlings including kale, rhubarb, arugula and 10 kinds of herbs. One bed contains plants favored by Thomas Jefferson, including Brown Dutch and Tennis Ball lettuce, Prickly Seed spinach and Savoy cabbage.

The spring garden plan features many other varieties with a heavy emphasis on leafy greens. Beets have still not worked their way into the plan, but there's a good showing for their cousin, Swiss chard.

Posted by KGI on April 10, 2009 6:35 AM to Kitchen Gardeners International
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