Summer Days

Summer perfected is a drowse of bees and roses.

Helen Thomas

"truly listening closely to what another person is saying to us, can prevent us from misunderstandings and humiliation."

I have been warned off old roses by alot of people. They are prone to disease,

I am told, tempermental and touchy, scarcely worth the trouble. Old roses have character, and romance lingering in their pasts. They are like faded old beauties of Victorian and Edwardian country houses.

I love their names and their rarity and the paper- frail too.... I doubt if I shall ever be able to achieve the old rose garden I dream of, but I shall make a start.... Belle de crecy, duchesse d angouleme, felicite, parmentier, madame Hardy, wife of bath, Mousseline, old pink moss, all of them will have a place.... Albertine, of course. If there were only one rose in the world I should want to be it to be Albertine, that glorious cascade of pinkest pink. If I had a very high wall, I should like it tumbling over every inch of it.

Susan Hill

From " The Magic Apple Tree"

But when...thy roses came to me

My sense with their deliciousness was spell'd:

Soft voices had they, that with tender plea

Whisper'd of peace, and truth, and

friendliness unquell'd.

John Keats(1795-1821)

"from to a friend that sent me roses"

The Nasturtium is an edible flower that tastes great in salads.

The leaves are of interesting design and the flowers are bright in color. This plant is an annual. Nasturtiums grow very well in containers.

Perennial Herbs- Hyssop

Hyssop Is a good hedging plant and bee plant. Monks used it to flavour wine and liqueurs. Can

be dried and used in pot-pourri.

Salsa Cruda

Here's a great recipe for fresh salsa. It's also quick to make.

Ingredients:

3 large tomatoes, hand chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 tbs fresh minced cilantro

1 serrano chili pepper(seeded and chopped)

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1squeeze of lime

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl. If salsa seems too watery cook down for 10 to 15 minutes over low heat.

store in refrigerator for up to 10 days. serve at room temperature.

Just before serving, you can add cubed avocado if desired.

Tough Tomatoes for Extreme Conditions

Here are a few hardy tomatoes, that do well in different climate conditions.

Short Season:

Early wonder- Red round

Fireworks- Slicer

Glacier- Small red

Cold nights:
Bush beef steak- Beefsteak

Early Girl- Slicer

Yellow pear- Small size

Dry:

Green Grape- Cherry size

Porter: Small

Humid:

Brandywine- Beefsteak

Crimson- Slicer

Enter, then the Rose-garden when the first sunshine sparkles in the dew, and enjoy with thankful happiness one of the loveliest scenes on earth. What a diversity, and yet what a harmony, of colour! There are White Roses, Striped Roses, Blush Roses, Pink Roses, Carmine Roses, Crimson Roses, Scarlet Roses, Vermilion Roses, Maroon Roses, Purple Roses, Roses almost Black, and Roses of glowing gold. What a diversity , and yet what a harmony! Dwarf Roses and Climbing Roses, Roses that droop to the earth like fountains, and Roses that stretch out their branches upwards as though they would kiss the sun; Roses " in shape no bigger than an agate stone on the fore- finger of an alderman," and Roses four inches across; Roses in clusters, and Roses blooming singly; Roses in bud, in their glory, decline and fall. And over this perfect unity what a  freshness, frangrance, purity, slendour!

S. Reynolds Hole

Choosing Tomato Plants For Your Garden

When buying tomato plants for your garden, look for clean, dark foliage and a sturdy growth habit.

Do not choose plants that are blossoming, or have yellowing leaves at the bottom. This means the plant is stressed.

Tomatoes: Hybrids VS Heirlooms

Heirlooms aren't as productive, but they're tastier than hybrids. Heirlooms grow long and they have sprawling vines. They produce tomatoes continually throughout the growing season.

Hybrids often have disease resistance that heirlooms lack. If you've had tomato diseases in the past, hybrids are your best choice for plantings. Hybrid tomatoes also produce their fruits all at once instead of through out the summer like heirlooms.

For a variety of tasty tomatoes, try planting both hybrid and heirloom in your garden.

May I a small house and large garden have;

And a few friends, and many books true,

Both wise and both delightful too!

Abraham Crowley

Raddish

Radishes are cool weather brassicas grown from seed. The seeds should be sown as soon as possible so that the radishes are not bitter when harvested.

Radish are root crops so they need to be grown in loose, well drained soil, in full or partial sunlight.

Sow shallowly, cover lightly with soil and keep moist until seeds germinate.

After that they do well on there own. Once seeds have sprouted, thin to 2 inches apart.

Radishes will give you a sign when they are ready. They lift themselves up above the ground.

It's best to harvest them early for tenderness and sweetness. If harvested too late they will be hot.

Once harvested wash the radish and do not throw away their green tops. Instead wash the greens of the radish and saute them in a bit of olive oil, garlic, sea salt and pepper.

Radishes can be kept for a week in the refrigerator but best used as soon as possible.

They are delicious when sliced in salads.

You can also roast radishes to bring out their natural sugars.

Halve radishes, toss in olive oil, with a sprinkle of sugar(optional), then roast at 375 for 15 minutes or until tender with a fork.

Rugosa Roses

Rosa Rugosa var. Alba

Rugosa roses are the most disease resistant of all other species of roses. They have recurrent blooms, with healthy foliage.

I grow different species of roses in my garden and I have to admit my rugosa roses are one of my favorites. My bushes are very large. My rugosas are literally fuss free.

"Mrs. Doreen Pike"

Rugosas have highly scented blooms. The fall foliage ranges from golden yellow,burgundy, burnt orange, russet or a combination of colors. They also have colorful canes and hips in the autumn.

Their hips can be deep red, yellow and apricot.

"Therese Bugnet"

To obtain more flowers through the summer months, cut off spent blooms. Stop clipping the spent blooms in the late summer to let hips form in the fall.

Rose hips provide 8 times the amount of vitamin C than an orange. Hips can be used in jams, jellies and teas.

Rose hips have a flavor similar to apples.

Caring for rugosas is very easy. They need to be planted where they will receive at least 6 hours of sunshine. They need no spraying for black spot.

These roses will grow vigorously without any fertilizers.

"Blanc Double de coubert'"

There are many qualities to recommend the rugosa rose. They bloom profusely, they are carefree,and they will delight you with spicy perfumes.They have some of the strongest yet sweetest scents found in roses.

Rugosa rose bushes to consider:

Rosa rugosa var. alba;

White blooms, spicy scent, followed by orange hips and golden yellow foliage in the fall.This bush is almost always in bloom.

I have this bush in my front yard and it puts on quite a show from summer to late fall.

Mrs. Doreen Pike;

Warm pink blooms with frilly petals.

Therese Bugnet;

Double red blooms, fading to pink. Very hardy with colorful red canes and a sweet scent.

Blank Double de coubert;

Double white blooms, Rich somewhat fruity perfume.

Bringing hummingbirds into your backyard

It's time once again to get outdoors, and enjoy the warm sunshine on our skin, while we plant our newest perennials, annuals, shrubs, vegetables, and fruit trees.

If you want to attract hummingbirds to your yard this season, try planting some of the shrubs and flowers I've listed below.

Red Penstemon:

These flowers will draw hummingbirds to your garden with their tubular glow of crimson red blooms.

zone 4-9

Blooms all summer long.

Dwarf Pomegranate:

A favorite among hummingbirds.

This tree has bright coral red flowers, perfect for growing on patios, in containers.

During cold weather keep indoors.

Zones 9-10

Variegated Weigela:

compact shrubs of pink and white funnel shaped blooms.

Flowers in spring and fall.

zone 4-9

Butterfly bush:

Will attract both hummingbirds and butterflies.

Blooms in late summer and gets large. must be cut back every spring.

zone5-9

Salvia:

Blue blooms. flowers in the summer.

zones 4-8

Honeysuckle:

Winter hardy tubular shaped red and gold blooms.

This is a vine.

zone 2-9



Peanut Honey Spread

Peanuts are a great source of protein, especially for vegetarians. Try this healthy delicious spread.  

Ingredients;
3/4 cup all natural peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon
This spread tastes great on whole grain toast and crackers. It can also be enjoyed in sandwiches.