These lilies came here with us from Virginia, in 2004.  One of my students gave me a 4 inch pot with a single flower as a going away gift.  When we got settled in, we planted it, and hoped it would survive the winter.  

 

Well, it did.  In fact, I dug it up, and there were a whole bunch of bulblets, so we planted them too.  For the next few years they were beautiful every June.  Then the deer discovered that the beautiful flowers were edible and tasty, and we lost the ones that weren’t protected by a fence.

 

These live inside our “wild garden.”  The garden is fenced and is wild with Solomon’s Seal, Fire pinks, Bee Balm, Butterfly weed, Black-eyed Susies, and yes, wild with Virginia creeper.  I don’t love that, but it is hard to keep it out.  

 

So, now you can see how long Asiatic lilies last in our climate.  I have about five good plants still, and they bloom every June.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

I showed you radish flowers yesterday, and owned up to my gardening laziness.  

 

But I want you to see the seed pods too, these interesting green radish-like things.  My plants are covered in them right now, and they are sprawled across the walk path on row #3.  Don’t care.  We just walk around them.

 

And we love eating the little crunchy things in salads, or dipped in something cream cheesy.  Try growing some in your garden, they are delicious.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know you know what radishes look like in the grocery store, but do you know that they bloom and set seeds?

 

Radishes are in the Mustard family, and the part we usually eat are the roots.  Well, in order for the roots to grow to a size that’s fit to eat, the seedlings have to be thinned so that each little root has room to grow.  

 

I am a terrible thinner.  I love sowing the seeds, but thinning them is not my best thing.  So radishes in my garden never produce tender roots.  They go to seed, making the roots tough.  

 

Well, here’s the good news:  all those flowers and the small seed pods are all edible, crunchy, and taste just like radish.  And just think how much easier they are to clean than roots that grow in the soil.

 

So I still grow radishes, for the flowers and seed pods.  ;)

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

We saw this Fritillary enjoying the marigolds.  I guess she didn’t care that they weren’t planted in the garden.  

 

These marigolds are still in a flat waiting to be planted.  That’s my plan for today:  to plant 36 marigolds into the garden, and into a few pots.  You know, the deer don’t like them, so I can actually leave them unprotected.  I may even bring a few flowers inside to put in little vases.  

 

Marigolds make me smile wherever they are.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

For all our friends who can’t ride by the haybale, here is the latest one.  Patty arrived late on Friday, and the haybale was already done by Sunday, for us to enjoy a whole week before Memorial Day.  Sorry it’s taken me this long to show you.

 

Thanks Patty and Bill.

 

HAPPY JUNE!!!

 

Another sweet smell of summer:  honeysuckle.  It is blooming now too.  

 

Your nose will probably notice it first, then look around and you will likely find honeysuckle somewhere close by.  I love to pick off the open white flowers and add them to my water bottle.  Sweet!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Have you noticed the smell of summer in the air lately?  We have on our trips to Blairsville and Murphy, and on our walks around the neighborhood.  The Ligustrum is in bloom.  This is the deciduous one up near Bella Vista, and there are a couple other ones on Stonebriar.  

 

I love that smell.  It reminds me of youthful summers in Norfolk.  

 

Now that it is semi-officially summer, I hope you are out and about, and enjoying all the joys of summer.  

 

HAPPY “SUMMER!!!”

Picture from the Farmers Almanac 

 

Here is the link to the Farmers Almanac if you would like to learn a little more about Memorial Day facts and traditions.

 

 

Thank you Bill and Patty for the nice decorations.  The haybale and all the flags look great.

 

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

 

OK…Back to the garden.  Here is just a little bit of dill.  It is so easy to grow from seed.  We love dill.

 

And when I looked it up in Dr. Cass Ingram’s Super-Market Remedies, I learned that dill is not just pretty in the garden, and pretty on the plate, it has medicinal qualities.  Yep.  Dill is loaded with magnesium and potassium. So, it is more than just a garnish, it’s actually good for us.  Good for the heart and the brain.  Can’t go wrong there.  

 

We grow dill because it is beautiful and tasty, and now we know that it is also good for us.  LOVE THAT!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

You would think that Miss Gerry is obsessed with Poison Ivy.  And you’d be right.  I can spot it at 100 yards doing 45 miles an hour!!!  hahaha

 

This huge vine is blooming!!!  See the little clusters of green flowers?  Don’t touch it, but do look.  It is fascinating.

 

Anyway, I thought you’d also like to know that 100 percent of the answers to my test were the correct identification of Virginia Creeper and Poison Ivy.  I’m glad you all know which ones are ok to touch.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!