Safe

For the record....I uploaded all my photos to an external hard drive today.  My computer is going on five years old and we all know what that means! The big crash could happen at any time.  I have heard many people exclaim great frustration when their computer ends its life.  All I really care about are my pictures and now they are safe. 

The pictures on today's post were taken a few minutes ago.  The sun is low on the horizon and the glow is reflected in the photos. 

The shot above shows a Butterfly Bush behind the bird houses.  This is its second year and has become almost tree like.  In the foreground is Chocolate Mint.  It makes wonderful tea and spreads nicely.  We do cut it back drastically without ever fearing it won't return!  :)

Pictured below are Stevia plants.  This is the plant that is used as a sweetener substitute.  It is sweet enough for my tea and that is how I use it.  One plant will multiply with each new growing season.  They are pretty plants and fill in the garden nicely.  They look like a small Butterfly Bush.

Croscosmia is one of my favorite flowers. It belongs to the Iris family.  It grows from a bulb and the bunch grows larger as the years go by.  

Summer isn't complete without a prolific crop of Nasturtiums.  I grow them from seed, in barrels, with the same dirt from year to year.  It's my understanding they are not to be fertilized if they are to bloom well.   

We are expected to have some hotter days by this weekend.  I'll be watering in the early morning and placing a few pots out of the direct sunlight.

 Having a flower garden is much like having children. 

They flouish with attention! 

Feverfew and Hollyhocks

Feverfew is a perennial herb that scatterers itself wherever the seeds land, and fills in areas with their prolific daisy like flowers. They resemble Babies Breath but with a much larger flower head. Feverfew suits my free flowing garden plan and is a lovely addition to any garden that beckons handpicking. I've used this pretty white flower in wedding arrangements, and found it to be very sturdy, as well as long lasting.

Hollyhock, Alcea Pallida, unfurled this week to reveal it's delicate pink, scalloped edged flower. For the past couple of months the growth on this perennial has surpassed our expectation. We have watched the buds unravel, several flowers each day, for the past three days. Our experience with Hollyhocks has been one of frustration when they are planted next to the house. Bugs tend to migrate to them and chew on the leaves, making them less than attractive. This Hollyhock is planted in a pot,away from the house and protected from ground bugs.

I love the flowers this time of year! They put forth so much effort to show-off their God given beauty and grace. Have a good day and relish the flowers!

Thyme Garden on the Alsea River

On the way to the Oregon Coast, last weekend, we drove past this sign on Hwy 34, about nine miles out of Philomath, Oregon. A quick u-turn was made and we drove over the wooden bridge and entrance to Thyme Garden. I had heard of this garden and never dreamed to visit it with virtually no one else around except the gardeners! There were several people working like crazy to get the last plants in the ground before the opening days event the next morning. (We were told that over a thousand people would come during this two day event)! My husband and I quickly walked around the entire garden, me snapping pictures like a crazy person, oohing and awing over the herbs, ferns, and wild flowers growing along the Alsea River in a most charming garden. We know how much work a place like this is and truly appreciated every corner of it! This is an organic garden of the first rate kind! Much thought has been put into the planning of the business with concern for the wildlife and human alike!

There are two green houses packed with plants and many rare herbs that are difficult to find anywhere else.

Wedding are held in the garden and a three day period is given to the parties if they wish.

The river is not large but large enough to sport wild salmon. The family that owns Thyme Garden has worked very hard at building the habitat for returning salmon.

It is simply a beautiful place and one that I will return to soon! Please take a tour of Thyme Garden web site and see if this a place you would enjoy visiting when you visit Oregon!

This was a good day with a very sweet find in the Thyme Garden!

Cucumbers to Pickles

Yesterday I drove to a local produce farm and purchased 50 lbs of cucumbers, 2 large bunches of dill, several bulbs of garlic and two gallons of vinegar. Today I canned 23 quarts of pickles. There is a limit to how many jars I can pack and water bath in a day....23 quarts(one jar broke or there would have been 24)! :) Tomorrow I will pickle the last 25 lb bag of cukes! What was I thinking? To tell you the truth it is a labor of love for my husband. He really likes the pickles and it's the least I can do! :))

I set up an outdoor kitchen with a two burner propane stove and all the needed extras.
Every jar was freshly washed and ready for the assembly line: 1 garlic clove, 1 red pepper, 1 dill head, 1 grape leaf, several cucumbers and hot brine.
Into the water bath goes the filled jars. This takes five minutes after coming to a boil.
Tadaaa! Now, we wait for them to turn to pickles. It takes about a month. Off in the distance you can see that I treated myself to a hot pot of tea and zucchini bread. This day was cool and the hot tea was perfect!
Here is the recipe for Dill Pickles. It is the best one I've found. Enjoy!

A sneak peak at the new herb garden.....

The new herb garden is coming along....a path to a cement bench is in place and several herbs have been planted. We have exactly one month until the wedding and there is sunshine in the forecast! The good weather means the plants will settle in and put out some nice growth quickly. Our thought is to cover any ground that is exposed with a dark organic mulch. It will give the garden a more finished appearance and cut down on the upkeep. Once these plants are established they won't require constant watering. Bart has found his new favorite place to lounge away the afternoon. Happy days to you...Bart!!

Shades of Green....in the garden.

The garden and it's content remind me of fine art.... only better. This is a good example of color, texture and form....all natural and can be seen at anytime just outside our door!
Moss
Marjoram
Shasta Daisies...in bud...
Oregano Wild Daisies and bug...

Herb Day...Minty Monday

The most basic, well know mint is Black Mint and Spearmint. Black mint has a black stem and its leaves are a deep green. Spearmint has a green stem and it a brighter shade of green. Mint grows abundantly and easily in well drained soil. It will spread and grow far and wide if it is kept well watered. To keep the flavor true you must not mix the different flavors of mints in the same garden area. Many people like to grow it in containers so it doesn't invade an area. I personally like it to invade my garden! Black mint grows in my poppy garden and will continue growing three season of the year.
Spearmint is also a favorite. It has a ruffly edge to the leaf and a perfect flavor for mint tea..cold or hot. Black Mint is also good for use in tea but has a peppermint taste. Cut the plants back before they flower and they will produce a whole new crop and continue spreading!
Tub of mint.... used beautifully in wedding bouquets. The tub is nice but I don't particularly like eating from it. I don't know what is in the wood because it was made for another use other than growing food in.
Find an herb grower and try some varieties. See what you like. I'm off to Barn Owl Nursery to get an Orange mint plant! They have many varieties and it is "the" place to get herb plants in the Portland area.

Herb Day....Monday

Over the years my collection of herb and flower books has increased. By far my fondest books on the subject of herbs and flowers are written by a woman who lives on San Juan Island, North of Seattle, Washington. I only met her once but she made an impression on me. Lee Sturdivant is her name. The books I mention are "Profits from your backyard Herb Garden," and "Flowers For Sale." Each book is still in print and worth purchasing if you are as enamored with flowers and herbs as I am, or want to turn your garden into a business operation. Amazon carries both of these books, and I see there are a couple new reprints . Now, for one of my favorite herbs! Scented Geraniums! They are tender perennial plants that become very large with the summers heat! Their use is in baking, potpourri, and fresh arrangements. I like to tuck them in a brides bouquet to give a scent that is soft and romantic. The two types of scented geraniums that are pictures are Altar of Roses and Grey Lady, both smell of wild roses. There are many, many different scents including, lemon, lime, chocolate, mint etc. You may find that scented geraniums could become a favorite to you too! Altar of Roses pictured on a cold rainy Memorial Day in Oregon!
Lemon Balm....nice plant..but you only need one! This herb will reseed itself everywhere! It has a fresh lemon scent and can be used in cold drinks ,baking and flower arrangements. Remember, just one plant...next year you will have all the plants you want!!

Happy planting and reading!!

Herb Day.....

Lovage, or "Love Parsley," looks like a large celery plant and has a similar flavor. Six foot stalks are topped by clusters of greenish-yellow flowers in summer. The hollow stems are used like celery; seeds are used whole or crushed on breads or meats. I have been told that Lovage can be used to make pesto but my use has been in fresh tomato soup! Our Lovage plant almost qualifies as a shade tree! I had to cut the plant back today because it was over growing the area it is planted.
Celery like appearance....smells alike, too!
Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

8 large ripe Roma Tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Lovage.

1 fennel bulb

1 small garden onion chopped fine

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups chicken broth

Wash tomatoes, discard stem and chop up into fine chunks. I don’t remove the seeds or skin.

Sauté the Lovage, fennel, garlic and onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Add two cups chicken broth, salt and fresh ground pepper. Add chopped tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes.

Transfer into blender and puree. Pour back into pan and reheat. Serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled liberally on top.

Makes 6 servings.