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Pleasures From Our Earth – Pause, Enjoy, Repeat…

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Today I took the time to enjoy a few pleasures from the earth. It has been an unusually busy Spring and I know that in the midst of my busyness, I might have missed some of the early gifts from the earth. Now it is time for me to savor whatever daily treats I witness. To witness the garden evolve is certainly a treat that makes me smile from ear to ear, as I leave the Cottage and plan my hasty return. As summer gracefully dances in our midst, some blooms open as others begin their departing waltz. There is a fresh face to the pleasures this earth shares with us, unique to the seasonal moment. Unexpected buds, as well as blooms, have made my garden stroll much like a Christmas morning.Each fresh bud offers the promise of something beautiful. All blooms are not perfect, but unique to their own beauty and perfect for the moment at hand. This shell pink rose was tossed aside and all hope of it ever blooming was al but lost. I rescued it, loved it and it has continuously bloomed one bud at a time, faithfully for the past 4 years. Raindrops settle and linger on every petal, taking in the beauty up close and personal. How I wish I was in the midst of this rose. To savor the velvety feel of the petals, to sniff the gentle fragrance and wonder how anyone could have tossed this garden gem aside. When gifted with pleasures like this, one should be ever mindful of how we treat our earth daily. As the winter of 2016  ended, there were days when it was rather warm followed up with a period of colder temps. The Hydrangea was putting out the prettiest leaves as every gardener I know was working towards making certain that no buds were lost. Late season cold blasts can be detrimental for the Hydrangea…as well as the Gardener that loves them. Much to my delight, the pleasure of the prettiest conical blooms of the hydrangea can be seen throughout the grounds of The Cottage.To welcome the end of Spring with its diversity of buds and blooms, perfect or otherwise……is to welcome a new day, a new season and a special appreciation of the pleasures of the earth. Do you pause, enjoy and repeat in the gardens that are all around us?  I was once told that practice makes for near perfect situations.  I am approaching an Advanced Garden Pleasure Seeker status, as I practice this daily!

With Pleasure,

Teri, Cottage In the Court

Pausing for Tea….

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Sometimes a day comes that requires you to pause and just have a cup of tea. Why tea??? The relaxing qualities, aroma, health benefits and warmth as it is sipped with a certain grace, gliding down the throat…oh what a great feeling from within!! The warmth radiates throughout the body and all is right with the intimate world around you. My what a journey…at least in my mind.

Last Saturday I needed to escape fro it all, pause for a bit and decided to enjoy a cup of tea or two. I wasn’t really hungry, so no nibbles were required. I simply wanted to enjoy a hot cup of tea that perhaps had some positive benefits for my body and perhaps an uplifting fragrance for my spirit. I put the kettle on, grabbed a few new magazines and chose a long unused teapot and matching cup. I chose The Republic of Tea “Hibiscus Superflower Tea, a blend of Coconut bits, Nigerian Hibiscus flower, Rose Hips, and Stevia – as its proprietary blend. I gently steeped it for 5 minutes and eased into the moment….which turned into an entire day of oohing and ahhing over gardens in England and sipping a wonderful cup of tea.

Although I did not grow the tea for this day, it made me think of what herbs can be grown in the garden for tea. As we approach this year’s gardening season consider growing some herbs for a good cup of tea with benefits. A few of my flowering favorites are chamomile, bergamot, and borage. Borage has such a lovely blue flower and is considered to be an uplifting herb. A gorgeous star flower that adds sheer joy to a salad or in a cup of iced tea or lemonade. I like to see the blossom’s floating in a sea of pale yellow with a leaf of mint….just beautiful!!! A beneficial of having Borage in the garden other than for tea….it is a terrific bee attractant. It is like a bee alarm that goes off in the garden!!

There is also Bergamot. A wonderful bloom that resembles fireworks, however, it can be aggressive in the garden,  but easily maintained when tugged in time – keep an eye on this one!!! Using the leaves that emit a wonderfully sweet orange blossom fragrance, this herb is a native plant that has been used for many, many years. The oils found in the leaves offer a huge level of antioxidants. A calming tea best enjoyed ….whenever!!

Rose hips are another common item found in the garden. Those wonderful orange remnants of bloom found on the rose-bush offer flavonoids, lycopene, Vitamin C and VitaminA. Drinks can be made by crushing the rose hips and steeping them in hot water. All this beneficial goodness, found in the garden. Imagine that! Some other herbs to consider are most of the Mint family, Chamomile, Lemon Balm (delicious hot or cold) and Anise Hyssop.  Now before you go making all sorts of combinations as a cure-all, check with your doctor. Some herbs interact with medications or allergies.

ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR OR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL PRIOR TO INGESTING!!!

Steal a quiet Saturday for yourself, make time to pause to enjoy a cup or a pot of a delicious tea from the garden. You will be surprised at the joy that it will bring if you dry the leaves and store them to be enjoyed offseason.

Peace from the Cottage,

Teri

Philadelphia Flower Show…Ushering In Spring

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Ushering in Spring this year meant traveling to the Philadelphia Flower Show to embrace all that Spring has to offer…in advance.  Usually, I am either sponsoring or a participant on a bus trip to see the Philadelphia Flower Show. It has been an odd year of unanticipated changes, so I thought I needed to experience this Spring Advance Showing with a different set of eyes.  In a way, I am glad I did.I have visited the Philadelphia Flower Show for over 20 years and have never regretted going. Some of the themes were not appealing to me at the time, but when I look back, an exhibit, a vendor or a moment, always lingered in my mind….at least until the next show. To anticipate my personal Flower Show in my mind always starts with my yearly trek to the Philadelphia flower Show.This year, the theme was Holland. When I think of Holland…well bulbs naturally come to mind. All kinds of bulbs from Tulips to Daffodils, Muscari to Galanthus to Hyacinths – bulbs mean Spring no matter where you go.  This year’s Philadelphia Flower Show did not disappoint from the inspirational bulb displays to the creative combinations.  Distinctive displays shared how plant material, such as trees and shrubs, can be integrated into the Spring landscape and complimented by a underplanting of bulbs.Greeted by a phenomenal arch of assorted bulb combinations, the fragrance of spring, the fresh foliage filled the aired, causing the world outside to be a distant memory. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that some of the bulbs I would see were from a familiar vendor, Brent & Becky’s Bulbs out of Gloucester, Virginia. Such an awesome merchant with such a wide range of bulbs not just for Spring, but for any season.  There were some very soft, feminine, as well as bright, bold and colorful tulips, artfully arranged in diverse landscape interpretations.There were large displays with outrageous interpretations of landscape options.   Big displays, small displays, minimalist displays… and over the top displays. There was the theme of bikes, alternative means of transportation made beautiful simply by adding flowers. I also seemed to find a lot of wire and floral collaborations.  The diversity of bikes, wire and light bulbs…yes light bulbs, was uniquely integrated into inspirational floral fantasy. This yearly trek always includes a little shopping with the vendors located on site.  From a simple souvenir to ornamental flags to whip in the breeze in front of my house as a constant reminder of a wonderful day. Light shopping this year…but this year, it was all about the memory as well as the escape from the world as I know it. A limited edition pin, mug, GROW magazine, and key ring, were just what I needed. When I sip from my coffee mug at work, my smile merely reflects the memory of a great day at the Philadelphia Flower Show.The Philadelphia Flower show ushers in Spring and has for quite some time.  Quite honestly, I cannot imagine Spring without my yearly trek to be in the City where I can immerse myself and find the creative interpretation of all things Spring.  Thank you, Philadelphia Horticultural Society for all you do to help us embrace a new season, every Spring.

The theme for the 2018 Philadelphia Flower Show is Wonders of Water. Featuring how water is used in the landscape as well as creative features on sustainability and conservation….alas…something to dream about until next March. The show dates for the Philadelphia Flower Show 2018 are  March 3 – 11. See you there???

Diversity In Horticulture

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It’s February and I am celebrating diversity in horticulture.  Why now? Why this month? Why not always??  This is a question that I often wonder about as well. Diversity in horticulture seems to be the best-kept secret around.  Although, if you are willing to do the research, there is quite a bit of diversity in horticulture that we never hear about.  Growing up the most common name dropped when discussing horticulture and the African-American was our very own George Washington Carver.Seriously – who does not know about George Washington Carver??? There is so much more to this man than the peanut!!!  Born into slavery around 1864, George Washington Carver was encouraged to pursue an education once the slaves were freed, by Moses Carver (former slave master).  Taking advantage of this encouragement, George had to leave his little town in Missouri to further his educational pursuits, since African-Americans were not well received in Diamond, Missouri.

George studied piano and art at Simpson College around 1890 but went on to study at Iowa State as one of the first African-American students on campus.  How proud he must have felt to be welcomed as he continued his educational pursuits earning honorable degrees including a Masters in the field of Pathology and Mycology.  Never forgetting to take a little downtime, George’s artwork was shown at the World’s Fair in 1893. In 1896, George Washington Carver was named Director of the Agriculture Department at Tuskegee University in Alabama.  Mr. Carver was also an advisor to Mahatma Gandhi – what an honor that had to have been.  Their discussions on nutrition and agriculture were very important from a standpoint of how the African-American was regarded in those days. Even President Roosevelt was in conversation with and respected the research of George Washington Carver, as he was highly regarded as an Expert in Agriculture around the world.   Although many others profited off of George’s inventions (He thought his discoveries should be free to help all people), his efforts through dedicated research and discoveries are well-known today….and is it so much more than the peanut!

Why do we seldom hear about how African-Americans have contributed to horticulture? It is not a secret that there are many minorities who have contributed to this awesome field. Had more African-Americans been included into history as we know it, as we were taught in school and more than in the month of February, I feel certain that this would be a field that would be attractive to young people of all colors today.

We are not sharing the knowledge of the minorities who have contributed to the diversity that can be found in horticulture. I will be sharing more about the African-Americans that contributed to horticulture in the days gone by, as well as those currently involved in reconnecting us to the earth.

Do you know of a Minority in Horticulture that needs to have their story told??  I am on a mission to bring back a level of pride as well as diversity to the horticultural arena. Not that it does not exist, but the level of just how involved we are on this earth in a positive way needs to be highlighted outside of just our community.  Greater understanding comes with exposure, outside of our individual silos.  I have curated a Facebook page called Diversity In Green and I am inviting productive conversation and shared stories of how different cultures garden. Whether it be a story about how you garden culturally in your community,  if you grow specific things that culturally you eat, how your ancestors gardened, sharing a story of why you garden, sharing recipes that have been handed down from Big Momma or simple folklore about gardening culturally – join the page and let’s get this conversation started! We need to lift our voices and be proud of how we have contributed to everyday life.

As an African-American woman, I am proud to know that we certainly have made contributions to the horticultural arena and we continue to do so today.

Next – Did you know we had our hand in cotton – more than just picking it too!!

Please connect with us – Diversity In Green/ to share your story.

This is a global story as we are a global community…and I know there are stories to share. What’s your story??

If you would like to be a guest blogger with us contact us –  diversityingreen@gmail.com

Meanwhile, I am going to plant a border of peanuts to fix the nitrogen in my soil and have endless yellow blooms all summer! Thanks, George!!

Til next time,

Teri

 

 

 

Flowering Apricot…YOU CAN GROW THAT!

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As we approach the last days of winter….even though snow has been minimal, signs of the next season are becoming increasingly obvious every day.  I was looking for signs of life on the ground, in the form of a crocus or Galanthus nivalis,  when much to my surprise, above ground I found a gift – Prunus mume “Matsura Red”.

From the street, it looked like a dark fuchsia haze on this much-branched small tree. As I got closer, the buds – some tight and others unfurling – were strung like pearls gracing gnarly brownish-gray branches. In the midst of the fuchsia flowers, delicate yellow centers radiating beams of sunshine added additional beauty to these 1-inch blooms.

Prunus mume “Matsura Red” has been in cultivation for quite a while.  Native to Japan, with proper care it is known to be a long-lived tree. Grown in full sun to part shade in well-drained soil, this small tree will provide many hours of bird watching – the birds love it! Pruning at the proper time – immediately after bloom – to remove broken, rubbing or dead branches will enhance the beauty of the blooms for the following season. Considered a fast growing specimen,  achieving heights of 18 – 25 feet tall and a canopy of about 18 – 25 feet as well, the older these trees get, the more intricately beautiful the canopy becomes when looking at it from below.After bloom, a small, yellow edible fruit is produced.  This fruit is a tad bitter, but it is usually pickled in its native region of Japan.  I can only imagine that with the Chef’s of today, there are many alternative ways to enjoy the fruits of this beautiful Spring beauty either in desserts or accompanying the main dish.

One more virtue of this late winter flowering apricot is the delicate fragrance that wafts through the air from the fuchsia blooms. It smells like the embrace in the bosom of that great-aunt who just wants to hug you while smothering you with kisses. Not overwhelming, but a lingering, pleasantly familiar scent.

If you are looking for that long-lived, specimen tree with awesome late winter bloom and a scent that brings a smile to your face, try a flowering apricot – specifically Prunus mume “Matsura Red”.

YOU CAN GROW THAT!!! (AND YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID!)