(Via Idaho Gardener)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-08-24, 23:46:25

Huckleberries could be the reason Idaho is called the Gem State. Wild mountain huckleberries are definitely precious edible gems. They are part of the great Uber Garden plan of the Universe. A gift from a higher minded being. Definitely a gift.

Wild huckleberries are so incredibly aromatic it is hard to describe them. If they were a piece of music, they would be Ode to Joy. The wild mountain huckleberry, vaccinium membranaceum, is, in the author’s very humble opinion, one of the most intensely flavored berries in existence. They smell and taste exotic. When they are ripe, they are a purplish red color and are about the size of shelled garden peas….if you are lucky. Many are smaller but they pack so much fruity essence into their very small size, they are worth their weight in gold.

Beg, wheedle or cajole a seasoned Idahoan to take you huckleberrying. Most of the best berry patch locations are held pretty close to the vest, i.e, guarded secret information. If they tell you they’ll probably have to kill you. That said, if you get to go along, if you are not skeered of bears, if you can scamper up a hill or two, and manage to get any in your bucket instead of eating them all, you might come home with a fabulous reward.

I am one lucky lucky girl. A friend of mine went huckleberrying this week. Last night, JP bestowed upon YOURS TRULY, his very humble and adoring friend, a one pint bag of fresh huckleberries!

No one has ever handed me a bag of fresh picked wild huckleberries. Ever. I am almost paralyzed as to what to do with them other than wax poetic over them, smell them every couple of hours, and stare at them. I am thinking huckleberry daiquiris. Or I could make them into a jammy sauce to ladle generously over fresh cheesecake. How about over a warm piece of pound cake? Make that a scoop of French vanilla bean ice cream. JP, I’ll be your huckleberry!

Huckleberry Daiquiri

3 tablespoons white rum

3 tablespoons crushed/mashed or pureed huckleberries

a splash of lemon or lime juice (to taste)

1/4 tsp. superfine sugar (start with a little sugar, some berries are sweeter than others)

Shake with ice, and pour into a glass. Some folks like to strain them. I want all the berry goodness.

For more info: U of I Research Center in Sandpoint Idaho. as well as the Western Huckleberry and Bilberry Association in Weippe, ID.

Post from: Idaho Gardener

Ah’ll be your huckleberry!

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-08-24, 22:28:00

(Via Gardening Question of the Day (from The Old Farmer's Almanac))

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-08-24, 19:00:00

I'd like to start some pansies by seed. When is the best time to do that? (answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

(Via Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-08-24, 14:44:58

The sheer fact that this title prompted you to read this post is a small window exposing that you probably do care what your neighbours think about your post - or maybe you had nothing else better to do. I'll assume the former and try to answer how it is that we can petition our neighbours to respect us, as gardeners, and our gardens.

If you're an approval addict, like me, then getting the respect of your neighbourhood for your gardening achievements is possibly a deep-seated motivation. You long for people to take you seriously in this hobby and casually hope to overhear whispers where your name, your garden, and the phrase "I wish my garden was like hers" are mentioned in the same conversation.

And it's not an atrocious desire to have, yet if it's your only motivation for gardening then you may want to book yourself in for a few counseling sessions.

So, in this post I'm going to assume that you have a healthy appetite for earned respect. While you garden for yourself and the sheer enjoyment of it you also hold a desire for others within your location to appreciate your art - and as a garden artist, I think it was Kim who I first read coining the term, we love our masterpieces to be admired.

How do you earn the respect of those around you?

These days it seems like a border of spring/summer flowering bulbs and annuals won't "cut the mustard" as it did in previous decades. People are more in tune with the environment and taking steps to ensure its well-being. So, watching someone pour chemical fertiliser and pet-harming snail pellets over their garden is likely to evoke feelings of angst rather than admiration.

The longer I garden the more of an education I receive and in some ways I'd like for my garden to be educational to those around me. I desire to always be on the cutting edge of making my yard sustainable, yet comfortable, and still a canvas of colour and beauty. If those who view it were to capture any part of that then I would feel that my efforts were rewarded.

And part of being respected is found in respecting others. Am I willing to learn from the lady down the street? Or do I diss her garden because it doesn't fit my preferred gardening style? I think most people who tend their gardens, whether they call themselves gardeners or not, have something to offer and I believe that I will only earn their respect when I take time to consider, and accept, some of the tips and suggestions they propose.

But the big question isn't whether the non-gardening fraternity will accept our artwork but instead those who have some garden acumen are possibly the people we most likely seek for some kudos. Admittedly, who wouldn't want some gardening celeb to phone you requesting an interview? Or, the head of Kew Blotanical Gardens to seek you out requesting your opinion on some garden-related matter? We all would.

I've come to the point in my gardening journey where enjoyment of the small things ensures others' admiration of the big things. And usually it's only the big things they see - the micro is often overlooked. Therefore, my attention to detail in making my compost, as an example, has become the basis of my garden. If I can get that right then the rest will follow: my soil will be productive, my plants - healthy and my flowers - abundant.

The activities that others don't see will become the reason why they will respect me as a gardener and, hopefully, my garden.

But I could be wrong. What are the factors that you think gain respect for you as a gardener? I'd love to hear your thoughts and continue the conversation.

(Via Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-08-24, 14:44:58

The sheer fact that this title prompted you to read this post is a small window exposing that you probably do care what your neighbours think about your post - or maybe you had nothing else better to do. I'll assume the former and try to answer how it is that we can petition our neighbours to respect us, as gardeners, and our gardens.

If you're an approval addict, like me, then getting the respect of your neighbourhood for your gardening achievements is possibly a deep-seated motivation. You long for people to take you seriously in this hobby and casually hope to overhear whispers where your name, your garden, and the phrase "I wish my garden was like hers" are mentioned in the same conversation.

And it's not an atrocious desire to have, yet if it's your only motivation for gardening then you may want to book yourself in for a few counseling sessions.

So, in this post I'm going to assume that you have a healthy appetite for earned respect. While you garden for yourself and the sheer enjoyment of it you also hold a desire for others within your location to appreciate your art - and as a garden artist, I think it was Kim who I first read coining the term, we love our masterpieces to be admired.

How do you earn the respect of those around you?

These days it seems like a border of spring/summer flowering bulbs and annuals won't "cut the mustard" as it did in previous decades. People are more in tune with the environment and taking steps to ensure its well-being. So, watching someone pour chemical fertiliser and pet-harming snail pellets over their garden is likely to evoke feelings of angst rather than admiration.

The longer I garden the more of an education I receive and in some ways I'd like for my garden to be educational to those around me. I desire to always be on the cutting edge of making my yard sustainable, yet comfortable, and still a canvas of colour and beauty. If those who view it were to capture any part of that then I would feel that my efforts were rewarded.

And part of being respected is found in respecting others. Am I willing to learn from the lady down the street? Or do I diss her garden because it doesn't fit my preferred gardening style? I think most people who tend their gardens, whether they call themselves gardeners or not, have something to offer and I believe that I will only earn their respect when I take time to consider, and accept, some of the tips and suggestions they propose.

But the big question isn't whether the non-gardening fraternity will accept our artwork but instead those who have some garden acumen are possibly the people we most likely seek for some kudos. Admittedly, who wouldn't want some gardening celeb to phone you requesting an interview? Or, the head of Kew Blotanical Gardens to seek you out requesting your opinion on some garden-related matter? We all would.

I've come to the point in my gardening journey where enjoyment of the small things ensures others' admiration of the big things. And usually it's only the big things they see - the micro is often overlooked. Therefore, my attention to detail in making my compost, as an example, has become the basis of my garden. If I can get that right then the rest will follow: my soil will be productive, my plants - healthy and my flowers - abundant.

The activities that others don't see will become the reason why they will respect me as a gardener and, hopefully, my garden.

But I could be wrong. What are the factors that you think gain respect for you as a gardener? I'd love to hear your thoughts and continue the conversation.

(Via Country Gardener)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-08-24, 13:38:00

(Via gardenauthor)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-08-24, 08:52:00

(Via An Iowa Garden)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-08-24, 06:06:00

I suppose (rather, I KNOW) I can seem a bit of a nag when it comes to telling people what they ought to be growing in their gardens, but if you're not growing Hepatica acutiloba (now Hepatica nobilis var. acuta), then you're just losing out, and I mean to change that.
I don't think there is a single other plant in our garden that gives so much in return for so little required care... all it asks is a modest little shady spot, and to be left alone. Right now it's leathery, shiny green foliage is looking great, and as the gloom and cold of fall descend on us, that foliage will turn to a deep plum color, and it will persist all winter, until the plant puts up clouds of fuzzy flower stalks in spring.
We're at the western edge of this little hepatica's natural range, and it's much less common here than the round-lobed hepatica. I've seen it said that acutiloba prefers growing in the wetter ravine bottoms, but can't vouch for that personally, as I seem to see it more on the shady north sides of hills. It's flowers range from white to pink to lavender, and in the woods I see some really stunning colors, and leaves that can be quite variegated.
I have my plant growing in a spot so shady that the hostas there are dying out, yet the hepatica just gets bigger and better every year. So, grow it in your garden (or I'll hold my breath)!

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-08-24, 02:09:00

(Via Idaho Gardener)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-08-23, 23:53:46

Good grief. I am going off on a rant here. The ranties over at Garden Rant will appreciate it even if you don’t.

I ask you, isn’t there a better way to spend $70,000 than to have someone install a high end potager/kitchen garden? “Plots as edible showplaces” is what the Wall Street Journal called the idea in an article “the Vegetable Garden goes Luxe.” Indeed. Yes, and then you let the stable workers, landscaper or limo chauffeur eat the produce. Damn, now isn’t that altruistic? And get this, these gardens are “installed at second homes they rarely visit…”. Yes, and one woman asked for her $50K veg patch instead of diamonds or a European vacation. Sounds like a true trade off to me. Shhhhhheesssh. Oh yeah, and sometimes she “catches guests admiring her produce. ”

Now this brings to mind the $180K community garden in San Francisco.

.

Rumor has it the the garden will be bulldozed in October. Would someone do the math on this for me? If 100 square feet of garden space will feed one person, and if we can determine how many square feet of garden space there is in front of San Francisco’s city hall, then we can figure out how much $180,000 buys in terms of produce.

Then, my pal Robin, or Bumblebee, the Garden Examiner over at Examiner.com, posted about this wonderful pair of farmers in Portland OR, and their video, Cooking Up a Story. These gardening gals install small gardens in people’s back yards, replacing the useless turf with productive veg patches, give the homeowner a share of the produce and the rest goes into the CSA program. Brilliant. And it didn’t cost $50K.

Then of course, there is my good neighbor, Bill Meeker, head honcho gardener at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship garden where, last year, on a third of an acre, with only volunteer help and a very small budget, they raised 20,000 pounds of food and fed over 4000 people. My hort fund raising group helped them out this year and hopes to help for many years to come. Bill want to go big, maybe two and a half acres. Oh, and he would like to add a hospital for folks who can’t afford the institutional medical system. (VIneyard already has a school and clinic).

Go ahead, read between the lines. People are fed up instead of being fed, got a problem with that?

Post from: Idaho Gardener

Sure, I’ll take a couple of those.