These trilliums are blooming at the park, so I'm guessing they are blooming all over.  This is a Red Trillium, also called Toadshade, or my favorite:  Sweet Betsy.  Not sure why it's called Sweet Betsy, because it isn't sweet (smelling) at all.  The National Audubon  Society field guide to Wildflowers describes the flowers as "carrion-scented."  Hmmm.

 

Anyway, we love it when the trillions of trilliums bloom.  they make us smile.

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

Remember I told you that garlic gets planted in the fall?  Well, we planted a couple rows of garlic cloves last October, and this is how they look now.  They are all up about 5 inches; and even though there is some yellowness on the leaves, I am happy with their growth.  We will watch them grow for another three months, then harvest garlic.  

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

Here we go again:  clumps versus individuals.  

 

This is Lemongrass.  I have grown it from seeds the last couple years.  Even on the seed pack, it says less than 50% germination rate.  So I just plant extra seeds to be sure.  

 

Stay tuned, because later in the season I will show you lemongrass when it is full grown.  It fills up a 14 inch pot, and the leaves are over 16 inches long.  It develops into an awesome plant, and, it acts as a mosquito repellent.  Can't beat that!!!

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

How about a little trip to Miss Gerry's Garden Center?

 

Here is Chinese Pink Celery transplanted into 6-packs.  The top right plant is a single stem.  The others are planted in clumps.  I am just trying it both ways to see which ones work best.  Not all plants do well planted in clumps, Marigolds for instance.  They want to be their own individual.  But I think some of these tiny seedling things might do well in clumps.  I'll let you know.

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!! 

 

Sunshine for you!!!

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

They are everywhere!!  And they are blooming NOW!!!  There are several in the park, and we love them.  

 

I hope you see some in your travels, because they are beautiful.  They always make me smile.

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

Now HERE is a patch of dandelions.  Aren't they great?  I love them.  OK, it's true, I don't let ALL dandelions stay.  When they are in the garden paths they have to go, but these near the front door can definitely stay.  

 

They are so cheerful, and the bees and butterflies love them too.  

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

We are trying something new this year:  this is German Chamomile.  Of course, we've all had chamomile tea, but I've never seen it growing.  So I splurged and spent $2.35 for a pack of 800 seeds.  Boy were they tiny!!!  

 

They germinated within a couple days, and the seedlings were so tiny that I transplanted them in clumps.  We will see...

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

 

 

Tis the season for the return Rhubarb.  I noticed that ours is coming back, and it is gorgeous!!!  We've had this rhubarb for over ten years, and we just keep dividing it, and passing it along to our gardening friends.  I hang on to one or two plants.

 

When you buy rhubarb at the farmers market or in the grocery store, you don't get to see the leaves.   The LEAVES get tossed  because they are TOXIC.  They contain enough oxalic acid that in the past they were used to scour burned pots and pans.  Yeah, no thanks.  I will stick to SOS.

 

Anyway, the red or green stems are delicious cooked down like apple or cranberry sauce, or turned into rhubarb pie.   I hope you get to try it sometime.  

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went out to the garden last week to see what's happening out there, and look who I saw coming up:  cilantro.  There are about 20 tiny seedlings out there.  Fingers crossed that March doesn't decide to "go out like a lion."

 

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!