August 2008

Margaret Roach’s Way to Garden

– Posted in: Design

I have to say that blogging has brought more surprises to my life than I ever imagined. For instance, I had long enjoyed Margaret Roach's book, A Way to Garden, and had dreamed, no, fantasized, that I might one day visit it on the Garden Conservancy's Open Days. Yeah, right. The other side of New [...]

Too much sweet corn?

– Posted in: Recipes, Vegetables

Is there such a thing as too much sweet corn? On Sunday he asked me, "How was the corn you had yesterday for lunch, when I wasn't here?" I said it was getting a little mature. He said, "Oh, I guess I better freeze the rest of it." I had no idea how much was [...]

My entry in the Garden Olympics.

– Posted in: Miscellaneous

Here is my entry in Idaho Gardener's Garden Olympics. I have to say, there didn't seem much time to mull things over and pick my three entries. Here's what I came up with under pressure. The Secret Garden Path The path to the Secret Garden fulfills its job of luring you in by looking attractive [...]

Enter the Gardening Olympics

– Posted in: Miscellaneous

Mary Ann Newcomer, at Idaho Gardener, is sponsoring what she calls Olympic garden events. Her rules are quirky but eminently attainable: Three rules: 1. You must link back to IdahoGardener.com. 2. You must show me the best of the best of your garden. You decide what that is: single plant, single fabulous piece of produce, [...]

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day August 2008

– Posted in: What's up/blooming

A lot of the plants from last month are still blooming, though most of them look a bit weather-beaten and are past their peak. Goldenrod, asters, and Joe Pye weed are starting in the fields. A careful inspection of the wooded hillside reveals the first flashes of red. I've always maintained that, for cold climate [...]

Tomatoes in the kitchen

– Posted in: Recipes, Vegetables

Tomatoes the Old-Fashioned Way I've been reading the The Little House on the Prairie series to my six-year-old at bedtime. We just happen to be on The Long Winter and were reading "Fall of the Year" just a couple of days ago, where the Ingalls were surprised by an early hard frost. Ma and Laura [...]

Bibor Felho, the purple cloud

– Posted in: Mallow family

She says, he says She says: "Mom, you'd better cut that plant back. It's blocking the entrance to the house!" He says: "What gorgeous color! Don't touch it! I'd be happy to inconvenience myself for that plant!" I have this dilemma just about every year. To chop or not to chop. Many years ago, I [...]

Plant combinations in containers for 2008

– Posted in: What's up/blooming

Improvisational Container Planting I am pretty lackadaisical when it comes to container plantings. I have three window boxes hanging on the porch fence-cum-railing and a rusting metal washtub that I found in the barn when we moved in. I never really plan or purchase plants for these containers. I count on something showing up due [...]

Green Bean Recipes

– Posted in: Recipes, Vegetables

We don't have any green beans ready quite yet, though they're getting close. And even when we do have green beans, we're quite happy eating them boiled in water until crisp-tender, drained, and then tossed with garlic sauteed in olive oil, or maybe just butter, salt, and pepper. However, there comes a time in the [...]

First ripe large tomato

– Posted in: Vegetables

Does this qualify as a ripe tomato? If it does, I think the vegetable gardeners at Purdyville have beat out Carol of May Dreams Gardens for the first tomato. My 23-year-old daughter started the seeds indoors and potted the seedlings on until they were in gallon size pots, maybe larger. Then my husband planted them [...]