SNOWING HERE TOO..

Hi Susan and Ginny......we had our Sleigh Ride Event going on today and the snow was just the perfect added touch.
Susan.....I am sure the customers were quite festive and in the "purchasing" mood - they were at the store today...something about the cold, snow, twinkling lights and Christmas Carols just puts a smile on everyone's face. Your Holiday Open House sounds so inviting...wish I would have been able to come!
I have a (3 1/2 year old) rosemary plant, scented rose geranium and a lemon balm plant all in a second floor south window - I moved the rosemary from the big room into the little room (I think you remember how the 2nd floor was set up).....and keep hoping it will do okay. My rose geranium at home - died - it was old and clipped too many times I am afraid ! I do love making that rose geranium cheese spread to serve in the winter when no one expects it!
I wish you luck with your plants - fingers crossed.

Ginny.....YIKES...you have lots more snow than we do....at the store it was only about an inch when we left (but really coming down fast)...on the way home we hit spots of just wet roads....and then when we got close to home (16 miles from store) it was a mess!!! The plow went up our road though....we are a secondary state road so sometimes they do and sometimes they don't !!!

Snowing In The Lehigh Valley

It's snowing in the LV as well. I went out to put the ducks to bed and decided I would measure the snow. I measured in three places and divided the number by 3 and came up with 5.33 inches!! It is very pretty out and quite, except for the occasional snow mobile. If you are going out, take it easy, our roads are not plowed. Stay Warm, Have a good night.

IT'S SNOWING.......

........here in NE Penn. and its cold outside. This is the perfect day for my Holiday Open House. I have spiced cider in the crock-pot and mulled wine on the stove, customers are shopping in the soft glow of candlelight, nibbling on sweets and savories throughout the store. The herbs are in for the winter. I try not to bring in too many herbs, I just don't have the room to overwinter everything.

I don't have any south facing windows in the shop so the bay trees and the scented geraniums are in an east window and so far so good. I think in a month or two they will not look nearly as nice, they get very lanky trying to reach for the light. I have patchouli, scented geraniums and rosemary in a west window. We'll see how they do there.

FAIRYLAND....

The picture is of my "Fairy Garden" that I made in May while giving a Fairy Garden Class at the store. I brought it inside and put it on a windowsill upstairs at the store. These past two days I have rearranged the upstairs and needed to bring it home....I can't believe it is still growing. (I have to admit some neglect) !!! Now to find the right windowsill here at home to keep it alive...hopefully some of the "fairies" have come home with me too and will keep everything growing.....Italian oregano, mother of thyme and rosemary ( the rosemary doesn't look so good)! I have a first floor hallway windowsill that seems to like plants...right now the Cuban Oregano is doing great there. My 3 year old rose geranium moved on - sadly - but I have another one growing at the store. (Need it to make my rose geranium cheese spread) Has anyone brought their herbs in for the winter???

TIME TO PUT THE HERBS TO REST...

Hi girls...Frost is on the pumpkin and mums - the final sprigs of dill are yet to be harvested...I have petunias blooming and marigolds dying ??? Such a mixed up summer and fall we have had. One day 70 degrees the next it is 32 degrees! ON TO WINTER - do any of you make Christmas wreaths and swags....Would love to see pictures of your holiday greenery!

Saturday Evening Harvest

Good Evening Gardeners, After we got our van all packed for our antique shop tomorrow I was able to go out to the garden and harvest some of the herbs. The weather weenies are calling for a frost up North, so I did not want to take a chance. It actually was a bit cool out, but nice to be out there. I picked, Pineapple Sage, Rose Geranium and Lemon Verbena. The Rose Geranium is on the mud porch and boy does it smell sweet. The other two are in the Family Room. I have off all next week as we will be out at Kutztown, PA starting on Thursday thru Saturday for their three day Antique Show, but Monday I will have time to work some more with my herbs, I will be cutting Lemon Balm and Spearmint. The marigolds that I took a chance on in the middle of the Summer and planted in a old wheel barrow, look beautiful, we took pictures, but the camera is packed away with the show stuff, I will post a picture next week. Have a great Sunday, enjoy the last few days of Summer.

WINDING DOWN...

Just plain tired of keeping up with the gardens...time to say enough is enough....Alfred is our gnome visitor - you can see him peeking from under the tomato plant - when he goes away GARDEN THYME is officially over....he's still here so guess I have to labor on !!!

SECOND HARVEST...

Hi everyone....been so busy with open house at the store I haven't visited here very often...glad you are carrying on! My herb garden is ready to harvest again....but not sure when I will find the time. (sad face) Today it was so cool....55 degrees...and really made me think winter was coming early....that is NOT A GOOD THING ....I am not a winter person...(another sad face) !!
I have never made anything with pineapple sage....and was surprised that it is eatable...always thought it was just ornamental. Fun to learn something new everyday!!
Andrea - your pineapple sage is so pretty....I can smell it right thru the computer....!!!

I WAS........

........ just cruising thru the blog and came across a post by me, but there was nothing there. Hmmm, wonder what that's about.

Pineapple Sage

This Pineapple Sage is at its Peak!
The Hummingbirds really love these flowers and the leaves smell Wonderful!!
Can't help but crush a few leaves as I walk by just to get the sweet smell~




Happy Fall Gardening Girls!

End of Summer~

Just like everyone else~ I've been busy with end of Summer chores!
Trying to harvest as much Herbs & Flowers as I can. All the mints have been dried and it's time to crush them for potpourri. Here's some Rubeckia~ this dries Great! I like to dry them with the stem facing down into a framed screen. This way they dry opened up and look great in arrangements.


Echinacea can be dried the same way~ or if hung upside down the petals will curl inwards and you don't get as much color



Yarrow is ready to harvest~



Here's some freshly harvested Globe Amaranth~ this really keeps its color!

SOLD !!! The Watering Can...!!

Everyone must be very, very busy harvesting and gathering their gardens since it is so quiet here lately. Me...I am just HOT....the weather has been so humid and just wears you out. Weeds are growing and hard to keep up with...but the herb garden looks just beautiful as it is ready for it's second harvesting. WHICH I don't think I have the energy to do...LOL!! We are getting ready for Harvest Thyme at the store and that is taking all my time and energy!
I did FINALLY sell the beautiful watering can with the scented geranium planted in it....you should have seen how wonderful it is growing in there. I do hope she brings it in the house and keeps it going. My basil is now a TREE - and I am just giving it away to anyone who walks by the house...(big smile)...Hope everyone is having a great end of summer......

ATTAR OF ROSE SCENTED GERANIUM...

My mistake...for some reason I thought it was a Lemon Geranium we planted in the watering can...but it is not....(in my defense they do look very much alike) ....I have this for sale but no buyers ??? How silly of them...$20. is all I am asking... Oh well, I will put it on my windowsill and let it grow and grow and grow. Bet this would make some fine Rose Geranium Sugar too!!

I LOVE SCENTED GERANIUMS TOO...

I have to remember to take a picture of the lemon geranium I have growing in an olde watering can...it loves it there. I am hoping to be able to bring it inside for the winter.
I love your story Becky....can you imagine the stench of years ago with no sewers or water systems...I can't even handle a port-a-potty !!
Weeds are growing really good around here...I am loaded with sour grass and thistle...it had to be in the mulch.
My basil is now a tree.....what is the best way to preserve it ??? HELP !!!

Scented Geraniums

One of my favorite stories about Scented Geraniums is about taking advantage of its strong scent. Long ago the ladies of the house would plant the scented geraniums by the door,as the guest came in the door the lady of the house would swish her long skirt against the plant and a wonderful scent would fill the air.... The first Air Freshener had been invented!

Tea

When I moved to KY ...I was just getting to know my neighbors. We had a neighborhood yard sale, so I made scented geranium sun tea. I think these women had never seen anything like this as they snickered about the leaves in the tea. But it was good, so I won some respect. However, they still talk about the day I brought out tea with elephant ear leaves in it! (they were really rose scented germanium leaves). I do not know anyone who does not love the scented geraniums when they touch and feel and smell them.

One of my favorites is the Lemon scented ..Lemon Rupert. I use the stiff lemon stems as swizzle sticks in Lemonade or lemon drinks...fun!

Many Ideas

Thank you Girls for all of the ideas for the scented geraniumns, can't wait to try some!!

MY SCENTED ROSE GERANIUM...

Here is a picture of my scented rose geranium that I keep in the house...(and YES my walls are pumpkin) This plant is 3 years olde (the picture was taken in March...it is even bigger since I have been trimming it) It sits on a hallway windowsill where it gets nice light! I use it for my cheese spread and I also make rose geranium sugar that I use in a tea bread and pound cake. Herbal sugars are great to use...when I make a cake and it calls for 2 cups of sugar, I use 1 cup regular sugar and 1 cup an herbal sugar...be it lavender, geranium or mint.
Wish I had more time to play with the goodies from my garden !

ROSE GERANIUM CHEESE SPREAD...

Want to try the most delish (even the men love it) cheese spread using scented geranium leaves?? Of course you do !! I serve this every year at our Herbal Faire....and thru-out the summer on Pepperidge Farm butterfly crackers...

8 oz. cream cheese - softened

4-5 medium rose geranium leaves....chopped fine

Mix together and chill -

(for the store I always made a double batch as it goes quickly)

The taste is unusually good....you don't want to stop eating ! Good spread on celery too!

Scented Geraniums~

Hi Girls!

Yes, Scented Geraniums are super easy to dry! I just bunch them and hang them.
They tend to turn a dull green/light brown color but they still keep that pungent scent!


I use the Essential oil of Rose Geranium in my soaps, body oils & bath salts.
If your looking to do something with the pink blossoms, they look beautiful floating on top of a glass of Herbal Iced Tea. The blossoms & leaves can be stored in your canister of sugar~ to bring out the flavor in the iced tea as well~



I've even seen recipes for Rose Geranium jelly!





And of course they're perfect in potpourri :)

Thanks You

Thanks Becky for your response and also to Judy for making sure I saw the post. Hope Becky joins us! Have a great day everyone.

DRYING...

Hi Ginny...Becky left this comment on your question about the scented geraniums...and I wanted to make sure you saw it...I am sending Becky and invite right now and hopefully she will join in and share more...Judy

OOPS !! I don't have your email address Becky..if you would like to join this forum and be able to post and add pictures please send it to me at cinnamonstick@comcast.net I hope you will join us !!


Basil Becky said...
I love scented gernamiums. I dry them several ways. Often I will take the leaves off the stem and lay them in basket or I have simply hung the stem with the leaves in a good palce to dry.A fun thing is to then put the dried leaves in old panty hose and hang in your closet! Instant moth repellant!

Herbal question

Good Evening Ladies, My Rose Lemon Scented Geranium is huge. I just love the smell of the it when I pulling weeds and fussing in the raised bed. But, I need to know, how do I save the leaves and hopefully the scent. It is also getting pink flowers on it, which I will save as well if I can, but I need to know if anyone has had any experience drying the leaves. Thanks, I will check back.

WHAT A GREAT IDEA..

I love the idea of tying a bell on the "catnip" bags....very clever Andrea and I have to tell you I am going to the store tomorrow and doing just that !!! I don't have a stamp of a cat either...will have to look for one cause I also love that idea. Thanks for sharing !!
We cut all the mint here too....I don't make potpourri anymore....just never enough thyme...but I plan to order some from you. It looks wonderful on your website. (although I did dry all my larkspur for future "sprinkles" like you suggested!) Everyone should check our Andrea's website she has great treasures for sale!!!
www.crowsnestprimitiveshoppe.com

More Mint~

Your Catnip bags look Great Judy!
I'm sure you'll sell them all out~ We sell lots at our shop too. I stamp mine with a rubber stamp of a cat and tie a jingle bell to the muslin bag too.

I harvested lots of Mint & Yarrow today.

Here's the Mint drying~

When it's dried, I'll crush it up and use it in the Victorian & Cottage Garden Potpourri~

Here's some of the Yarrow~ My cat Spooky loves to be involved too :)



Most of my Herbs needed a good cutting back. The Catmint, Valerian and Lavender all got a haircut today. The Tansy has gone crazy and I'll be cutting that back but first I want to get some flower bunches out of it. Same with the Sage~ cut, bunch & dry :)

Happy Gardening~

HERE KITTY, KITTY, KITTY...

The catnip is all dried and I have started stripping the stalks of leaves and putting them in the bags to sell.

(there is more now...LOL!!) But wanted to get the picture taken. Rained all day today off and on - muggy too. Some of the garden looks terrific and other parts look very weary and sad with this crazy mixed up weather we have been having. (Personally I LOVE the 68 degree mornings and 78 degree afternoons !!! So tell me gals...."How does your garden grow?"

THE DEED IS DONE....:(

This is what the herb garden at the store looks like right now....it HAD to be done...everything was growing too wild and gone to flower. Oh what goodies I found underneath the overgrowth... Pennyroyal, Calendula, Alfred our resident Gnome, a little toad house and Catnip our Cat ( I think she is very sad as this is where the "catmint" was growing! Next to Flora Nestbasket is an heirloom tomato plant - one of my customers gave to me...has some tomatoes on it too!! The dill is going to seed too - which will give me another crop before fall ( I love dill and have been using it quite often)...unfortunately the vinca grew wild with all the rain and took over the whole side garden...please excuse the grass/weeds around the flowerpots....this is our "garden edging" and we have not been very gracious about keeping it nice.....I must move all the pots this week when Tony comes to mow - it looks horrid! We had a big olde "gear" from a piece of farm equipment..(???)...in the center of this picture and planted in between the iron spokes...but I had Tony pull it out as you couldn't see it any longer and the vinca just killed off the flowers...There is some cinnamon basil in there somewhere too....( the wire fencing along the wall is what I call my "country clothesline" - When I dye something I hang it out there to dry -

Soon everything will grow back....at least I hope so.

CATMINT...

I finally got some of the "catmint" harvested....will do the rest today...and hung in the attic at the store to dry. I will stuff if in little muslin sacks which are stamped "CATNIP"....
catnip or catmint? - seems to be two separate varieties but come from the same family - here are two definitions found on the internet.....I am sure the "cats" don't care what I call it !!!!

Catnip (Nepeta cataria).
(credit: Walter Chandoha)Aromatic herb (Nepeta cataria) of the mint family. Catnip has spikes of small, purple-dotted flowers. It has been used as a seasoning and as a medicinal tea for colds and fever. Because its mintlike flavour and aroma are particularly exciting to domestic cats, it is often used as a stuffing for cat toys.
Meaning #1: hairy aromatic perennial herb having whorls of small white purple-spotted flowers in a terminal spike; used in the past as a domestic remedy; strongly attractive to cats Synonyms: catnip, Nepeta cataria

Hey girls...where are your pictures of what you are up to??? Love when you share....Judy

Classes

Yes~ You should do the class!
There's so many combination of herbs & spices that work great in vinegars.
Sage, Tarragon, Parsley, Cilantro, Chives, Chili Peppers, Peppercorns, Garlic cloves...just about anything!
When I make the vinegars at home I never bother to heat up the vinegar either. The most important thing is to sterilize the glass jars.

Handmade Vinegars make beautiful gifts. Just cover the cap with homespun or cheesecloth, tie some raffia and attach an "Herbal" tag and your sure to impress!!

Now you have to offer the class & we want to see pictures~

BEAUTIFUL ....

Andrea your chive vinegar is beautiful....Now I am sorry that I didn't think of doing this class earlier cause the chive vinegar would be "spectacular" and quite easy for beginners ! Do you sell your vinegars in the store? I don't have any kind of a "food handlers license" or the facilities to make anything to sell. But the class would be different - I really want to do this and I think it would be lots of fun....stinky but fun !!!! LOL!!! Of course I will use recipes where you don't have to heat the vinegar....(I never do anyway even when it says too...) You have inspired me!!!

Herbal Vinegars~

Great idea Judy!
I think having a class on making Herbal Vinegars would be a big hit at your Shop!
Here's a few pictures of the Chive vinegar I make.


Super Easy to Make & the Pink color looks Beautiful~


Happy Gardening :)

NOW AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH !!!

A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows. ~Doug Larson

HERBAL VINEGARS...

I have been toying with the idea of having an "Herbal Vinegar Seminar" (doesn't that sound profound!) at the store. Since most of the gals who grow herbs that I know do it for the "simple country pleasure" of it - I thought we need to get together and make herbal vinegars. They are simple to make and the ones that I make for myself are easy, with few ingredients and "delicious". I love herbal vinegar sprinkled on my salads, cauliflower, spinach and I also use it in cooking when I want a unique taste! My deviled eggs are the BEST because of the added vinegar!

I am thinking a get together in our classroom where I would explain all about the vinegars, hand out recipes and make three different types right on the spot. Then in a couple weeks the girls could come back with their own "fancy" bottles to pour the vinegars in for taking home! I use glass salad dressing jars with the plastic lid. The fee would be minimal and we could even make our own Herbal Vinegar tags ... My wish would be that they would go home and make lots of herbal vinegars to give as gifts - (especially with the economy the way it is) A homemade gift for teachers, friends, family, neighbors...would be much appreciated I am sure! Oh now I just have to do it....any suggestions???

The picture is of my basil at home.....I never seem to have very good luck with basil - this may be the cinnamon basil plant (forgot to check) but no matter what kind it just doesn't do well at home...(and that is my dead chives next to it ???) ...now at the store it grows to be a BUSH!

I AM MISSING YOU GUYS....!!

BUT, I am so happy you are blogging about your gardens....if you haven't read on The Spice Cupboard - I am having horrid computer woes.....working hard to get it fixed but you know how that goes..."hurry up and wait"....!! I am so illiterate when it comes to the techno stuff - I took so many pics and can't show you....(very sad face)....I love the borage - but mine disappeared...??? I think maybe hubby was tired of all the bees it attracted where I had it planted !!! I always loved sprinkling the star like flowers over a salad...
Susan...what a great idea for the Rhubarb punch...(now I dislike rhubarb) but love the idea of the glass bowl inside the olde agate. I have a large stoneware bowl I use for punch when we have events at the store but your idea is more primitive and I love it!!!
Lovage is delicious just like Andrea said....I used it all the time....but again....house repairs where the lovage was planted gave it a quick demise!
Keep writing gals.....I miss not being able to get on here everyday....soon I hope my problems will go away.....Happy gardening....XO, Judy

Borage

The Borage is in blossom.
With its beautiful blue flowers, this herb is a wonderful addition to your collection!
Besides, it's super easy to grow and makes tons of babies that you can share with other gardener friends :)

We sell the dried leaves at the shop, it's very popular for treating styes & other ailments~

Happy Gardening!

RHUBARB PUNCH RECIPE

I used a clear glass bowl inside this old enamel pot that belonged to my significant others grandmother. This punch is so good and easy to make. Please visit my blog (hennypennyscountrystore.blogspot.com) for the recipe. I also have diced rhubarb fresh frozen in 2 lb. packs for sale in the shop. I have rhubarb punch made to sample in the shop this weekend, June 26 & 27, and next July 3 & 4. Hope y' all can come by and visit.

OH NO!

My thyme plant has a lot of blossoms but it is very spindly. I better amend the soil---just wait til you see the next picture. And I'm wondering where all the bees are! I want to do a flagstone path around the shop and fill in-between with thyme (mother-of-thyme?) plants and never did because of the bees. I won't have to worry about that now, will I?Here is that other picture I mentioned above! What a sorry sight. This is really a tomato plant.
All there is is a stem and a yellowed leaf and a tomato. I wonder if it is safe to eat! I planted 4 tomato plants in this garden and 2 look like this. The other 2 look a little better but not much. I'm wondering if the mulch I put on is too strong. We got a huge load of horsemanure that has wood chips mixed in. Maybe it needs to age more. We have had the manure for a good 9 months now, and I thought that would be enough aging time. Oh well, garden and learn---I always say!

Comfrey & Lovage~

Your Comfrey & Lovage Plants bring back memories!!
My mother is a medical herbalist and I grew up with lots of common (and not so common) herbs growing in the gardens~

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) has always been a very important herb for healing. We've used it for over 30 years in our "Magic Healing Salve" and mom always brought in a few leaves to her students for herb identification. She would show them a Comfrey leaf and a Foxglove leaf and see if they could identify which one was which. Most students couldn't tell the difference~ Her point was that if you mistake Foxglove for Comfrey you could become very sick. She would tell the story of an old couple that thought they were cook'n up a big pot of Comfrey tea, when actually they were using Foxglove leaves and they both died.....Don't know if the story was true but it always got thru to the students how important Herb identification is :)

Mom had a Comfrey plant growing that was actually named "Humpfrey"
If your going to plant comfrey you better plant it where you want it to grow forever because you can NEVER transplant it! It will always come back in that original spot~
Humpfrey was dug up many times and still managed to pop up again, the only thing that stopped "him" from growing was building an addition onto the house and covering him up for good!
Poor Humpfrey :)

GARDEN WALK

This is my son Cody the Snakehunter. Our old farmhouse sat empty for 9 or so years before we bought it and there are a few old gardens scattered about. I have been trying to clear them out little by little, looking for salvageable herbs and flowers. I found lemonbalm, grapevine (there's even an arbor), elderberry, daylilies, daffies and a snake in this one. This snake is probably just a common garden variety, I didn't get a good look at it, but I'm guessing it's 3-4 feet long. Well, the plants are 2-3 feet tall and Cody is using an old garden tool moving the plants around trying to find the snake. It must have slithered away---we never saw it again. So anyways, when we first moved here a small snake used to sun itself on the backporch which is only 4 feet from the garden. My guess is that this little snake has grown up. I also found (in another garden) raspberries growing wild in with my feverfew. I don't know what happened but the feverfew has grown 4 feet tall this year. And in yet another wild garden, the church groundskeeper did some weedeating and chopped 15-20 berry plants down to the ground. Well, they grew again and I dug them up yesterday and will make a new berry patch somewhere else. A row of bright yellow yarrow ready for cutting and drying. These will also rebloom again for more dried bunches.

I love this herb, its called comfrey. Russian comfrey to be exact. It bushes out at the bottom and makes a nice clump. Then the flower spikes grow another foot or 2 taller. I have used this plant as a hedge around an herb bed before.

Has anyone ever used lovage? This herb is the PERENIAL answer to celery. It grows as a big clump and then the flower spikes grow to 8 feet tall. The flowers look like the wild carrot flowers that are blooming now along the roadsides. The lovage leaves are great to use for celery flavor in soups and dips and on sandwiches. Sometimes fresh herbs are too strong to eat whole leaves but not lovage. If you use the leaves in soup, you have to add the leaves towards the end of the cooking time, otherwise the flavor cooks away. The stems are real thick and hollow, they make great straws (especially in Bloody Marys). This spring I didn't have a chance to pot any babies to sell----but----its not too late yet. I am going to transplant this big plant soon and will pot some up then.

IT DIDN'T RAIN TODAY.........YET

Sorry to be such a downer but geez oh man.....enough with the wet stuff! The yard has deep ruts in it where the mower wheels just sunk into the mud. The herbs (and weeds) are growing TOO FAST - except my dill.....I don't think he likes this weather at all. AND poor Rosemary - she doesn't like to get her feet wet as it is....and is standing in puddles!!! The only good thing is that the weeds will be easy to pull out!!!

I love your Lady's Mantle Andrea....I think Ginny has a nice patch planted too.....I wanted to get some plants this year and completely forgot....I think the flowers are so beautiful...the color is so unique..a pretty yellow-green...and what beautiful "herbal bouquets" they make !

The wild "tiger lilys" are blooming all along our roadsides and I think they love the rain!!!

I started to harvest some of the herbs from the garden at the store.....I love this herb rack that Tony made ( I have them in the store for sale)...it was on the cover of the October, 1983 Country Living magazine and I fell "ga-ga" over it ! Tony made me one for the house (way back then) and now I have some at the store....!!!

Lady's Mantle

Morning Everyone~

Love the "Fairy Dust" Judy!

I was out in the Gardens this morning and thought I'd share a few pics with you~

The Lady's Mantle is is bloom~



This herb looks beautiful cascading over a stone wall or edging a Garden! I use it a lot in the background when I'm taking pictures of my Beauty products. It reminds me of something you'd see in the old Victorian Gardens~ Real easy to grow too!

Here's another herb that I absolutely LOVE! This Thyme is called "Ruby Glow"~
This is the second year it's come up and so far it's been very hardy, filled with compact leaves & FULL of bright "ruby" colored blossoms~



Thanks for letting me share~
Andrea

GARDEN FAIRIES...

Hi Anne.....I think my fairies wanted to meet yours.....
I have to get busy and get the lavender harvested too....I was hoping to try my hand at making a lavender wand.....don't know why I think this is so difficult when the directions seem so easy....Might do that tomorrow too !!!

Hi Everyone

Thanks for the nice welcome Judy. :)


We had quite a bit of rain here in CT too last week. My gardens look nice and green though and everything is thriving, including lots of weeds. I love to take pictures of my gardens so I hope to share a lot in the future. I've never shared on a group blog like this before so until I learn my way around here better I'll just share this one picture for now. These are the two little fairies that I found hiding in my lavender.




This picture was taken a few weeks ago, and now all my lavender plants are in bloom. I picked some this morning and added them to a vase with some roses. Oh my they smell lovely. I'll gather more during the week for drying.

WELCOME ANNE...

Hi Everyone....Anne from Backyard Treasures has just joined our blog....HI ANNE and WELCOME...do you have some pics to share???
Oh my as I sit here and type I am watching a baby bunny eat my parsley....he is so cute....it is a big patch so I will share it with him.....!!! ooopsss...there he goes !!!
My herb garden is completely out of control now...today we had lots of sunshine in the morning and then the rains came...flooding downpours....it is still raining. I don't mind a summer drizzle but this is getting olde !! IF (and that is a big if) it is not raining tomorrow I will just cut down the lemon balm and feverfew - sage is not quite ready...and the mint and hang it to dry. I have a nice batch of catmint too...I want to get it before it flowers and goes to seed ! It is a bit frustrating right now. And I am sure the rain has beat down the dill....I did pick some yesterday- I love dill in my salads.
Andrea.....I am sick I didn't pick the larkspur...it looks so pretty in the flower beds....but I wanted to dry it for potpourri....and this rain today...YIKES !! If it is still standing tomorrow and not bare of flowers....I am picking it for sure!!!!

WEIRD WEATHER FOR HERBS AND FLOWERS

RAIN RAIN RAIN....HOT HOT HOT....MUGGY AND DAMP !! One minute the herbs are just about growing and the next they are on their way to flower....hard to keep up with everything! I harvested some Italian oregano, golden oregano, dill and lavender today - and put them in a pot of water to sell. (the golden oregano already sold) !!

Here is a picture of the Fairy Garden I made in class on Saturday....I have so much fun doing these classes !! Planted is Rosemary, Oregano and Mother of Thyme (the fairies favorite!)

Potpourri

Judy~
Same thing is happening with my Peonies! I've been meaning to cut them and hang them to dry, but of course they looked too pretty and now it's raining and they are soaked~ they'll probably turn brown soon too :(

Another thing about the Larkspur (or anything you dry) it looks great sprinkled inside a gift basket or in with items that are packaged in cellophane. Sometimes it's the perfect "finishing touch"



Yes, I wholesale my potpourri. Feel free to contact me thru my website and I'll set up a wholesale account for you. Or I'd be happy to send you an old fashioned "Print" catalog~

Andrea

BEAUTIFUL POTPOURRI...

Andrea - your Crow Potpourri is beautiful....I can't believe I never thought of drying just the flowers - I usually make bunches and haven't made my own potpourri in "forever and a day" ! I did pick lots of lavender stems on Sunday and have them drying....but missed the one plant as it wasn't ready Sunday and by the time I got back to the store yesterday it had flowered....can harvest a few stems - but now we are having RAIN AGAIN !!
Do you wholesale your potpourri??? Judy

Dried Larkspur

Beautiful Larkspur Judy!
If you've never dried the flowers ~ you should try it!
They really keep their bright blue color! I have them in my Country Crow Potpourri :)


Andrea,

LARKSPUR ...

The Larkspur is starting to bloom in the front gardens at the store....it just comes up wherever it pleases! I just found a plant in the herb garden on the other side of the building...!! I am always giving these seeds away so if you want some just holler and I will be sure to gets some to you when they are done blooming. I pick the flowers but they do not last long after doing so....but I love the way they fall onto the table underneath the other blooms....always reminds me of an olde painting. Silly aren't I !!!