I have been growing some Chinese Lanterns - Physalis alkekengi in a raised wooden border this year, mainly for the decoration.
It isn't really a serious gardening attempt; the wooden border is actually an old French wooden bath that was used for bleeding the family pig at the Fete de Cauchon.
The pig would have been suspended above the bath and bled into bath and collected for use in sausages (black puddings) and other culinary delights. hover your mouse over the images on this page to see the pig with a similar bath and the blood running out below it.
The bath has become a bit of a trial ground to holding bay for plants but sadly, after years standing up in the house keeping dry, the old wood has fallen apart so this winter I will move it completely.
I had collected some roots of the Chinese Lanterns - Physalis, from a garden of a derelict French stone cottage a few minutes walk from my farm.
The roots are Rhizomatous and will grwo anywhere, even the poorest of soils but allow plenty of space and be prepared for trimming the roots back the following year of planting because spreading is a big problem.
The leaves are quite attractive themselves and the small pale yellow to white flowers - the physalis is a Solanaceae and related to potato and tomatoes.
The fruit is small, about the size of a red currant and looks a bit like a tiny tomato. On eating the fruit, there is a rush or sweetness followed by a slightly bitter after taste (not unpleasant).
The large photo at the top was taken yesterday evening because the original photo (left) is a little blurred. You can still see the small fruit inside the papery husk. When the husk is at its best they are so vivid in orange colour and make fantastic arrangements when dried.
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