In the midst of our cold, dreary March, I spent a glorious day at the JC Ralston Arboretum in Raleigh attending the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers annual conference. Can you guess what these gorgeous flowers are?  Would you believe it is a bouquet of tulips?!  Most growers tie them closed at early stages of cutting so they do not open so much, but I think they are stunning in this wide-open bouquet!  Perhaps even more amazing is how they still close up at night. The designer used bare vines to hold the flower heads in place. Save some of your prunings from grape vines, wisteria,...

“Have you ever tried any of these home remedies for controlling fungus on cucumbers?  Just wondering if this might work?”  My friend Linda sent this with an attached web link for a list of home remedies for powdery mildew.  Excellent question!  I don’t think I have ever grown a squash, cucumber or melon (the cucurbit family) that did not eventually succumb to powdery mildew. Our hot humid summers along with crawling insects that spread the fungus almost guarantee that our plants will get it. Horticultural professors and researchers such as Jeff Gillman, Uv of Minnesota, have...

Here are more of YOUR wonderful creations from Saturday’s workshop!  And the fragrance was as lovely as the blooms!  My last Cut Flower Workshop is this Friday, Aug 17th, 9am to noon & there is still room if you would like to attend.  If you love cut flowers, www.FloralDesignInstitute.com is a great source of ideas and inspiration. Go to their website and click on the pink box to sign up for their online newsletter which almost always has video clips demonstrating trendy new ways to do fresh flower arrangements for every season. We can’t be in the garden every day, but a few fresh...

You may know that Jim and I were in Denver in early July for his niece’s wedding.  In effort to save money, his sister Gwen asked me to help with the wedding flowers. I have done a lot of flower arrangements in my life, but never a wedding. In fact, neither of us had. But when Gwen showed me the Florist quotes for bridal flowers, I was blown away!  $Thousands?! Really?!  I was so used to always having fresh flowers in my house, it never occurred to me that they could be so expensive.  There was no question we were taking this project on! Gwen phoned & emailed about what supplies,...

It is sooo satisfying to see all that I have planted and nurtured giving back brilliant flowers and luscious edibles! I have harvested about 7 bushels of plums, a half bushel of apples (so far), 3 gallons of blueberries, 60 lbs of kubocha squash, and an untotaled mother lode of cucumbers, patty pan squash, potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, beets and eggplant. Many vegetables will store for months in the refrigerator or just a dark air-conditioned space; blueberries can be frozen.  Then I make pickles and jam.  Where can you buy sweet habanero pickles? Or Shiro yellow plum & apricot...

Many thanks to all of you who came out for the last 2 Edible Landscaping classes.  I cannot tell you enough how much I enjoy having you here!  Due to popular demand, I am posting the Orange Scented Chocolate Zuccini Cake recipe.  This is one of many wonderful “garden” recipes from “The Cultivating Cook” cookbook published by the Guilford County Extension Master Gardeners.  (The cost is only $6 and you can call the Extension office at 375-5876 to see if they still have it in stock.)  Here’s how to make it… 2 cups unbleached flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder ½...