Well, hello! Happy long weekend! How are you all? Are your gardens thriving? Are you taking time to enjoy the summer? No matter what your weather may be like…
I was supposed to get a new hip in July. Was told they would try to give me a week’s notice, but it might be less. Hubby and I busted our buns to get the spare room ready for me (lower bed so easier for me to get on post surgery), picked up the support aids from the Red Cross, got the yard and gardens ready to just be watered, made them easy to care for… but I guess they forgot to tell the doctor, as he took his summer holidays and will not be back till sometime in the fall. Whomp whomp.
So, I have decided to enjoy my summer instead. Enjoy the gardens, harvests, and family time. Even hoping to maybe take a wee little break in there somewhere, just for a few days getaway.. if we can figure out where to go and make the timing work… Going to make the best of it as I sure do love my summertime gardens. August and September in the garden are the best months, imho.
Therefore, I am currently working on my spring bulb planning. Picking out some small, low growing flowers for the front yard. Bulbs that naturalise (spread) and are deer and rabbit proof. This means things like muscari, squill, chionodoxa. They are my favourites for borders, lawns, and pathways. Maybe some snow drops, too.
- As with all flowers and plants, keep in mind your garden zone when ordering bulbs.
- If you want to grow daffodils in a zone 3 or 4 garden, go with the very hardiest you can find or they may not come up in spring.
- Check the labels for deer and bunny proof flowers, if they visit your neighbourhood.
- Tulips are not deer proof. They are a yummy snack.
- Darwin tulips are the best if you want blooms that come back for years. The fancier the tulip, the fussier it will be – will likely not come back after the first year.
- I use the fancy ones in planters and Darwins in the gardens.
- If you can find Menton tulips, grab them. You can thank me later. Truly.
- I like Vesey’s, a Canadian east coast company. They always have great bulbs and fall savings promotions, too. Plus, they carry planting garlic.
What I am actually envisioning is low growing spring blooms in hues of blue and white, maybe a bit of purple and pink. The mister said that he will plant them for me if the bulbs come after my surgery, I just need to sit and supervise. I have already planted a bit of creeping thyme. Can hardly wait till spring.
Three reasons why you should not water in the evening.
12 common gardening problems and how to solve them.
How to Prune Raspberry Bushes for a Bumper Crop of Fruit
Start looking for planting garlic now. If you have a good farmer’s market near you, buy some organically grown local garlic there for planting. Check out local garlic farms. Order on line. Vesey’s and WCS have their garlic ready for order now, too. Don’t wait too long to secure your garlic, even though we do not plant until around Hallowe’en, or they will be sold out everywhere.
This is where I used to buy all my garlic from when I was selling it to you at the greenhouse. This was my farmer guy!
From Martha… how to tell when potatoes are ready for harvest.
From Martha… how to harvest zinnia seeds.
This waterwise perennial garden is stunning!
Why your dahlias are not blooming.
And… here is my post from last fall about how to harvest and save your own zinnia seeds.
Homey Things & Diy’s
A Step-by-Step Guide on Using Insect Hotels – Growing In The Garden I have been waiting for 2 years to put up this bughouse. Thought I was supposed to put it up in the fall, when they are going to bed for winter… I was wrong. Turns out, I was supposed to do it in the spring! So, here I am, waiting once more ; )
How to build an ornamental rustic birdhouse . This is cute! I think I would make them usable rather than ornamental, but I dunno, as they sure are cute.
It is just about that time … time to start drying herbs and flowers. Here is an article with the best flowers for drying and this one about how to make your own dried flower bouquets. There is also this read about how to dry flowers for your DIY bouquets.
How to make a dried herbal wreath.
I use terracotta and clay pots for nearly everything. Love the look. Most of mine are, therefore, already starting to look aged, just from use. If you want that aged look instantly, here is an easy way to get it fast.
How designers use IKEA pieces. I love that PAX closet system. We make a wall to wall closet at one of our houses, framed it in to make it look like a built in. Was the best closet we have ever had! I always dream about winning the lottery so that I can buy a little cottage to renovate. If it ever happens, I use IKEA kitchens and furniture pieces to make it look Scandi and cottagey.
How to get the mildew smell out of towels.
The 14 best Benjamin Moore paint colours for bedrooms. I love #6, it has been my go to wall colour for the past 10 years. However, also drawn to #3 and #4. I really want to get my bedroom repainted as I chose I white with a yellow undertone when we moved in and had the entire house painted (had to choose in 24 hours!!!) … and I kind of hate it ; )
Do women really need that much protein? This was a good read for me. Have you noticed that everyone everywhere is posting how to get more protein in your meals? As a veggie, I try to pay some attention to that, but I think I need to add some more. I am personally not a powder kind of gal, If I cannot get it naturally in a food source, then I will go without, so this read really got me thinking about how to add a little bit more to each meal.
I LOVE this easy to achieve cute outdoor firepit area, and the savoury smores recipe! I am looking to figure out where to implement a firepit, so this cute set up caught my eye.
Recipes
These two creme anglaise desserts. Nothing like as nice pastry cream for a light summertime dessert. This one (above) and this one (humble crumble!)
We actually made this cream to top an amazing olive oil cake for dessert at last night’s family dinner. We topped it all with fresh raspberries. The grandkids ate every drop and even had seconds! First time ever! Not sweet, not heavy, easy and quick to whip up, perfect ending to a summer dinner.
Sour cherry jam without pectin. My favourite jams are pectin free : ) My cherry trees are bursting with cherries, so figured this was a great time to share this recipe.
These summery pasta dishes all look amazingly delish. I am a big pasta fan. Many of these have zucchini and/or eggplant in them – I am always looking for ways to use these veggies in my everyday meals.
- Penne alla Norma Recipe
- Penne with Tomatoes and Parsley Breadcrumbs
- Very Vegetable Lasagna Recipe
- Grilled Ratatouille Pasta Recipe
- One-Pot Penne with Zucchini and Parmesan Recipe
- Mediterranean Pasta With Artichokes, Olives, and Tomatoes Recipe
- Vegan mushroom ragu | House & Garden
Heirloom tomato and cheddar tart. Cannot wait till my tomatoes ripen so that I can make this. The ones in the greenhouse and under the rain/hail cover are doing great, the ones that have been getting rain upon rain look good, but not sure when we will get ripe tomatoes…
These two pasta salads… Asian noodle salad with ginger sesame dressing and Soba salad with grilled eggplant and tomatoes. Did you know that if you react to tomatoes, grilling or roasting them may lessen the reaction? Better yet if you remove the skins.
The Marigold Potager - A Zone 3 Prairie Garden 
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