We drove through the church parking lot the other day, just to see what's in bloom.  They have the most fabulous landscaper:  there is always something interesting to see there.

 

The weeping cherries are already leafing out, the Phlox is lovely, and the Redbuds are totally spectacular.  But what really grabbed me was this Rosemary in bloom.  My Rosemary has 4 flowers on it, so I figured this one would be blooming too.  Just look at it!!!  There are blossoms on nearly every stem.

 

Of course you know that you can eat Rosemary;  it's a fabulous herb.  Did you know that the flowers taste just like Rosemary?  Salad stuff, right there.  Pretty and tasty.  If you want to grow Rosemary in your garden, plant it in full sun.  The deer don't bother it, and you can utilize the leaves and flowers in your kitchen.  

 

One thing I have learned about Rosemary is not to add it to flower arrangements.  Most other flowers don't get along well with the volatile oil that we love.  So if you want Rosemary in a vase, use it by itself.  Or...there're always pretty silk flowers that won't mind being with Rosemary.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

I am SO glad our Five Forks neighbors planted this tree in their yard.  Such a beautiful early spring bloomer.  You can see it on Five Forks Drive on the left as you start through the SSS curves.  

 

It is Saucer Magnolia, Magnolia soulangeana.  Same family as the giant Southern Magnolia, but these trees are deciduous.  They bloom before they leaf out in Spring, really setting off their gorgeous blooms.  They grow 20-25 feet, and produce 5-10 inch tulip shaped blossoms, ranging in color from white to dark rose purple.  They are beautiful to look at, and are also frangrant when in bloom.  

 

There are several deciduous Magnolias, and they are available in our local garden centers.  Now is the time to choose one, because you can see what color it will be when it blooms.  Kinda like buying azaleas; definitely get them when they are in bloom; that way you know what color you're getting.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!! 

 

 

 

Our beautiful Redbuds are in bloom.  I love these trees.  We planted two of them 15 years ago, and about 10 years ago one of them died.  So we just had this one big one.  Well, one year there was a profusion of seeds, and one flew across the driveway and planted itself in the most perfect spot.  So now we have two again, both beautiful and healthy.  I love that kind of self-seeding:  strategic!!!

 

Cercis canadensis, or Eastern Redbud is native to eastern North America.  The medium-sized trees (25-35 feet) grow along the edge of the woods, often reaching out for the sunlight.  This time of year, you can see them all along the highways, showing their gorgeous fuchsia-colored flowers.  In the next couple weeks they will start to leaf out with heart shaped leaves, and kinda lose their showiness.  So look for them now.  

 

Redbud is also available for purchase at all the garden centers, and not that expensive.  Get one and plant it in your yard.  Then you can enjoy it every spring.

 

Earlier this week, we made butternut squash soup, and sprinkled some redbud flowers on top.  It was beautiful.  The flowers are edible, and have a slightly lemon taste.  Not big taste, but you can eat them.  We add them to soups and all kinds of salads for the two weeks they are in bloom.  After that we just have to wait til next year.  

 

I hope you see some Redbuds in your travels.  Remember the rules of foraging if you decide to collect some flowers to eat:

 

#1. POSITIVELY identify what you are picking before you touch it, and especially before you eat it.

#2. Don't trespass on private property.  No plant or flower is worth litigation.

#3. Avoid plants that are growing near busy highways or farmland, they probably contain pollutants that you don't want to ingest.  

#4. If there is only a small amount, leave it.  If there is a lot, take only what you will use.

 

#5. If you really want to try a little bit of redbud flowers for your salad, just come over to our house, I'm always happy to share.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

LOOK!!!  Our Peach trees are blooming.  We have two.  The past few years we've gotten lots of peaches.  Some years we get NONE.  It all depends on the weather.  They bloom the end of March, and if we have a frost while they are in bloom, they drop the flowers.  But if they get pollinated while in bloom, they usually set fruit.  

 

So these next few days are crucial.  We'll  just have to wait and see what happens.  I'll let you know.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

The Bloodroot is blooming at Meeks Park!!!  We love seeing it in bloom.  We make special trips there just to see this.

 

Sanguinaria canadensis, or Bloodroot is in the Poppy Family, and starts blooming in March.  The flowers open in full sunlight and close at night.  My Wildflower book says:  the red sap from the underground stem was used by Native Americans as a dye for baskets, clothing, and war paint, as well as for insect repellent. 

 

When you are walking in the Park, be sure to look for the Bloodroot.  They grow in colonies, and are all over the ground near the river.  The bright white flowers will catch your eye, and now you know what to call them.  

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

Walking in the park the other day, we saw a little patch of Periwinkles.  Had to get their picture.

 

This is Vinca minor, a low growing, perennial vine.  It grows in partial to full shade, and blooms in early spring.  Be on the lookout, you may see some.  Nancy has some in her garden, and there is also some near the Union County line, near daffodil hill, and this patch in Meeks Park.  Or get a few pots from the garden center, and grow your own.  Periwinkle is easy to grow and pretty, AND it's fun to say.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Look how inviting our entrance is right now.  

 

If you're here, you get to see it whenever you drive in or out, but for those of you who aren't here, this one's for you.  

 

WELCOME TO FIVE FORKS!!!

 

Look who we saw blooming last week at Meeks Park right inside the entrance, near the little pavilion.  

 

They are Weeping Cherry Trees, the first of the cherry trees to bloom.  By now, Mark and Karen's Yoshina Cherry is in full bloom, and next will be the Kwansan Cherries.  They are ALL beautiful.  

 

You can see them all around in your travels.  I always gasp for breath when I see them.  

 

SO BEAUTIFUL!!!

 

My beautiful Forsythia!!!  We can see it through the kitchen window.  This one is so close to the house that the deer leave it alone.  They browse all the others.  Oh well...

 

Forsythia is so easy to grow.  I just stick stems into a pot and some into the ground, and they grow!!!  A few years ago I wanted to transplant a big one, so we dug it out of the ground and chopped (using an axe) the root ball into four parts, and replanted all four bushes.  Now we have an arched string of Forsythia around our driveway.  Those are the ones the deer "prune" for us.  

 

I don't care, I just love them this time of year.  Sunshine everywhere.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Sorry to have misled you.  I've been misleading myself on this for years.

 

I was just looking through the Audubon Society Field Guide to Wildflowers, and realize that what I have been calling Bluets all these years are actually Speedwell, the genus name is Veronica.   Bluets are in the genus Houstonia.

 

They both have tiny blue flowers with four petals, and they both bloom this time of year.  I just lumped them altogether, calling them all Bluets.  Nope, not true.  They are two different genera from two different families.  I should have put the Seek app on them earlier.  Oh well.  Live and learn.

 

These are Houstonia, Bluets, and are scattered throughout our neighborhood.  Veronica, or Speedwell are the tiny blue flowers at the park, and the ones in the picture of the dandelion on Tuesday.

 

I love them both.  Sorry for the confusion.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!