The arrival of the summer heat signals the end of the lettuce-growing season, which stays on hold until the return of cool early fall temperatures. Despite frequent bouts of warm weather throughout the spring, I had no bolting from any of my four varieties of lettuce. And heat tolerance was just one of the admirable qualities I observed.

Being an avid salad fan, I planted a number of different lettuce types. ‘Tom Thumb’ butterhead, an heirloom variety, lived up to its billing as a compact butterhead with sweet, tender leaves. It grew quickly and tasted delicious, and for my small vegetable garden space it was a perfect fit. Also economical with space was the ‘Sweet Baby Romaine’ I trialed courtesy of Renee's Garden (http://www.reneesgarden.com). The thick, crunchy leaves were just what you would expect from a romaine, but at 8 inches tall its small size was a welcome attribute as I crammed in as many plants as possible. This romaine would make an ideal container candidate.

My favorite variety this spring was definitely ‘Red Sails’, a leaf lettuce that was both tasty and visually beautiful. The ruffled green leaves faded to red at their edges, creating a lovely color combination. In a way they seemed too pretty to eat, but the soft texture and mildly sweet taste helped me to get over any hesitation. ‘Lolla Rossa’, another heirloom, gave a similar performance, with frilly bi-colored leaves and a light, pleasant taste.

The only lettuce-related disappointment so far was my attempt at growing two-year-old seeds of ‘Merveille de Quatre Saisons’, which failed to even germinate. I don't know if this outright confirms that lettuce seeds are only viable for one year (a rumor I've heard), but it certainly lends that theory some credence. I loved these lettuces last year, but I had plenty of types this year to make up for this no-show. It just means that in a few months I need to seriously clear some garden space to grow as many of all the remaining seeds I have before the frosts come.

— Rose Rankin