Finally....Fresh Herbs!

from left: rosemary, basil, mint

Half of my herbs have really come to life! They are mature and strong enough now to use for cooking, without fear of them dying easily.  Yesterday I made a refreshing pitcher of iced tea with lemon, honey, and of course, mint from my herb garden.  It was the perfect drink to sip while sitting outside enjoying the beautiful day with friends.

Let's eat!

Only a few of my spinach plants made it through the chilly winter months, and even the light snow.  But the ones that remain are growing strong with deep green leaves (supposedly rich in vitamin C). I'm surprised at their progress despite the every increasing temperatures. However, I have been watering them every other day and weeding around them once a week.  I also plan on spraying them with a mild insecticidal soap to keep the bugs away until they reach their peak. Soon these healthy, leafy greens will go from garden to table.  I can't wait too long though, it's heating up around here!
To find out about the health benefits of spinach visit http://www.whfoods.com

To the rescue!

Last Spring my brother-in-law and I were doing yard work and discovered a clump of mysterious bulbs in the back corner of our yard.  Not knowing what they were or why they were in such a strange place, we eventually decided to dig them up and transplant them to a little flower bed along the back side of our house.  Over the past year I have watered and watched them, waiting patiently to see what would emerge from the bulbs.  I wasn't sure anything would ever become of them, especially after finding out from my mother, "you don't separate bulbs in the spring!" Well even after another one of my gardening mishaps, everything turned out okay.  The flowers, which turned out to be a red-violet colored iris,  have been blooming non-stop in the past few weeks adding some much needed color and life to our back yard.  It was a long wait, but definitely worth it!

for more info on iris growing visit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris