The peas are blooming!!  That means we’ll have sweet peas soon.  These are called Sugar Magnolia Tendril Peas.  The tendrils are humongous, the flowers are purple, and the pea pods will be purple too!!  Sure makes it easy to see them.

 

So exciting!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

When I was taking the picture of the Ox-eye daisies, I saw these cute things blooming.  I had to look in the wildflower book for blue flowers, and found out they are Wild Blue Flax.  This perennial is related to the Common Flax (an annual) which is the source of the fiber for linen, and the seeds from which linseed oil is derived.  

 

This flax didn’t just happen to show up in my flower bed.  A few years ago I flung some old wildflower seeds around, and each year something new comes up.  I think I see some Black-eyed Susies in there too.  Very exciting.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

The Ox-eye Daisies are blooming all over the mountain.  They are so bright and cheery.

 

These are in my flower bed, and I can see them from the kitchen window.  I love that!!!

 

When they are finished blooming, I will cut off the spent blooms, and cut the greens back short.  They are perennial, and this way, they can stay in the flower bed, to come back next year.  I plant winter squashes at the edge of this bed, and they need room to sprawl.  Everybody wins.  I get sweet flowers AND squashes, all from the same little piece of earth.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I am so happy!!!  This winter we thought that the sage was a goner.  The Rosemary got hit by the cold, and the sage looked pretty awful too.   We had to start over with the Rosemary, but over the last few weeks the sage has made a comeback.

 

And now it is blooming.  YAY!!!  We use the leaves when cooking chicken and turkey, and the flowers get sprinkled on top of salads.  I have a friend who puts a little bundle of sage in a vase to serve with cheese at happy hour.  

 

We love our sage.  I am so glad it survived.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Look how pretty the Arugula is at this stage!!!  The whole bed isn’t bolting yet, but this bit is.  Wait, I’ll take another picture of the whole bed for you to see.  Be right back……

 

 

The plants in the front of the bed aren’t bolting because I harvest the leaves using a “cut and come again” method.  Instead of picking single leaves, I hold the tops of the leaves and cut just above the growing point.  That way, the plant continues to branch and grow, instead of growing straight up and going to seed.  

 

The ones in the back that are bolting:  are too far into the bed for me to reach.  Hahaha!!!

 

That’s OK.  We can eat the leaves in the front, and the plants in the back can go to seed, and we’ll have seeds for next year.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Looks like I didn’t get this into the garden soon enough.  This baby cauliflower is growing in a 6 pack with 5 other plants.  You can also see some unplanted kale, and Savoy cabbage.  

 

Oh well, I did get 6 cauliflowers, 6 Savoy cabbages and lots of kale into the garden.  They are all doing great, just not heading up quite yet.  I will show you when they do. 

 

Jon suggested that this is probably the world’s smallest cauliflower.  I wonder if there is a prize involved.  ;)

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Look at this beautiful thing!!!  My friend in Raleigh sent it to me 5 or 6 years ago, and it has bloomed every year since.  

 

It has 4 huge blossoms, and stands about 2 feet tall.  We had to stake it because it is so heavy it kept falling over.  Well, it fell over once, then we staked it.  

 

I just love it when the Amaryllis blooms.  Thank you, Betty.

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

Now for your viewing pleasure:  Mountain Laurel up close.

 

When we were walking in the park, we saw two ladies with two little girls.  One little girl had a branch of Mountain Lauren and the other little girl had a jar filled with Mountain Laurel flowers.  When we stopped to say hello (who can resist little girls walking in the park with Mom and Gramma?)  they both proudly showed their flower prizes.  I said, “Ooh, Mountain Laurel.”  And Mom and Gramma both said “Oh, is that what it is?  We are going to press the flowers when we get home.”  Sweet!!

 

I thought everybody knew Mountain Laurel, but apparently not.  I love the opportunity to share our beautiful mountain treasures.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

I know you’ve seen this before, but it is such a fun picture of me and our mother.  

 

Here’s a bit of history I read in the Farmers Almanac:

 

Mother’s Day was started by Anna M. Jarvis to honor her mother.  By 1911, all of the states in the union had Mother’s Day proclamations. And she was very clear that the holiday was to be called “Mother’s” Day (singular) —”to honor the best mother who ever lived—yours.”  In 1915, President Woodrow Wilson declared Mother’s Day an annual national observance.  

 

Here is the link, if you would like to read more about Mother’s Day facts, folklore, recipes, and ideas.  https://www.farmersalmanac.com/when-mothers-day

 

 

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!

 

 

Last week, I showed you Poison Ivy growing up the big oak tree down the hill, but I just realized that I only showed it to you from a distance.  I need to show it to you up close.

 

The other day when we were walking in the Park, I saw some Poison Ivy and Virginia Creeper growing side-by-side.  So I took this picture and marked it up when we got home.

 

Yellow circle shows Virginia Creeper (with its 5 leaflets.)  Red circle shows Poison Ivy (3 leaflets.)  See the difference?

 

Remember, you can shake hands with 5 fingers, but not with 3.  Stay away from Poison Ivy!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!