Perennial pursuits

The first daffodil of the year

Michigan is finally feeling a bit of Spring weather!  I changed plans, grabbed the old gardening shoes and left house cleaning for a rainy day!

I decided to tackle the front cottage garden as it was still full of leaves and old stalks.  The cottage garden was put in about 12 years ago and I have a variety of perennials, so it doesn't usually get cut back heavy in the fall because I still have blooming mums, asters and hydrangea.

Rhubarb is rearing it's ugly, but tasty head

I liken perennials to people while gardening, some have spread out a bit, some are getting thin on top.  A few are still as vital as the day I met them and others didn't return after a hard winter.  I always remember who shared which plants and send them a celestial "hello" or "miss you" and continue to dig.  I always remember someone's pleasure when given the promise of a blooming perennial.  It's the beginning of a long relationship.

There is still much work to do this Spring, but I will be amongst old friends, my flowers.

Toad has seen better days...guarding the garden pond

I am looking forward to adding some new rose bushes this year...http://www.teapotsandpolkadots.net/2011/04/riotous-roses.html  was such an inspiration and I have a couple roses that over winter reverted back to standard rootstock.  Maybe fuschia? Oh, the possibilities!!

The vegetable garden is being planned and plotted too.  It has scaled back in size over the last years, as my brother farms vegetables.   However, he refused to plant my favorite green beans and shallots.  Plus, I like to pick my own stuff...my lettuce tastes better than his!  My sweat, blood and tears give it a little "sumpin sumpin" extra.

The only chicks & hens I'll be raising this year!

I hope you are enjoying your gardening as well and give me a call if there's a perennial you're looking for....        

   

Gardening in the south bed

Doesn't it sound like I have an estate in England when I say that? That is not the case! (Today commenced the first day of "Graduation Party in 2 months, countdown nightmare".) My south bed is about 30 feet long and 15 feet deep and used to be a really sunny spot in my yard with many perennials. Time has passed and trees have shaded this bed, perennials have disappeared and some shrubs have been added. It was time to do an overhaul with what I had on hand.

I dug and hauled, replanted and moved, sat back and looked...not too shabby! The Clematis, roses, hydrangea, butterfly bush, red bud and wiegela are my anchors and everything else is filling in. I moved an immense amount of hollyhocks (cross your fingers they are happy) and dug out tons of lemon verbena.

I think I can add a few pots of creeping annuals around the rock border and viola! I do need new lavender plants, mine did not make it this winter, and I love them to bake and cook with it.

It was such fun to play in the dirt surrounded by blooming tulips and phlox, listening to the bees in the blooming redbud tree. I made fresh lemonade, put up the patio umbrella and listened to John swear at the rototiller! The sweet life!

Thought you might like our favorite lemon verbena recipe:

Raspberries in Lemon Verbena Gel

2 1/2 c water
1/2 c sugar
1 cup lemon verbena sprigs, lightly packed
2 tsp unflavored gelatin (that’s 1 packed minus 1/2 tsp)
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1 pint fresh raspberries

1. Heat 2 1/4 c water with the sugar in a small saucepan.
2. As soon as it comes to a boil, remove from the heat, stir in the lemon verbena and cover and steep for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining 1/4 c water and let it swell.
4. Strain the verbena syrup.
5. Stir the gelatin into the hot liquid until it dissolves.
6. Cool to room temperature.
7. Stir in the lemon juice.
8. Arrange the berries in dessert glasses.
9. Pour the gelatin over them and chill until firm.

These look beautiful in martini glasses, tall shot glasses or small, clear ramekins. Sliced fruit didn't make as nice of a presentation, but still tasted great!