source: scanned image from Victoria April 1995 In observance of Earth Day I am doing an ode to gardening. I fondly remembered the old Victoria magazine's features on gardening and decided to dig them out and see what images I could come up with. I have tore out these features and long since thrown the magazines away. If I knew the the date of the feature I have posted it here as the source, otherwise I don't know the date. source: scanned image from Victoria magazine This was from the magazine and it was also the cover of the magazine. If ever I get to visit England I would love to see a cottage like this. Isn't this rose bush magnificent! source scanned image from Victoria magazine Victoria magazine often took us to England. Here we get a bird's eye view of a spectacular manor house walled garden. source: scanned image Victoria magazine This image is one of the inspirations for my own kitchen garden. Here is a herb garden right out the kitchen door at another manor house. source: scanned image Victoria magazine Always enchanted by a path in a garden. source: image scanned from Victoria magazine Jan. '91 Victoria did many features on white long before I ever remember anyone else showing it. Here they featured an all white garden. source: image scanned from Victoria magazine Jan. '91 The white garden at night becomes a magical place as a moonlit garden. Now, here in my own yard the plants have been spilling over the walk and the flower border with abandon. I just this year have a rose garden. You don't have to spend a lot of money to have roses. I picked these roses up at Walmart last year. I would get a rose every week with the groceries. They only cost around $4 and some change a piece. I have four rose bushes and they have really been beautiful this week. Right out the back door in a shrub a mother robin has taken up residence to raise her young. Not wanting to disturb the nest, I stuck the camera above my head and aimed and caught a peak at the beautiful eggs. Sherry I will join: Show off Your Cottage Monday at The House in the Roses Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper Say G'Day Saturday at Natasha in Oz A Return to Loveliness at A Delightsome Life Your Cozy Home Party at Cozy Home Scenes
If you are an avid gardener or wish to have a potting shed for putting around, why not add one to your garden for a charming environment.
i couldn't resist sharing these lovely images from my stash. isn't this garden magical? *sigh i love that little stone shed, but...
Build a sunflower fort, a pizza garden, a pole bean teepee fort or create fun children's garden design ideas. Create fairytale garden with fairy wands
Inside a restored Gloucestershire rectory, decorated and furnished by interior designer Justin Van Breda.
Potager d'intérieur pour votre maison? Les plantes vertes sont très jolies et donnent d’oxygène, donc c’est très pratique de les avoir chez soi. Le potager d
Our magical visit to Monet's amazing gardens in Giverney and the best macarons in Paris!
In an extract from his new book, 'How to Create an Eco Garden’, John Walker explains how to turn an unassuming urban plot into an eco-friendly haven.
Country house in Pluckley, Kent, England by Sublime Digital
10 - 20 Inches 10 - 12 Inches 12 - 24 Inches 25cm - 51cm 25cm - 30cm 30cm - 61cm Features Light up any shady area with masses of blooms that resemble miniature rosebuds; no deadheading necessary, blooms spring to frost Award Winner Deadheading Not Necessary Characteristics Plant Type: Annual Height Category: Medium Garden Height: 10 - 20 Inches 25cm - 51cm Spacing: 10 - 12 Inches 25cm - 30cm Spread: 12 - 24 Inches 30cm - 61cm Flower Colors: White Flower Shade: White Foliage Colors: Green Foliage Shade: Green Habit: Mounded Container Role: Filler Plant Needs Light Requirement: Part Shade to Shade The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours). Maintenance Category: Easy Bloom Time: Planting To Frost Hardiness Zones: 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b Water Category: Average Soil Fertility Requirement: Average Soil Uses: Container Uses: Landscape Uses Notes: Use in landscapes, containers and combinations Maintenance Notes: Deadheading isn't necessary but removing spent blooms isn't harmful if you want to clean the plants. Rockapulco impatiens are very easy to care for, provide them with a shady location, give them a bit of fertilizer and don't let them dry out too much and they will be happy campers. The shouldn't need to be trimmed back, but can be pruned to shape them at any time. If they get too tall, you can cut them back to promote additional branching and a more compact habit. An application of fertilizer or compost on garden beds and regular fertilization of plants in pots will help ensure the best possible performance. Is there anyone who hasn't heard of Impatiens? They grow in shade; like warm weather; annual except in zones 10 - 11; have single or double flowers? Rockapulco, however, aren't your shade garden variety Impatiens. We're a new series from one of the world's best plant breeders. Rockapulco thrive in the hottest, most humid deep shade. Like inside a brick-walled courtyard in the Midwest or South. Each plant forms a symmetrical mound of dark green foliage 10 -20 inches tall. Within a few weeks, an endless profusion of double flowers creates an ever-blooming display of color. Appleblossom, Dark Orange, Orchid, Pink, Purple, Red, Rose, and White. We will Rockapulco your world. Professional Growing Information
Create your own personal list of top ten medicinal herbs, tailored to your climate and health concerns. Build a dream medicinal herb garden!
In our opinion, Babylonstoren hotel in South Africa comes close to paradise. It is one of those faraway places that gives you instant wanderlust. Its lates
The debate on whether a design is good or bad is a never-ending one. From terrible public space "solutions" to ideas so bad, it’s hard to believe someone came up with them, we've covered plenty of the latter over the years. So how about we balance out the scales a little bit?
Tout savoir sur la piscine naturelle
I. Introduction II. Tea: Black, Oolong, and Green III. Herbal Flavors IV. Health Benefits V. Techniques of Preparation VI. Harvesting, Drying, and Storage VII. Growing Herbs in Houston I. Introduction So, what's all this about teas and why are they so dang healthy? As usual, it's all about the chemistry. You basic “Lipton's” tea is loaded with a number of beneficial chemicals with the main class being known as "flavoniods". Most flavonoids work as antioxidants which is just a fancy way of saying they get rid of the bad, highly-reactive molecules (aka free radicals) in your body. These free radicals would normally bounce around ripping apart other necessary molecules, which is a very bad thing. Getting rid of the free radicals greatly reduces molecular damage to your cells, which is a very good thing. If all you want to do is protect your molecules from destruction then regular tea is fine. However, why stop there? How about adding chemicals that can perk you up or make you relax, chemicals that can stimulate your immune system or settle down your stomach, chemicals that can reduces cramps or clear your sinuses of goo, maybe even extend your life? Yeah, they can do that and more. Let's learn more, shall we? II. Tea: Black, Oolong, and Green The most common teas (Black, Oolong, and Green) all come from the Camellia sinensis plant, originally from Asia. The difference between the three depends on how the leaves are treated after picking, mainly how much enzymatic breakdown they are allowed to undergo. This natural chemical process occurs as the leaves are dried and and once the proper level of breakdown has occur the leaves are heated to stop further breakdown. Green tea is the least “broken” of the teas and so maintains the highest concentrations of beneficial chemicals but has the weakest flavor by most Western standards. Oolong tea is partially broken giving it a richer flavor and a slight reduction in the chemicals we seek. Black tea is allowed to break down the farthest. This results in the richest taste but a reduction of many helpful chemicals except for the antioxidants. But even Black tea been shown to reduce the clogging of arteries, inhibit cancer growth, and fight some viruses! III. Herbal Flavors Besides the assorted health and wellness chemicals available in herbal teas (sect. IV), they offer a whole world of tastes. Mixing and matching these flavors is one of the great joys of herbal tea. SWEET Anise Licorice Stevia leaves Vanilla beans Yaupon holly leaves Blackberry/Dewberry leaves Raspberry leaves Apple fruit Peach fruit Hawthorn Strawberry leaves FLORAL Chamomile flowers & leaves Elderberry flowers Jasmine flowers Lavender flowers Basswood/Linden flowers Clover (white and red) Rose flowers Chrysanthemum flowers MINT Spearmint Peppermint Wintergreen Catnip Violet Basil Yerba Santa SPICY Allspice Cardamon Cinnamon Coriander Fenugreek Ginger CITRUS* Beebalm/Lemon balm Lemongrass Lemon peel Orange peel Lime peel Sorrel *Warning: the peel of store-bought citrus fruit may have been treated with fungicides or other potentially toxic compounds. Wash them thoroughly before use or purchase organically grown fruits. TART Rose hips Turk's cap flowers Hibiscus flowers Dock leaves LICORICE Anise Fennel Licorice Star Anise Goldenrod leaves & flowers EARTHY/ROOTY Dandelion root Burdock root Ginseng roots (flavor becomes bitter if left in water too long) Chicory root RESIN Rosemary Pine needles Thyme Sage Cloves BITTER Chicory root Ginseng roots (flavor becomes bitter if left in water too long) Yarrow flowers & leaves Willow twigs ARBORACEOUS Sarsaparilla roots Birch leaves Ginseng roots (flavor becomes bitter if left in water too long) Sassafras roots Burdock root Echinacea flowers Ephedra bark & twigs IV. Health Benefits Now it's time for the best part of herbal teas, the wonderful effects they can have on your body. Do you want to sleep or wake up? Are you suffering from a cold? Do you need your heart, or blood to function better? Do need to calm your stomach or your nerves? Yeah, there's a herb for that. HERBS FOR ENERGY Ginseng Yaupon holly (caffeine) Licorice Tumeric Chrysanthemum Ephedra HERBS FOR HEADACHES Mint Rose hips Rosemary Thyme Lavender Chrysanthemum HERBS FOR IMPROVED HEALTH Burdock root - blood purifier, antioxidants Cinnamon - improves circulation, may increase longevity Dandelion root - stimulates liver, flushes system Lemongrass - cleanses blood, liver and kidneys; reduces blood pressure Licorice - reduces congestion, improves focus Stinging nettle - cleanses blood, stimulates liver & kidneys Blackberry/Dewberry - high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; blood cleanser Rose hips - vitamin C, antioxidants Rosemary - improves liver action and blood circulation, improves memory Persimmon - vitamin C Sassafras - blood cleanser Hibiscus flower - antioxidants, control blood pressure, lowers cholesterol Red clover - antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, reduces bad cholesterol, thins blood Ginger - reduces morning sickness, reduces arthritis pain and other chronic pain Jasmine - antioxidants, lowers bad cholesterol, may fight cancer, boosts immune system Ginko Biloba – improves memory Chrysanthemum – lowers blood pressure, high in minerals Sage – blood purifier, improves liver, kidney, and brain functions, Thyme – reduces anemia Fennel – reduces pain Ginseng – improves immune system, lowers bad cholesterol, improves blood flow Hawthorn – strengthens heart tissue & blood vessels, lowers bad cholesterol Mint – strengthens immune system HERBS FOR CALM Chamomile Oatstraw Basil Valerian root Lemon balm St. John's Wort Lemongrass Ginseng Mint Sage Jasmine Licorice HERBS FOR STOMACH ILLS Burdock - reduces indigestion and constipation, increases bile production Cardamom - increases digestion, reduces gas Chamomile - reduces indigestion Cinnamon - reduces indigestion Cloves – aids digestion, reduces nausea Fennel - improves appetite, stimulates digestion, reduces gas Ginger - reduces nausea Lemongrass - improves digestion Mint - improves digestion, reduces nausea Licorice – improves digestion Blackberry/Dewberry - helps control diarrhea Sage - improves digestion Ginseng – increases appetite, helps digestion, cures diarrhea Yarrow - increases appetite, improves digestion Red clover - reduces gas Stevia - reduces heartburn Anise - reduces gas and indigestion Thyme – reduces gas Basil – reduces diarrhea Fennel – reduces gas, aids digestion HERBS FOR COLDS/FLU Burdock - reduces congestion, opens airways, reduces fever Elderberry - improves immune system Fennel - soothes sore throats, reduces coughing Ginger - soothes throat, opens sinuses, reduces fever Lemongrass - reduces fevers and other cold symptoms Licorice - soothes sore throats, reduces coughing Stinging nettle - reduces coughing, opens sinuses Black berry – soothes sore throat Sage – reduces, fever, congestion and coughing Strawberry leaves - slows diarrhea, reduces indigestion Thyme - reduces coughing and sore throats, strengthens immune system Yarrow - reduces congestion and other cold symptoms Red clover - expectorant Ephedra - reduces congestion Anise - expectorant, reduces congestion Cinnamon – reduces cold symptoms HERBS FOR WOMEN Cinnamon - reduces menstrual cramps Ginger - reduces menstrual cramps Lemongrass - reduces menstrual issues Licorice - reduces menstrual cramps Fennel – stimulates milk flow Motherwort - reduces PMS Blackberry/Dewberry - general menstrual aid Skullcap - reduces PMS mood swings Stevia - may help prevent osteoporosis Fenugreek – increases lactation Red clover - reduces symptoms of menopause due to estrogen mimicking molecules, not for use by pregnant women! HERBS FOR MEN Ginseng - improves blood flow to Mr. Happypants Ginko Biloba - improves blood flow to Mr. Happypants Ginger - improves blood flow to Mr. Happypants Hawthorn - improves blood flow to Mr. Happypants Blackberry/Dewberry - improves blood flow to Mr. Happypants V. Techniques of Preparation So now let's make the tea. There are a few things to keep in mind to optimize the release of power of your herbs. Being a chemist, I'm going to pull out the big words for this section. INFUSION This method is used for soft plant matter such as leaves, flowers, seeds, or crushed fruits/berries. Boiling water is poured over these materials which are then steeped for 10 to 30 minutes. The water is not brought back to a boil but rather it is allowed to slowly cool or heated to below boiling. The longer the herbs are soaked in this water the more flavor, nutrients, and medicinal compounds will be released. However, be careful with some bitter herbs as a long soaking of these can render the tea unfit to drink. DECOCTION To decoct means to add the woody herbs to boiling water which is then kept over heat and simmered 20-60 minutes. Roots, bark, and twigs need this more vigorous extraction. As before, the longer you soak the herbs the more you'll get out of them. If making a tea with both soft and woody components first boil the roots/bark/twigs then add the leaves/flowers/fruit and remove from heat. TINCTURE Extraction of herbal chemicals with alcohol makes a tincture. The basic rule of thumb is 300-400 grams of herbs are used per liter of alcohol. Let this mixture soak for at least two weeks with shaking every day. Some people leave the herbs in the alcohol others filter them out. Filtering them out makes for a cleaner tincture which I find easier to use. Vodka and rum (80-100 proof) are the alcohols of choice, with rum being better at disguising flavors of harsher herbs. To use, take one teaspoon of the tincture up to three times a day, either straight or added to juice or soda. WARNING: never use wood alcohol, rubbing alcohol, or methanol to make tinctures. VI. Harvesting, Drying, and Storage Okay, so know you know something about the health benefits and flavors of herbal teas, now lets learn about proper collecting and storing of your future tea. It's a pretty easy, but there are a few things you should know to make great teas. HARVESTING Now days it is easy to buy tea herbs off the internet or even in grocery stores. However, the fresher the better in most cases and the freshest will be the ones you grow yourself. The best time to harvest your herbs' leaves and flowers is mid-morning after any dew has evaporated but before the day's heat has a chance to really set in. Most of the flavor-producing compounds are produced by chemical reactions in the plant during the night. But these yummy compounds are easily evaporated out of the plant by the sun's heat so the later in the day you wait to pick them the less there will be of these tasty and beneficial chemicals. However if you pick the leaves/flowers while they still have a coating of dew there is a very good chance that they will mildew and turn to a mushy, useless mess during storage. The time of day is less important for heavier parts of the plant such as roots, twigs, and bark. The proper time to collect these are based more on the calender than on a clock. Late winter/early spring is usually the right time to collect twigs, roots and bark from trees as this is when they are starting to be flooded with life again after the cold, dark winter. This new life is the vitality you want to tap. On the other hand, the roots of flowers, shrubs, and non-tree-type plants are usually better in the fall. The plant has spent all summer turning sunlight into healthy nutrients and stuffing them into the roots for storage over the winter. Come spring these nutrients were to be used to regrow the plant but now you'll be harvesting that regrowth for yourself. DRYING and STORAGE A basic rule of thumb is the thicker the plant matter the thicker you can pile it on top of itself during drying. Leaves are best dried while still on the stems/stalks in bundles hung up in warm, dry areas out of direct sunlight. Remember, you don't want the good chemicals to evaporate away so warm with air circulation is better than hot or direct sunlight. If you have the room, store these bundles hanging somewhere dry. A layer of cheese cloth over them will keep the dust off them. Flowers should be removed from their stems and gently shaken to get rid of any bugs (though these bugs are a source of protein). Place them on a cookie sheets one layer deep and set them in a dry, warm place. Again, avoid hot areas or direct sunlight. Air gently passing over them with prevent mildewing, molds, or fungi from growing which are BAD for tea. Once dry, place the flowers in lidded, wide-mouth jars. Traditionally porcelain or amber-colored glass jars are preferred to reduce degradation of the herbs by light. Heavy materials such as roots, bark and twigs should be cut into strips approximately 4" long and no wider than your little finger, then loosely pile on a cookie sheet. As before, place them in a dry, warm area with moving air to dry them without losing any goodness. Twigs and uncut roots can be bundled and hung like your did earlier with the leaves. Bark and cut roots should be stored in the same manner as flowers. VII. Growing Herbs in Houston The most efficient way to grow herbs is in an “herb spiral”. This is simply a six foot wide by three foot high circular ramp of soil. Your herbs are planted along this ramp with their placement determined by their required growing conditions. Plants which need full sun are placed on the south-facing side of the spiral, full shade plants go on the north side. Partial sun/shade plants can go on the east or west sides. The top portion of the spiral dries quickly while the lower levels remain moist so plants that require well-drain soil are planted higher up and moisture-loving plants go in the lower levels. Table 1. lists common herbs and their growing conditions to assist you in planning your herb spiral. Figure 1. shows the basic layout of an herb spiral. Table 1. Common herbs Plant___Light___Water___Height____Width Anise....full sun....well drained....18”-24”....12” Basil....full sun....moist....18”-24”....12” Beebalm....partial sun....moist....24”-48”....12” Catnip....partial sun....well drained....12”-36”....12” Chamomile....any....dry....9”....varies Chrysanthemum**....full sun....dry....48”....24'-48” Coriander....sunny*....medium ....12”-36”.... 8” Echinacea....sunny....well drained....3'-4' Fennel....full sun....well drained....48”....24” Fenugreek....full sun....well drained....24” Ginger....partial sun....moist....24”....12” Hibiscus....full sun....moist....7'....5' Lavender....fun sun....well drained....36”....24” Licorice....full sun....well drained....36”....24” Peppermint....partial shade....moist....12”-24”....12”-24” Roses....partial sun...drained....varies Rosemary....full sun....well drained....72”....72” Sage....full sun....well drained....24”-36”....24”-36” Spearmint....partial shade....moist....12”-24”....12”-24” Stevia....full sun*....well drained 24”....8” Strawberry....full sun....well drained....12”....bed Violet....partial sun....moist....6”....bed Wintergreen....partial shade....moist....12”-24”....12”-24” Yarrow....full sun....well drained....24”-36”....10” Figure 1. Herb spiral Remember, the spiral should be at or over three feet tall at the center. It is watered from the top, allowing the water to flow down around the spiral. Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.
Designed to feed both body and soul, the potager or ornamental kitchen garden is the ultimate combination of parterre and vegetable patch.
Last October, I posted a movie house tour featuring one of my favorite comedy movies, The Burbs, starring Tom Hanks and Carrie Fischer. The Burbs is a fun movie to watch around Halloween time. It's not scary or gory, just mysterious and funny. (Tour that movie house here: The Burbs.) When I posted about The Burbs, several folks suggested I post a tour of the Victorian house in the movie, Practical Magic. I couldn't wait to watch the movie to see the house. The movie, Practical Magic is based on the book of the same name by author Alice
Eclectic Wicca/Witchcraft The Merriam Dictionary defines the word ‘eclectic’ as meaning “selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles .” Eclect…
Happy Monday, Homies! Good to see you back. In this week's photos we have a lot of fantasy, and in this week's Clicky Links there's a lot of helpful hints. Share your photos by posting to our Flickr group, and share your inspirations with us on Pinterest.
We've found the best creepers, vines and edible fast-growing climbing plants for Australian gardens. Find out more.
To create the right size for your vegetable garden, pick the right location that are sunny, have a good soil and stable environment. Start with small plot size that is about 16x10 feet and choose a feature crops that are easy to grow for beginner. Space your crop properly because plants that is set too close will compete for sunlight, water and nutrition and fail to mature; pay attention to the spacing guidance on seed packets and plant tabs. Use high-quality seeds and water properly.
Salut ma belle, aujourd'hui, j'ai envie de te parler d'un sujet qui me tient à cœur : avoir un potager bien organisé. Je vais te présenter 24 idées géniales
Living in the city doesn't mean you have to sacrifice the joys of gardening. With the right approach, even the smallest patio can become a thriving vegetable
7 best vegetable garden layout ideas on soil, sun orientations, spacing, varieties, plans & design secrets to create productive & beautiful kitchen gardens.
Discover innovative raised garden bed ideas to transform your gardening experience and boost plant health. Click to learn more!
This French kitchen garden is actually quite attainable—here's how to design a potager for your home.
Coucou les filles, je vous ai trouvé 100 top idées de potagers que vous pouvez faire vous même pour réussir votre premier potager dans votre jardin, sur votre
This French kitchen garden is actually quite attainable—here's how to design a potager for your home.
For the last 5-10 years gardening with raised beds has seemingly been the most popular method of backyard gardening. It has been purported to solve…
10 Beautiful Ornamental Vegetable Gardening Ideas Mother earth didn’t segregate vegetables and flowers in her… by gardeningabc
Have a look at our fabulous collection of DIY ideas to plan your own vegetable garden, to help create one that is attractive and edible.
7 best vegetable garden layout ideas on soil, sun orientations, spacing, varieties, plans & design secrets to create productive & beautiful kitchen gardens.
Je vous invite aujourd'hui dans cet article les 21 idées de potager à faire soi-même dans son jardin et à prendre un instant afin de consulter les idées,
Les jardiniers s'activent. Chacun possède sa façon d'organiser son potager. Ici les légumes sont plantés dans des carrés en bois. Là, c'est à même le sol, avec un entourage en pierres pour délimiter la zone potager de la zone pelouse. Ce jardinier...
Potager Garden Definition : (pronunciation: puh ta zhay) a garden that combines both edible and ornamental plants; a vegetable garden th...