I have a special love for all things that grow, whether they be furry or leafy. I have a particular passion for gardening. I’m even find weeding therapeutic! To me, a garden represents home and security, but also hopes and dreams.
Currently, I'm getting ready for winter, at my own little apartment and planning for next year's gardens
My Virtual Garden Contains:
I hope you enjoy it!
I love to cook, and there is nothing better to add to your favorite dishes than fresh culinary herbs. I'd love to plant garlic this fall as I use so much of it.
One of my favorite herbs is Basil. I'm especially fond of Lemon Basil. This is variety isn't available as a plant (that I have been able to locate). I am interested in growing Cinnamon Basil also. I haven't decided I'll be ordering my seeds from one of the fine companies listed on HerbNet or buying plants from a local nursery. I am definitly planning to use them as a focal point in an herb garden next spring. I also plan to include rosemary, thyme, parsely, cilantro, and tarragon
I believe that I will be planting an herb garden outside our patio. I've had success combining rosemary and English Thyme within a flower garden. I am quite fond of the mint family and have had many different varieties in my gardens. I've successfully grown catnip in a 5 gal container. I also will be using hanging baskets for spearmint, peppermint, and catmint to control their growth and make the most of my small space. The kids and I and look forward to having fresh mint for cocoas, teas, and icecream as well as fresh treats for Torak and Oreo, my two adorable cats.
I will also be planting herbs for my parents garden. The most important will be the Cilantro, also known as Chinese Parsely and corriander. We have a terrific salsa recipe, curtousy of Tony Lopez's mother, in which fresh cilantro is indespensible.
My favorite vegetables would be tomatoes. I know some of you are thinking... those are really fruits, but lets not go there. I planted Three different varieties in beds near the house, along with cilantro and marigolds this year. Our Golden Globe and Big Boys did so well in our garden by the house. The Jet Star tomatoes I meant to use for juicing didn't fare so well, but they were planted very late in a drought season. We will definitly plant Golden Globes and Big Boy next Spring.
My garden out back this year was a disaster! Between getting it in late and having so little rain fall, it just didn't do well. The deer also didn't help. They devoured the tomatoes, leaves and fruit, down to the stalks. They also loved the immature sunflowers and squash vines. About the only thing they left alone was the Broccoli, American and Japanese eggplant, and the hungarian and jalepino peppers. I am thinking of environmentaly safe ways to keep them out of the garden next year. If anyone has any suggestions, I could use help.
It's Autumn again. Time to dig up old bulbs spread, and replant them. And of course we get to plant new ones. I relocated the pink and red tulips as a border for our little patio flower bed. I added new varieties
Despite the drought, we had an outstanding rose garden at my mother's this year. We planted scarlet salvia and dusty miller to showcase our roses. To our already existing Peace and Gingersnap tea roses, we added a Brandy, Tropicana, and a Hungarian tea. The most outstanding in the collection is decidely the HUgarian rose. It has ruffled white petals tipped with pinks and reds. It has a heady fragrance that is undeniably Rose.
Something new I want to try is worm composting. This is a great project for kids to help with. You will need: a large plastic bin, a utility knife, soil, and newspaper.You can use earthworms, of course, but any kind of worms will do.
First you cut small holes near the bottom of the bin. Have your kids rip the newspaper into strips. Throw into a bowl. Add soil and a bit of water. You want the mixture to be just moistened, but not pasty or wet. Pile this mixture loosely into the bin. Introduce your worms to their new home.
You can now set your compost bin right under your sink. The worms won't leave their new home. Like all things in nature, they stay where they are comfortable. Feed your worms your organic table scraps and coffee grounds. In a few months, You will have a thriving colony of worms and compost to add to your garden. Just remember to save some of them for your next bin!
If your interested in herb gardening, check out HerbNet. It's well worth it! No matter what your gardening interests are, a site well worth checking out is the Garden Web. It contains a wealth of information on gardening, as well as virtual tours of world famous gardens. Also, try taking a walk through The Garden Gate.
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Last updated 03/14/99