Summer lima beans

The lima bean vines are starting to take off for the season. New shoots are leaping out like twirling acrobats seeking structures to wind around.

Soon their small white flowers will appear, yellowing over time. They’ll then morph into tiny seedpods, and lima bean season will really be underway. The tiny pods will stretch out and become large green sails, then dry into pale brown brittleness.

Each season I end up with a collection of dried pods ready to crack open. They’re often partially split already, revealing glimpses of the incredible seeds inside.

Lima bean seeds are treasures. Speckled like a galaxy, they’re one of the most decorative harvests found in the garden. Their surfaces are intriguing – a myriad of variations of dots, splotches and curved shapes in purple, burgundy or chocolate juxtaposed with pale white.

Finding the lima bean seeds is one of my favourite parts of the gardening year. I’m looking forward to this season’s collection of interesting colours and speckles. All will be revealed in the upcoming cycle of growing, drying, splitting, taking the stage...and generally being spectacular.