Purple Tomatillo and Cossacks Pineapple Husk Cherry

Michelle Kimmons of Atlanta, Georgia was selected to design the seed packet artwork for two of our husked nightshades: the Tomatillo and the Husk Cherry.

What is your favorite vegetable to eat and why?

I don’t have just one favorite. Too may yummy things to eat in the garden. But I can say that there is nothing like the taste of those little, yellow, Sun Gold cherry tomatoes right off the vine! Like drops of sunshine on your tongue! (Even if tomatoes are technically a fruit.)

What is your favorite flower and why?

Same as the veggie… too many pretty flowers to choose just one. I’ve always been impressed with Magnolia blossoms. Maybe because I’m a southern gal. Maybe due to those velvety, white petals and their delicious scent!

What is your favorite plant to grow and why?

I’ve grown a variety of things, but I have really enjoyed growing things with my daughter’s fellow students in her school garden. By far, the most fun thing to grow has been sweet potatoes. From growing the slips in the classroom to digging them up in the fall… love to see the kids’ amazed faces when they dig such a big, fat prize out of the ground!

Why did you choose the medium you used for your design?

I used primarily watercolor for my design because of the fluidity and organic nature it lends to the subject of plants and seeds and their bright, delicate tendency. For tomatillos in particular, light’s relationship with watercolor is as important to the way the paint behaves on paper as it is to bringing out the wrinkles and other details of tomatillo paper-thin translucent leaves.

What is your favorite medium to work with and why?

I don’t have a particular painting medium. I tend to use what I feel lends itself best to an idea. Different media results in a different feel. When combined they can have dramatic effects.

Why did you want to be a part of this project?

I love working in the garden and my recent activities with my daughter’s school garden inspired me to participate. I also love the idea of bringing in a collective of and artists showcasing their work.

Do you have anything else to share with potential customers?

Whenever you have the chance to be out with nature or have a chance to plant something and tend it, by all means, do so. It’s hardly ever a regrettable experience. Thanks for supporting the arts and your local garden store!