A Gift from the Compost Pile - Pumpkins!

Every year it is fun to see what springs up from the compost pile…squash, potatoes, melons, arugula, dill, just about every herb, vegetable and flower has lived in the compost pile at one time or another.

This year pumpkins took a turn and when I returned from Europe I found pumpkin vines had found their way up and over the fence, up and around the cedar trellis in the herb-kitchen garden, over the rosemary and through the tomatoes and basil plants. I arrived just in time to tame the beast before it took over the hops arbor!

It was hard to get upset with Ms. (or Mr. call it what you like this plant has both female and male flowers) Pumpkin plant; after all she did leave several off-spring of the loveliest soft peachie-orange color with a pleasant round fruit that looks like a Sasquatch (squash family?) had lightly trodden on during the last full moon.

What kind are they? Who knows…the original was a bluish green color with a similar shape when I bought it from a local farmer then later tossed it in the compost pile. It would be safe to say that it grew in the field next to some other kind of pumpkins or winter squash since this year is the same shape but a different color.

Pumpkins, gourds and squash all belong to the same plant species (Cucurbita pepo) which means they may cross…not the first year but if you save the seed or in my case allow those seeds to grow the second year in the compost you could get some surprises. Sometimes these changes are good and sometimes a little funky with different shapes, colors or warts.

If you have heard the rumor that anything in the curcurbit family can cross-pollinate including squash, pumpkins, gourds, melons and cucumbers that is just an ‘old wives tale’. We are talking about three different plant species, cucumbers (Cucumis sativus), melons (Cucumis melo) and squash, pumpkins and gourds (Cucurbita pepo). While the bees can carry pollen from flower to flower, the flowers only accept pollen from their own species.

Now, aren’t you glad we had this talk? You can sleep better knowing your cucumbers will never cross with those rascally gourds growing on the same trellis (as in my case) or your zucchini will never run away with your cantaloupe. I am thankful for my gift of pumpkins (12 total) in the compost heap since the baby rabbits I allowed to grow in the bean patch repaid my kindness by eating all my pumpkin plants in the vegetable garden. I think I understand why Mr. McGregor was so upset with Peter Rabbit and his kind!

Stevia, An Herb That is Good for Your "Sweet Tooth"

When I think of summer I can’t help but think of warm evenings on the porch swing sipping an ice-cold glass of tea. Most of us make our tea nice and sweet by adding sugar or artificial sweetener to the tea brew. Yes, we even admit that sugar or that other stuff probably isn’t that good for us but sweet tea is a tradition and we can’t imagine not having it at lunch or at the next church picnic.

What if I told you there was an alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners? An herb actually that you can grow yourself called Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana). This herb is native to Paraguay with leaves that are 30 times sweeter than sugar with no calories or adverse side effects. If it sounds too good to be true, just wait...stevia also has medicinal properties that are reported to be effective in the treatment of diabetes, skin diseases, hypertension, weight loss and infections!

Plant stevia in the herb garden or in a pot in the spring after the last frost, give it plenty of sunshine and water (no need to fertilize). Plan to buy a new plant each spring or bring it in during the winter months as stevia is a tender perennial that cannot withstand our Tennessee winters. I grow stevia in a pot for the summer then drag it into the garage after I have cut it back to about 3" tall. In the Spring I bring it back out and place it in a sunny spot outside the kitchen door where it is handy to use.

Start using fresh leaves during the growing season by adding a couple of leaves (adjust to your own taste) to any pot of tea (herbal or other) and steep as usual.

In the fall, cut the plant back and hang small bouquets upside down in a well ventilated area out of direct sun or place leaves in a dehydrator. When the leaves are dry and crumble easily store them in a tightly covered jar. You may want to grow several plants if you want enough to use all winter.

To use as a sweetener add part of or a whole leaf directly into hot tea or coffee where it can steep the sweetness into the hot liquid or grind leaves in a coffee grinder to use as a powdered sweetener in place of sugar. This takes some experimenting to get the right amount of sweet since stevia is much sweeter than sugar.

Stevia can take the place in any recipe calling for sugar or artificial sweetener. For more information on this incredible herb and recipes check out http://www.stevia.net/

Beat the heat this summer while staying thin and healthy using your own home grown stevia to sweeten your ice cold tea...enjoy!

Never Enough Thyme

How many times have you heard that play on words? Sorry, just seemed appropriate this morning. I have been enjoying my thyme this year in the gardens. As I took a brief inventory I realized I have lots of the stuff and many varieties.

I wish I would have made more permanent markers (if there really is such a thing) when I planted all the different varieties. I don’t mean to be a collector of thymes but I never miss an opportunity to purchase or grow from seed in the greenhouse a variety I don’t have.

Thyme is a wonderful Mediterranean plant that loves sunshine and good drainage. There are hundreds of varieties with different growing habits, fragrances and flavors. Thymes have a range of bloom times and colors, ranging from white to pink to reddish and purple.

Thyme plants are broken down into two main groups - upright clumpers or ground hugging creepers.

Usually the more upright varieties are used for cooking and medicinal applications. French, English, Lemon, Mother-of-thyme are just a smattering of upright varieties. Just for fun search out some of the more unusual like Orange, Lavender, Oregano or Pink chintz.

Creeping thymes are lovely between pavers, along sidewalks or on rooftops. In England I have seen ground hugging thymes used in lawns as a substitute for grass and on stone benches in the garden. These plants are pretty tough and are fun to use where they get stepped on occasionally to release the scent into the air and make any visit to the garden a sensory pleasure. Wooly, Alba, and Red creeping thymes are some varieties to try.

Thyme is a good companion in the kitchen garden to cucumbers, cabbage and tomatoes. The strong scent helps to discourage would-be pests while calling in honey bees to help pollinate crops. It appears to inhibit powdery mildew as well. I like to use different varieties throughout my landscape to provide a long window of blooms for the bees. Thyme does well in pots, I add it to my kitchen pot gardens.

As with any woody herb, the upright varieties like to be trimmed after it blooms. Thyme often browns out in the center after it is a year or three old. Sprinkle some potting soil in the center and watch it start to leaf out again.

Thymol, which comes from thyme’s essential oil, is a strong antiseptic that is used in mouthwashes and toothpastes. Thyme tea is a wonderful expectorant when you have a cold to help loosen the chest. It has also been used for intestinal worms, urinary tract infections and to disinfect wounds.

Thyme is also a good cleanser for oil skin. It can be used in hair rinses and in the bath with oats to soften skin.

It is easy to preserve thyme for later use by cutting small bouquets just as they start to come into bloom. Hang these little bunches upside down in a well ventilated area out of direct sunlight. When dry run the stems between your fingers and thumb to strip the tiny leaves onto a paper plate. This makes it easy to pour into a jar for storage. Label and place in the cupboard for best flavor retention.

Use excess thyme in wreaths, sleep pillows, potpourri. Cut fresh for small flower arrangements or tussie mussies.

In the kitchen snip fresh thyme into salads, dressings, dips, marinades, soups, steamed vegetables (I especially love it on summer squash). It is tasty on beef and snipped fresh on chicken while grilling.

The Whys of Gardening - Banana Trees

Banana Trees June of 2009 - Below, Banana Trees in June of 2008

I was sitting in my living roof cabana, this morning having a cup and jo and praising the Lord for an incredible cool, sunny, low humidity morning. As my toes nestled into the carpet of thyme beneath my feet, the scent wafted up and I got to philosophying (don’t worry I made that up) and wondering about phenomenas in the garden.

The sun was coming up in the east like it is suppose to but I naturally put my hand up to shield my eyes because I hadn’t thought to bring my sunglasses.
That got me thinking, hey wait a minute, last year on the 2nd day of June I didn’t have this problem.

I planted two hardy banana trees, Musu basjoo last April (I can remember the exact date because my daughter called as I was digging the holes to tell me her water just broke and I might want to speed it up if I was going to make it in time for the arrival of my grand daughter) on either side of the cabana to block the morning and afternoon sun.

They (banana trees) were beautiful and worked perfectly plus they added something I hadn’t counted on, sound. The incredible large leaves make a lot of noise as the summer breezes knock them about. Not annoying white noise like air conditioners but a soothing rhythmic tune that one would expect to hear on a tropical island.

Sitting in the Adirondack chairs under the cool space of the living roof gazing a the movement and reflections in the water of the pool, listening to the beat of the banana tree leaves is not the best place for a gardener to sit for very long. If you are not careful you can catch a laid-back island attitude where all you want to do is nap, snack, read and drink fruity drinks with the cute little umbrellas.

This year my hardy banana trees are a bit too short to catch the wind currents and look more like a shrub. So, why is it those same banana trees are only half the height of last year? I followed manufacturer’s instructions and cut them back to about 6” after the first hard, killing frost and tucked them in for a long winters nap with a thick cover of soil conditioner.

I was thrilled when they sprouted up in the spring like they are suppose to. (They really are hardy) They grew quickly to about 3 feet or so and quit. I put a pile of compost around them for fertilizer this spring so the spring rains could wash it down to the roots. I keep them watered when it doesn’t rain, so why aren’t they doing their job and providing shade from the east and especially west sun?

And, I was driving in a nearby neighborhood this past spring and noticed that some folks had planted banana trees at the end of their drive and it looked to me like they had either never cut them back or they cut them at the point where the leaves formed. Well, they apparently don’t know anything about banana tree maintenance I thought.

Okay, so maybe I’m not as smart as I thought (I hate that) because while I thought I was doing everything correctly my trees are puny while their trees are tall and lush (yes, I drove back by recently to check it out). I think I’m going to hit them hard with Monty’s Joy Juice and see if they will shoot up before the dog days of summer set in…and you can bet I’m not cutting them to the ground this fall, I’ll take my chances and see if that will work better for next year. Feel free to lend advice.

Bienveue a Lafayette

We recently visited Lafayette (pronounced ‘Laugh’ Fayette), LA where our son and his lovely wife toured us around. What a cool place to live. It’s like going to a foreign country without leaving the states. I never thought I would be telling folks I’m from the North when I live in Tennessee. Everything is new and different…flora, fauna, food and French weaved throughout, turning every outing into an adventure. The people are easy going and fun – loving as evidenced in the culture of southern Louisiana.
First stop was the welcome center where they had of course tons of information about the area but also, a small garden area, and a lake that boils with fish and turtles when you toss a slice of bread over the walkway railing.
Black-eyed Susan vines, knockout roses, trumpet flowers and agapanthus were blooming in the garden. We saw agapanthus in bloom throughout the area…it must be hardy this far south.

A music festival was going on in Opelousas, the heart of zydeco (in fact they’re claim to fame is “Zydeco capital of the world”. We danced a few steps when we realized we can’t dance like the natives…they’ve got some moves!

A trip to Lafayette would not be complete without a bowl of gumbo with roux the color of chocolate – yum. We went to a Sunday brunch at “The Blue Dog Café” where the mimosas flowed while the zydeco band (Hadley Catille and the Sharecropper) played on. Crawfish enchiladas and oyster stuffing were new to us and the creamed spinach was spicy. In fact most everything is spicy!
Drove a short distance to the country and toured an organic farm that grows and sells tilapia, veggies, fruit and a myriad of other natural products. The Grotreaux have a delightful family – 10 children between the ages of 5 and 12 who work, study, and play hard.
I had never seen a tilapia operation before. The fish are raised in ponds housed in greenhouses, fed four times a day and harvested once a week (2,000 lbs.) for market. Organic vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers are harvested and sold at the local farmers market. Folks can also come to the farm and buy fresh fish and produce.
A short drive to St. Martin Lake proved successful in the hunt for gators to photograph. They are unique critters that I enjoyed watching from the window of a truck. Oh yeah, the cypress trees with their knees exposed and hanging with Spanish moss where also a sight for Deep South newbies. One final drive to see what I believe is a type of agave that my son had noticed and couldn’t wait to show me. You can see from the picture that it is ginormus – taller than the house! If anyone knows what this monster is, please tell…

Growing Right Along

May was a busy month in the garden. We (okay, I) had projects galore. After a huge arbor, expansion of my "hobbit" house garden shed, including a living roof and a new kitchen garden, I have promised my husband no more "Cindy projects" for the rest of the year (pray I can keep my promise).

The kitchen garden consists of nine raised beds in the front side yard. Three made out of concrete blocks and six are untreated pine which I stained a cedar color on the outside to match the fence and blend a bit.

With the help of some great friends and my son Trevor we hauled composted horse poop (manure for you technical gardeners) and filled the beds 3/4 full then topped them off with leaf mulch. I worked in some wood pot ash since we had such an abundance from our newly installed wood stove.

Planting took place around the middle of May. I grew many of the plants in my greenhouse and purchased some from my neighbor, Joe Toni of Green Valley Greenhouses. As you can see everything is growing right along.

I am harvesting sweet banana peppers and some of the tomatoes are the size of golf balls. I'm trying to recycle materials for trellising beans, cucumbers, gourds and mini-pumpkins without looking too tacky...after all this garden is in our front yard.

I found a metal arbor at a yard sale and have installed it as the entrance and have lots more to do. I'm planting sunflowers, herbs and cut flowers to add color and encourage beneficial insects to stop and munch on any plant destroying suspects and pollinate.

Plus I want it to look as nice for neighbors and passer-bys. I have met a couple of neighbors who stopped to looked and compliment. A biker passed by yesterday and yelled "beautiful garden" which was very encouraging...especially when a neighbor told another neighbor my garden looked like a cemetery with cute little plots. What do they expect from a 'cracked pot gardener'?

Kitchen garden as of June 2nd...

The Cracked Pot Herb Book

Willows on the 'Cheap'

In these days of belt tightening, it can put the hurt on the garden budget...or maybe that is only in my family. Besides lets face it, most gardeners love to brag about their latest plant, gardening tool, pot or garden accessory bargain.

Well, I would never stoop to that kind of bragging...but, while meandering through this year's Lawn and Garden show in Nashville (a great annual display of gardens and garden wares) I noticed a vendor selling red curly willow sticks and pussy willow twigs for a dollar each.

I was thinking I would love to have a RED curly willow in my yard and who doesn't just adore early springtime pussy willow twigs? I told my friend with me, "I bet I could root those sticks and for two bucks have them growing in my yard by spring".

We both got so excited at the prospects that we each bought a twig of each. I trimmed the ends about 1/4 of an inch and filled a five gallon bucket with good chlorinated city water and let them sit.

In about 8 weeks both willows had grown sufficient roots and leafed out. I planted them with a good measure of compost and just before the past three days of rain set in. I will have to keep them watered well through the hot and dry summer months to ensure their success since willows love wet areas. A great plant for a wetland type area in your landscape. Not a good idea to plant near septic lines though as the roots will head for water.

I wish I could brag I have the greenest of green thumbs but in all fairness, willows (in the Salix family) are about the easiest plants in the world to root. If I was really on my game, I could have just gotten a twig cutting from someones willow tree or cut pussy willow twigs in the wild and saved a couple of bucks. Yes, I probably would have asked for permission first...or at least forgiveness after!

And, they don't even have to be rooted in water. I have cut curly willow twigs and just stuck them in the ground in early spring or fall when rains were regular and they grew just fine.

Pussy willows are really a large shrub which can reach about 15 to 20 feet without pruning. They are dioecious though which means to bloom and form the soft catkins a male and female plant is needed. Which one did I root? I guess I will figure it out when it blooms next spring!

Red curly willow will become a small tree about 20-30 feet tall with contorted branches. Curly willow trees seem to be short lived...or maybe they die young in my garden (just can't take any more?) The last curly willow just passed and it was probably around 15 years old. (young for a tree). We ground the stump and I planted this twig there to start the circle of life once more. Being a 'red' curly willow I'm sure this new tree will be a real asset, adding much needed color to the garden in winter.

The Scent of Days Gone By

As I picked my first bouquet of Lily-of-the-Valley this week, I breathed deeply to get every little bit of scent. This incredible fragrance unlocks memories of a small girl growing up in Northern Michigan gathering Lily-of-the-Valley flowers for my mom. They grew just outside the back door in a nice neat rectangle mass.

A few years back I stopped by that old farm house and dug a few from the back door patch. Okay, so my family doesn't own that farm any longer but no one was living there at the time and I doubt anyone will every notice!

I packed them back to Tennessee and planted them at Hyssop Hill where they were very happy and reproduced nicely. When we moved to our new location, I was careful to dig a few to bring with for my new garden. I felt like a pioneer woman bringing slips of plants to the unknown so that when she got homesick there would be something familiar in the garden. Carefully I put tucked the little roots in the edge of the shade garden and waited for spring.

When spring came I was so happy that the family -Lilly-of-the-Valley plants pushed their way up through the soil and were displaying their lovely new shiny green leaves. As I admired my handiwork (well God's handiwork really - I only transplanted them) I noticed a foot or so away some other leaves that looked very similar. In fact there were many many leaves throughout that shady area with those leaves popping up.
You guessed it. The folks who gardened here before obviously loved this plant as well. In fact, as I started working my way through various beds they were everywhere, in every cultivated space. Yes, the joke was on me. But what a great plant to have in abundance. I can pick bouquets to my hearts delight and dance in my mind to the tune of happy girlhood memories of days gone by...but not forgotten. Happy to share if anyone would like some :)

With a Little Help from my Friends

I’ve been humming this song since Saturday when my sweet husband and friends Tom and Jodie all pitched in to help build some raised beds in my new kitchen garden.

We completed nine beds in all. Three are made out of concrete blocks and the rest out of untreated lumber. Now I know what you are thinking…concrete blocks?
Yes in deed…concrete blocks and I have my reasons which I will reveal as this new adventure rolls along.

The guys at the hardware store where we bought the lumber think I’m crazy for not using treated lumber (don’t you just love it when everyone is trying to second guess your plans) but I really don’t want to think about boards treated with arsenic in the same bed as my organic produce. Besides it is three times cheaper to use untreated wood. I know it will rot (thank goodness for that) eventually and then I will add some new boards. Ideally Cedar would be best and if I can find some at a low cost from a local mill I will use it for the next phase of raised beds (did I just type that?) It was about 100 bucks to build 6 raised four by eight beds – not bad.

I just needed extra space to grow more vegetables. Even though there are only two of us, I like to freeze, can, dehydrate enough garden fresh veggies to hold us through the winter. In fact I’m really planning on growing more vegetables and herbs year ‘round so as not to have to put up so much while having fresh produce all through the winter months.

This is my new place to play and experiment growing vegetables, herbs, flowers, and small fruits in an urban setting. Although I have a large yard, I know many folks don’t so I want to grow more produce in smaller spaces to help others do the same.

Did I mention this is in my front side yard? Don’t tell my neighbors (I’m sure they are wondering what in the world the cracked pot is up to now) I will stain the outsides of these beds to make them blend and look nice. After all, a kitchen garden should be pretty as well as practical.

I did plant 11 Mohawk viburnums (wow what a scent) as a hedge to soften the effects and as a barrier for west winds and to give the neighbors something pretty to look at until the boxes are full of beautiful, colorful vegetables, flowers and herbs.

Thank you Tom, Jodie and Sweetie – you are going to love the results!

Lilacs - Scents of Spring

The scent of lilac blossoms holds a special place for many. Often times a scent is associated with a memory, Grandmother’s perfume (or toilet water), picking bouquets with mom or for me growing up with a white lilac tree that grew just outside my bedroom window.

Warm spring breezes carried the heavenly lilac scent in my room morning till night while the old tree bloomed holding the promise of summer just around the corner.

My pet raccoon Shirley loved that old tree as well, hiding all things ‘shiny’ that she would steal from us when she thought we weren’t looking in a rotted out knot just out of my reach.

When I started renovating the gardens at Hyssop Hill in Franklin, TN shortly after purchasing the 1830’s house and property, I found old plant jewels that were thought to be lost. As we cut and beat back the growth of Mother Time, trees and plants would revive or germinate once they had sun, space and water once more.

One such find was Lilac trees that had been planted by Mrs. Thomas Henderson when she and Capt. Tom lived there. Two different lilac trees came back up along the path to the back garden. One of the Henderson’s grandchildren stopped by one day and told me about Grandmother’s friend, Helen Keller who use to stay with the Hendersons when she came to Franklin to learn about her family who fought in the battle of Franklin in 1867.

George (the grandson) explained that Ms. Keller could identify each lilac by their scent as she would walk out to the garden with Mrs. Henderson. He explained there were several lilac trees at that time and was happy we had recovered two of them.

I left the lilac trees at Hyssop Hill (now Collins Farm) when we moved but I did take a small piece of each tree that had suckered and I’m so glad I did because they disappeared like so many of the historic plants from that estate. Ignorance, naivety, or perhaps a lack of historic importance was placed on the horticulture of such a significant piece of Franklin’s history.

One of the lilac trees seems to be very ordinary in form, color, scent…the other one is incredible in scent, blue-lavender color blooms that seem to be doubled – If anyone can identify these please help.

I have three other lilacs in my current garden. This one was cut back to the ground when a screened-in porch was added four years ago. It has since grown back and in full bloom this year.

A Miss Kim is almost in bloom and is covered this year. This lilac has a compact rounded shape and blooms later than all the others in my yard.

I also have a white juvenile lilac that a friend gave me which I think will bloom next year. (Something to look forward to)

If you are crazy about lilacs make plans to visit Mackanaw (Mackinac) Island in Northern Michigan for their annual lilac festival. It takes place the first part of June. The festival lasts ten days with all kinds of activities and events but the lilacs, many of them planted in the 1800’s are the star of this show. This website gives all the details - http://www.mackinacisland.org/lilacfestival.html

Morel Mushrooms

I found morel mushrooms growing in my kitchen garden amongst the corn salad. I have to say I was stoked! Growing up in Northern Michigan morel mushroom hunting is something to look forward to after a long hard winter. I never even considered the fact that morels grew in Tennessee…what was I thinking?

My son was visiting this past week. He and his friend were telling me about their turkey hunting adventure of the morning and they mentioned that although they didn’t bag a bird they did find mushrooms.

Of course I quickly showed them my find in the garden and my son’s friend told me they find morels in the woods around here every year. What rock have I been under all these years? More importantly, what else have I been missing out on?

Each May, a huge morel festival is held in Boyne City, Michigan http://www.morelfest.com/ where hundreds of folks come from all over the country to hunt the elusive shrooms. I remember as a child going mushroom hunting with the family. We always had a contest to see who could find the most.

We had our favorite spots on the family farm; the woods near Loeb creek, in the clearing by our family cabin, and along an old logging trail cut through the swamp. Sometimes we would go on a Sunday morning after all the chores were done to state land a few miles away.

It was hard to concentrate sometimes while looking for morel mushrooms. They blend into their surroundings so one has to concentrate. That was easier said then done when wildflowers like trilliums were catching my eye and I was haphazardly swatting black flies that insisted on swarming around my head. (a small price to pay for such an adventure)

My little brother Mike always found the most. He was younger and a lot closer to the ground then the rest of us. Or at least that is the excuse we always used.

After all the fun my parents could handle in the woods with 4 kids we would come home and my mom would wash and swish the mess of shrooms in a cold sink of water. Then she would melt some butter in the cast iron skillet and simmer the morels until tender. A little salt and pepper for seasoning and viola, dinner was served. What a treat, what great memories!

I dried the six mushrooms I found in hopes more will come up. It is easy to hydrate them when I’m ready to serve them up. Some folks hunt and pick morel mushrooms just to dry and sell to restaurants and the like. If I remember right, they bring a pretty penny per pound. (and it takes a lot of dried mushrooms to make a pound!)

I rather like the idea of morel mushrooms coming to me. No ticks, chiggers or other surprises. But now that I know they grow in Tennessee I guess I am willing to venture out and find more. Check out this website called the Morel Mushroom Hunting club. They have great information and reports of mushroom (not just morels) finds broken down into states with dates and names. http://morelmushroomhunting.com/morelfinds.html

Bloom 'n' Garden Show

Perennials and Natives by a girl named Toni

Whenever I travel I'm always on the lookout for a cool garden type spot to visit. While in Grayton Beach, FL I saw a sign for Toni's Farm Market with a sign pointing the way on a little side-road just off the main highway. Following the sign I quickly found Perennials and Natives by a girl named Toni.

Besides selling native and perennial plants, Toni has a farm market with fresh Florida raised Vegetables. She drives to various farms each day to load up on just picked produce to sell at her market.

This is no ordinary farm market, it is located in a beautiful building that Toni and her late husband created artful ways to display fresh produce. Besides fresh veggies, local artist sell their wares in the gift shop area. Handmade soap caught my attention - it might have been the fact that herbs were in the soap and the woman who makes it was making a delivery on her bicycle. A site you don't see everyday.

If that isn't enough, Toni grows fresh herbs and greens just outside the back door in stacked pots and other crafty containers for customers to cut. It doesn't get any fresher then that! She recently added a kitchen where she can conduct cooking classes or serve up tea and coffee.

If you are looking for a place to roost while visiting the Emerald Coast, look no further. Toni rents the upstairs apartment out for vacationers. It's the best of Agri-tourism with a gorgeous beach just down the street. You can find it on the VRBO website.

Toni was a joy to talk with and so welcoming. She shared fun ideas and her hopes and dreams for her business in the future. All the best Toni - thanks for the tomatoes - delicious!

Find Toni and her farm market at 114 Arbor Lane, Grayton Beach, FL - email her at agirlnamedtoni@earthlink.net

Pickets Garden and Gift Shop

Vacationing in the pan handle of Florida is not complete without stopping by Pickets garden gift shop. Located in the heart of Seagrove Beach, this quaint little shop and garden is a ‘green refuge’ after gathering too many rays on the beach. A cool, restful place to duck out of the hustle and bustle of vacationing families and college students on spring break.

The cottage/shop sits in a shady spot just off the main drag of 30-A, between Rosemary Beach and Sea Side. It is surrounded by a white picket fence. The owner, Jo Ann Mathis enjoys gardening and tells me she has planted every plant on the place.

After strolling through the gardens I had two plants I couldn’t identify. One was on the corner of a small but sweet English garden complete with boxwoods, roses, statuary, brick walkways and of course a small picket fence. This shrub or small tree had a purple-blue bloom that had a very unusual fragrance (like grape bubble gum). Mrs. Mathis quickly pointed out that it was a Texas mountain laurel - Sophora secundiflora, that she had brought back from Texas herself. After eight years it was finally blooming! A sight to behold indeed. I wonder if they would grow in Tennessee?

The other unusual plant was a low growing (12-18 inches) evergreen with incredible berries. It turns out this is a Coral berry, Ardisia crenata that was dug up and transplanted. This plant's native range stretches from Japan to northern India. Jo Ann says it is a handsome plant year ‘round and loves the shade. I was so intrigued I did some research. It is on the invasive species list. Like many landscape plants it has escaped cultivation and run amok, naturalizing in Northern and central Florida and is not recommended for home landscape. It seems birds eat the berries then disperse the seeds throughout the wild shading other less hardy plants (it can grow 2-4feet in height). However, I don't know if it would be invasive in other states. It is worth having in a pot on a screened-in porch at the very least. I tried to buy one at the local nurseries but had no luck finding it for sale. Perhaps I can get a berry and start one from seed. It is a beautiful plant, invasive or not and looks great in Jo Ann's lovely garden.

The shop itself has gifts for the home and garden that anyone can appreciate. In fact I treat myself every time I visit this area. It is a favorite haunt for residents and snow birds alike. Check it out for yourself the next time you visit Florida’s Emerald Coast.

Pickets Garden and Gift Shop

Vacationing in the pan handle of Florida is not complete without stopping by Pickets garden gift shop. Located in the heart of Seagrove Beach, this quaint little shop and garden is a ‘green refuge’ after gathering too many rays on the beach. A cool, restful place to duck out of the hustle and bustle of vacationing families and college students on spring break.

The cottage/shop sits in a shady spot just off the main drag of 30-A, between Rosemary Beach and Sea Side. It is surrounded by a white picket fence. The owner, Jo Ann Mathis enjoys gardening and tells me she has planted every plant on the place.

After strolling through the gardens I had two plants I couldn’t identify. One was on the corner of a small but sweet English garden complete with boxwoods, roses, statuary, brick walkways and of course a small picket fence. This shrub or small tree had a purple-blue bloom that had a very unusual fragrance (like grape bubble gum). Mrs. Mathis quickly pointed out that it was a Texas mountain laurel Sophora secundiflora, that she had brought back from Texas herself. After eight years it was finally blooming! A sight to behold indeed. I wonder if they would grow in Tennessee?

The other unusual plant was a low growing (12-18 inches) evergreen with incredible berries. It turns out this is a native Coral berry, Ardisia crenata that she dug up and moved from the wild. Jo Ann says it is a handsome plant year ‘round and loves the shade. It is on the invasive species list and is not recommended for home landscape. It seems birds eat the berries then disprise the seeds throughout the wild. However, I don't know if it would be invasive in other states. It is worth having in a pot on a screened in porch. It is a beautiful plant, invasive or not.

The shop itself has gifts for the home and garden that anyone can appreciate. In fact I treat myself every time I visit this area. It is a favorite haunt for residents and snow birds alike. Check it out for yourself the next time you visit Florida’s Emerald Coast.

Herbs for the Beginner

Had a great question from a Master Gardener in Shelby County, TN today who wants to grow herbs to use for cooking. This gardener is new to herbs and wants to know what herbs would be best to start with. She also asked if herbs could be grown in pots on her south exposure patio.

It is always exciting when folks decide to delve into growing herbs and I must warn you this is an addictive business! It is so tempting to plant one of every herb you ever meet but it is wise to start small and learn as you go.

Let’s start with some of my favorite culinary herbs.
These herbs for the most part will do fine in pots on the patio or in the ground as long as they get full sun, adequate water and have good drainage. Go easy on the fertilizer, most herbs do well without and too much nitrogen will produce lots of leaves but not much flavor.

Basil - sweet for sure but don't be afraid to try lemon and cinnamon…I usually buy as a plant – look for pots that have several plants – you can gently pull them apart to plant. Cuttings are easy to root in water. Toss in a cherry tomato plant and have the beginnings of a great salad or bruchetta on the patio. Pots of basil also discourage bugs.

Bay - I have my Bay tree in a pot which I drag into the garage each fall under a sunny window until spring then haul it back to the patio. It is a tender perennial but is easy to care for. Dry a few leaves to use for cooking and place a leaf or two in cupboards, flour bins and with dried fruit to keep unwanted insects away.

Chives - onion and garlic - always wonderful to snip a few into just about anything you are cooking - especially pasta salads…Onion chives blades are round and bloom purple in the spring and Garlic chives have flat blades that bloom white in the late summer when many other plants are looking tired. The blooms are edible as well and make a lovely vinegar.

Cilantro/Coriander - plant by seed every couple of weeks starting in early spring, loves the cooler weather(planted in late summer cilantro should grow all winter long without bolting (going to flower)… Hard to transplant so sow seed in a pot or right in the ground. Young foliage is best for salsa and such. Blooms are pretty and edible. Seeds become coriander to use in baking.

Dill - plant this one by seed as well. It likes cool weather as well. It is so wonderful to have some fresh dill weed (ferny foliage) to add to fish, potato salad, breads, etc. It is a handy herb to have in the garden. Munch on fresh weed to stave off hunger. Butterflies love this plant so sow extra seed for them!

Lemon balm – an easy perennial to grow in a pot or in the ground…grab a handful of this herb to rub down the outdoor dining table to deter bugs. Add a couple of leaves to ice water before serving for a zesty lemon flavor. Lemon balm bread is hard to beat served up with some sage tea!

Marjoram - annual that is worth having – great in Italian sauces and dries nicely for use in the winter. Sow seed or just buy a plant each spring.

Oregano - be sure to taste a leaf before you buy to make sure it has a good flavor and scent…hope it is grown organically! I have grown the killer oregano of Franklin – beautiful but tasteless (made pretty wreaths though) Usually I look for Italian or Greek varieties but take a taste.

Parsley - can't do without for cooking - just buy a plant or three each spring - loves cool weather, hard to start by seed. I like flat leaf myself. It is called the balancing herb…probably why folks add a little to just about everything.

Mexican Marigold - if you like French tarragon for cooking - has flavor without the fuss of trying to get French tarragon to live in southern heat and humidity. Winter Tarragon, Mexican mint is other names for this plant. When in doubt, check the Latin name – Tagetes lucida. This herb blooms in the fall which again is a cheery site. It can grow to about three feet tall and has been very winter hardy for me. I just cut it back before a hard freeze and dry some for cooking and use the rest for wreaths.

Mint – always good in a pot, so it doesn’t take over your entire gardening world. Feel free to give this herb hair cuts, it likes a good cutting back. - choose one you really like – chocolate mint, peppermint, Kentucky Colonel (used for mint juleps) at the races. I’m partial to grapefruit mint myself. Place mint leaves in cupboard to deter mice.

Rosemary - will do well in a pot or plant in a protected area away from west and north winter winds - bring in pot just for cold snaps then set it back outside. Arp is a hardy variety – buy the plant, hard to start from seed – easier to do cuttings with soft woody tips. Snip rosemary over potatoes or chicken or pork roast before roasting. Add some to the potato salad before next picnic – it has natural preservative qualities. Makes a nice tea for a tension headache too. We love snipped rosemary in extra virgin olive oil for bread dipping.

Sage – a plant worth growing, besides using for the stuffing at Thanksgiving, this makes a nice tea that has many health benefits (used in moderate amounts). Cream cheese spread on a cracker with a sage leaf (and other herbs) makes a savory snack or appetizer. An easy perennial that works in a pot or is nice as a border in the garden…blooms purple in spring.

Summer savory – This is one of my favorite herbs! It is an annual that is worth planting every year. It is called the bean herb because its peppery flavor is good with any kind of bean but, it is my “secret ingredient” (well not anymore I guess) in chicken soup. I dry this herb to use during the winter months and I run out each year.

Thyme – last but not least, this plant comes in many varieties, but for cooking try French, English or Mother of Thyme (Lemon is nice too for something different). There are many flavors too – so check out the choices at the nursery. This is another herb that can be snipped onto fresh veggies or meat that you are grilling. Make a tea next time you have a cold to help break up congestion in the chest.

Remember to have fun growing and using these herbs (that sounds a little funny, doesn’t it?) But experimentation is a big part of cooking with herbs. My son Trevor use to run out to the herb garden and snip leaves of various herbs to ‘decorate’ (as we use to call it) his dinner…We all learned a lot about what herbs compliment which foods because Trevor wasn’t afraid to experiment – he had no pre-conceived notions about culinary herb combinations.

It doesn’t take much to turn a usual dish into a flavorful adventure. One more tidbit – if you are using fresh herbs, use 3 times the amount of dried herb called for in recipes. Enjoy your new journey growing herbs!

Honeybees love Anise Hyssop

Pictured above: Annise hyssop with lavender spikes growing in perennial bed (Agastache foeniculum 'golden jubilee' - named for it's golden leaves)

Anise hyssop, Agastache foeniculum, was planted by beekeepers in the 1870s here in the states to attract honeybees. Anise hyssop grows 3 - 4 feet tall and produces a rich source of nectar that is thought to give honey a bit of a anise-seed flavor.

Anise hyssop may be called lots of names like licorice mint, have different color variations in bloom spikes or leaf which doesn't matter as long as the name starts with Agastache foeniculum...

Although this plant is considered perennial, I've noticed that it does well for a couple of years then is 'iffy' after that. I tend to shake the seeds from the spent blooms in early fall to be sure the plant(s) re-seeds itself. If planting in mass, I would hope they would volunteer (re-seed) naturally to keep crop going but may have to continually add seed each year to insure good coverage.

The pinkish-bluish-purple blossoms (or white if an 'Alba' variety) last for about 6 - 8 weeks and the plant tends to be drought resistant which is always a plus when the rains decide to shut off in August! Give Anise hyssop full sun and good drainage and it will perform well even if the soil is poor. Other than some added compost for organic matter, no fertilizer is necessary.

Hyssop, Hyssop officinalis

Hyssop, hyssop officinalis is a woody perennial that again does well here (Middle TN) for a year or two than wanes. I will layer this plant by bending a branch over and pinning it to the soil with a re-bent paper clip to start new plants so when the mother plant fades a new hyssop is ready to take it's place.

Although Hyssop officinalis does attract bees, the length of bloom is not as long as Anise hyssop. Sometimes this plant will re-bloom if the flower spikes are cut back shortly after they have faded.

I would not recommend Hyssop officinalis for any kind of mass planting. It is harder to seed (really need to start in greenhouse) and needs more water considerations.

Try thyme or lemon balm in place of hyssop officinalis if you want other herbs to attract bees. There are many varieties of thyme. By planting a variety the overall bloom time will be longer which is a good thing if you are trying to attract bees.

Lemon balm, Melissa officinalis is Greek for bee and has long been used by beekeepers to attract bees.

Mossy Tea Pot

It's been a cold winter so far in Middle Tennessee this year. January is ending on a sunny note though which has made me want to get my hands in the dirt and plant something...anything really.

So I decided I find a planting project. I rooted around in the kitchen looking for just the right thing. Everyone has something fun to plant in if they just look in the right cupboard, something just sitting around collecting dust (or wood ash as in my case since we put in a wood stove insert).

Hmm, then it hit me, I have an old chick wire tea pot that I've never quite figured out what it's use really is. I dug into the old blue hutch and soon produced the pot. It's perfect for a topiary, why hadn't I thought of that long ago?

Annie (the garden dog) and I were soon out the door looking for moss. I found what I needed in the mossy ground under the magnolia tree. While Annie played games with a pair of cardinals, I gently lifted slices of moss with the pointy end of a trowel and stacked them in a pail I had brought with us.

Next I took the moss and lined the wire tea pot (mossy side out of course). Filled the empty space in the center with some decent potting soil and went on a new search for low growing sedums.

I found some out by the green house that had quickly covered the ground around the stone steps and slight bank that leads up to the greenhouse. I liked the color, a soft green-gray, that makes me think of spring. I gently lifted up little tufts with the trowel and placed them in the pail ready to transplant onto the tea pot.

Transplanting procedure was quick and easy and the sedums looked like they had always lived in a tea pot. I also found some sedum that likes to weep out of it's container on the back deck so I cut off a few pieces and stuck them into the sides of the moss - holding them in place with un-bent paper clips (forming a u shaped pin). It will be fun to have different textures covering the pot.

Sedums have to be one of the easiest plants to propagate. Cut (or just break off) a piece and stick it in something that resembles soil and it soon takes off and makes a new plant. Very encouraging for anyone who thinks they have a brown thumb.

Come spring I will move the tea pot out to the screened porch where it will be a cute conversation piece for the table.