New In My Garden?

First time growing Sweet Corn in my garden.

Seeds packet: Botanical Interests

Buttergold (hybrid)

Sowed directly into my raised bed on April 14th

So far a few have spouted and they are about 2 inches tall.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  I have netting over them to keep the crows out.  They love to mess up my beds.  According to the seed packet, I can continue to sow them thru May and the next round in July - August too

Next but not new in my little garden, Larkspurs.

Seeds packets: Renee's Garden

Heirloom Imperial "French Alouette"

Heirloom "Parisian Pink"

Sown late summer 2019

 You can click on to the photos to see them larger too.

 You can never have enough of these beauties in your garden.

Some container herbs 

 Sage and Chives that wintered over in the same container.  I added top dressing of compost.

 A favorite herb of mine is tarragon.  This plant has been in this container for a couple of years.  Wintered over and I also tilled in some compost around the plant.  Alyssum and tarragon do well together.

This is my raised bed set up. I use either small gauge chicken wire or PVC pipes and add netting over to keep the birds out.  So far so good and once the plants mature, I will take them off.

 Here is a Sweet William for you too.  Thank you for stoping by for a visit.  Have a wonderful day.  Blessings to all.

Pansies and Violas

The Pansies and Violas are putting on a colorful show.  The seeds came from Botanical Interests.

Swiss Giant Blend

Sorbet XP Select Blend    I have linked Harris Seeds for this variety. Botanical Interests does not carry them in their 2020 catalog. 

King Henry

I never thought of making them into a bouquet before.  They add a happy feel into my home.

I just love the colors.   I sowed the seeds in late August, using Jiffy peat pellets. I have had good success using the pellets.

I transferred them into containers, raised beds and directly into the ground.  The ones directly in the grown are having a difficult time.

The stems were too short for the vase, so I will be pressing these.

Thank You for visiting my blog.  Have a wonderful day.

My February Garden 2020

I have a lot of photos to share with you.

So let me tell you first, that this was an amazing Fall/Winter garden for me.

I have not had a garden that produced like this in a long while.

I know it is due to  gardening in raised beds.

At the top, is just one of many harvesting of greens along with carrots and herbs.

The carrots are from a seed packet, "Tonda di Parigi", Botanical Interests. 

This amazing green plant is called " Nero Toscana" kale. First time growing kale and I can say it is delicious.  Blanch first for a few minuets and sauté. Smaller leaves do not need to be blanched. A wonderful taste and I am sorry that I did not sow more.  Being in zone 10, I can start to sow my fall and winter garden in late August.

 Amazing, right?

Most of the lettuce came from two types of seeds packets by Botanical Interests called "Sassy Salad" mix and "Gourmet Baby Greens" mix. 

Here is a beautiful spinach leave called "lavewa" also from seed (Botanical Interests).

I sowed two other types called Bloomsdale and Monstrueux de Viroflay.  They did not perform well in my garden.  The lavewa can take a little more heat, while the other two bolted or just did not grow at all.  My garden is in full sun.  I could shade the beds, but the 80 degree heat for a few days in a row just made them bolt.  

 I used the spinach in my omelettes, as a side and in salads.  I wanted to use them in more dishes, but the season for them was cut short.  I may try "New Zealand" spinach.  I have seen some gardeners grow them during the summer here in Southern California.

Here is a beautiful swiss chard leaf, "Ruby Red/Rhubarb".  I have a few plants growing in different places in my garden that seem to be growing nicely.  I'm not sure if they are a spring to summer here in my zone.  I tried them last year and had no luck.  So far I have harvested some beautiful leaves and sautéed them and added them into a whole wheat tortilla with a dollop of hummus.  I will sow more seeds because I have some recipes using swiss chard.

The parsley was also a big winner along with the cilantro in my garden. 

Parsley being used to make a very tasty Chimichurri paste. Its great on eggs, stakes, fish and quesadillas too. I used most of my herbs to make a paste or pesto when I could not use it fresh fast enough. You can store it in the freezer.

 Next comes these happy little Viola flowers.  I sowed them in late August.  I used two types of seeds, "Sorbet XP select blend", I do not see them in the 2020 Botanical Interests catalog this time, and the "King Henry" , the last photo shows me holding the King Henry.  They are a very pretty lavender color.

 These are the "Swiss Giants Blend" from Botanical Interests.

Thank you for taking the time to visit and I hope you enjoyed the photos. I hope to post soon.  Heres to spring.

"In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are [just] as beautiful".” - Abram L. Urban

Beds of Mix Lettuce

 I started sowing my lettuce in late summer of 2019 and so far, my beds of lettuce are amazing  beautiful.  I am very pleased with the seed packets from Botanical Interests.

List of seeds: "Gourmet Baby Greens", "Sassy Salad", miniature butterhead "Tom Thumb" and just added to the beds "Little Gem" romaine.

 Amazing colors that make up for this time of the year when my flowers are not in bloom.

 Seedlings of "little Gem" and "Tom Thumb".

These were just planted into the garden this weekend.

 The parsley, violas, cilantro, spinach have been good growing companions for the lettuce.  I have some carrot seedlings that are beginning to sprout.

It has been the best fall/winter garden yet!