Sunday Potager Ramblings # 9 (Beautify Your Garden)

Bees on an artichoke in flower. — *Check out the bees on my lovely artichokes. They are great ‘edimentals’ for your potager.*

Gardening Ideas

These 10 types of lilies. I love all the different types, but Martagons and Turk’s Caps are my most favourite of them all. Something about those upside down nodding flowers just talks to me.

I have had no luck at this new house with any of the lilies that I planted in the fall. I have planted several varieties each year, in September or October, but not even has popped up. I decided against planting any this year… seemed like a lesson in futility, eh? I will instead plant some lilies (martagons) in spring, giving them all summer to gather energy into the bulbs. I absolutely know that we can grow lilies here, in our cold zone 3, so perhaps they were eaten? Rotted? Crossing fingers for spring planted bulbs to thrive!

How to grow amaryllis.

I liked this read. Good pictures, easy to implement ideas that look nice and make sense. These 7 Easy Ways To Make Your Yard Sustainable. Not pricey to do either.

Garlic Chives in my potager. — *Garlic Chives are also great ‘edimentals’ and the bees love them.*

You must check out this read about ‘Edimentals’. This is what we organic potager gardeners love to do! I would add garlic chives to this list for their late summer blooms.

How to grow dill in your potager. My tip to you is that if you can get even just one dill stalk to grow, whether from seed or plant, you will have it forever. Sow/plant dill in an area of the garden that has great drainage, lots of sun, and where you want it to grow forever more. Do not harvest all the seed heads at pickling time, make sure to leave at least one on the plant till late in the year when it is nice and dry. Leave it standing to self sow, or give the head a shake so that the seeds drop into your garden. You will have a wonderful dill patch for all your pickling and salad making recipes that just comes up year after year.

How to take care of a Jade plant and these 8 Easy Houseplants for Your Home. I would add monstera to this list.

How to make Seed Bombs! Great gardener gift idea!

Blotting the seeded paper with a tea towel to dry the paper a little bit. — *Make seeded paper to use for your holiday gift tags.*

Homey Ideas & DIY’S

15 Things to do on a cosy weekend at home. These are such great ideas. I would also add knitting, crafting, painting, reading a good book by the fire…

115 DIY Gift Ideas. There is something for everyone on this list! I will admit that I tend to get a bit overwhelmed when I have to scroll through this many ideas. Prefer to peruse shorter lists, but some of these are really good, so try to give it a go.

How to sew a simple garden apron. I love this idea a lot. Make one for the gardener on your list! One year, long ago when the kids were little, I made us all aprons for our Christmas baking and crafting. I had forgotten! This is a fun idea to make for my granddaughter, her mom, and me!

How to make a Christmas wreath. I had never thought of putting moss on the wreath first, but think that would make if floofier and give you a sturdy green base to work on.

These safety measures to take if you are feeding the birds this winter.

A dining room with a paper star lit up in the window.

We bought 2 of these paper star lights last year, one for the dining room and one for the living room. They are my favourite Christmas decorations. I don’t even need a tree if I have my lights, hahaha! We picked ours up at Ikea, but you can also order them from Wayfair (comes with light cord) or Amazon.

How to hang wreaths in your window for the holidays.

A gingerbread house shaped cake. — *From the Finding Silver Pennies blog.*

Recipe Ideas

Mushroom barley soup.

18 Best Mocktail Recipes from Martha Stewart.

A row of Christmas trees with string lighting overhead.

32 Christmas Activities from Martha Stewart.

I have had a super busy past few weeks, but things are finally settling down now so I will have time to share some of my super easy craft ideas with you all! And the potting shed, and my ideas… Honestly, I am ready to get into spring planting mode already, so need to figure out how to calm myself down!

A pencil tree, mora clock, and cosy living room set up for the holidays.

Question for you all. My daughter and her family are leaving for their holiday house in Panama in just a day or two, so no grandkids here for the holidays. My son and his wife are not able to come this year as she has a new job, is the low man on the totem pole with no seniority as they just moved there in September. So neither kid, no spouses, and no grandkids for the holidays this year. For the first time ever. My brother and his kids will be here for the big dinner on Christmas Eve, and then… nothing.

What do you do when this happens to you? I am not even wanting to put up a tree, not wanting to do anything at all (except those paper stars in the window). I need ideas. We cannot go away at this time either as our passports have expired, hope to go see them in Panama in February instead. So… how to get past this bah, humbug for the holidays?

The Marigold Potager – A Zone 3 Prairie Garden