Unless you are relaxing in the Australian summer right now, you will have to be content to imagine warmth vicariously through pictures that remind us of our gardening season, still months away. Let’s look at the new flower and vegetable varieties for 2003 from the National Garden Bureau.

What says summer more than geraniums? Forever Red will be one to add to the summer garden. It is bred to be pollen free, so it doesn’t set seeds and has continuous flowering long after other geraniums have gone to seed. Its extended season color requires little or no maintenance. Forever Red is well-branched, free flowering with strong stems and delivers an excellent garden performance.

A geranium more suitable for window boxes, tubs and hanging baskets because of its well-spreading plant habit is Geranium Speedy Mix. Speedy is an ivy geranium mixture of pastel lilac shades. It is fast growing and strongly branching.

Pansy F1 Majestic Giants II Patricia is a vigorous bloomer with large flowers, a compact habit and a unique color pattern. The color of the upper petals is a purple rose and the lower petals are cream to yellow shades with a distinctive blotch.

All these new varieties of flowers should be available as bedding plants from garden centers this spring.

Although the beauty of the garden may rest in its flowers, the taste of the garden comes from its vegetables. Many new varieties await us this spring.

For squash aficionados, Papaya Pear has three winning traits. The unique pear-shaped of this yellow fruit is a quality no other squash can claim. Space the plant three to four feet apart in the garden. The plant is very early to harvest, about 42 days from sowing seeds. The plant is exceptionally productive so gardeners can be assured of a high yield. Plus, it is an All-America Selections (AAS) Vegetable Award Winner. Unlike many other summer squash, Papaya Pear has an excellent delicate flavor and is very tender at the immature stage — about 6 ounces. Even mature plants are quite edible. Hollow out the large squash, stuff with rice cheese and herbs. Bake using the squash as a container for your favorite stuffing.

Papaya Pear seed will be available from mail order catalogues and as bedding plants from local garden centers this spring. Plant it in full sun for best performance. The semi-bush habit grows to about 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide.

FOR SQUASH AFICIONADOS, Papaya Pear is exceptionally productive, so gardeners can be assured of a high yield.

Tomato F1 Window-Box Roma is bred especially for growing in pots and planters on decks and patios. These short growing plants have unusual, attractive dark green blistered foliage and freely set a large crop of meaty pear shaped fruits. Window-Box Roma has excellent flavor and is a delight to grow.

Green Bush Bean Savannah has excellent eating quality and an attractive dark green color. Savannah produces heavy yields in 55 days on upright plants that offer high pod placement for easy harvest. The attractive round beans are 5 1/2 to 6 inches in length, straight and smooth with slow seed development.

TOMATO F1 WINDOW-BOX ROMA is bred especially for growing in pots and planters on decks and patios. Window-Box Roma has excellent flavor.

Savannah bush bean and Window-Box Roma tomato should be available as bedding plants from garden centers this spring.

Carrot King Midas offers large size and rich carrot flavor. They grow steadily into smooth, nearly coreless 8- to 9-inch beauties. These dense carrots have the deep orange flesh that indicates an especially high level of health enhancing beta-carotene. Seeds are available from Renee’s Garden or stores that carry the variety in seed packets.

OK, so we’re Down Under enjoying the actual summer. Nonetheless, we are busy basking in the warmth of our garden plans. So, G’day mates.

— Carol Boncella is education coordinator at Lawrence Memorial Hospital and home and garden writer for the Journal-World.