Exotic Flowers in Boston

Sunflowers are one of my favorite blooms to watch stretch and grow in my garden.  Their sunshine happy faces, their bold green foliage and striking color all are reasons why I strive to cultivate a crop every summer.  The trouble is, I’m not the only fan of this seasonal beauty.  Sunflowers are also anxiously awaited by several critters, insects and wildlife that can’t wait to sink their teeth and claws into the soft baby leaves that appear first once the seedlings begin to develop.  

Time and time again, I’ve carefully devised several strategies to stave these pests away but every year I wake up to that fatal morning where I witness the horrifying site of chomped sunflower stems.  Could have been rabbits or maybe even a hedgehog but one thing’s for sure, these forest delicacies were mowed down as soon as the plant could provide a hearty meal for some lucky vermin.

Or worse yet- how about the terrible damage inflected on the leaves by ants and other creepy crawlers that find sunflowers a tasty salad?  

So what do we do?  Forget the sunflower all together?  Nah.  Just hang in there and look these tips over to help ward off predators from your lovely patch.  

Tips For Sunflower Survival

#1.  Sunflower stems are only enticing when their foliage is soft and young.  Most animals will leave them alone once they have reached a height of 1 to 1 ½ feet tall so applying bird’s netting or a mesh blanket over the plant when it is in its early development will shoo most pests away.

#2 Place a container such as a soda bottle that has had the top quarter cut off over the seedlings.  This not only will keep away rodents but also create a nice greenhouse effect to nurture speedy growth.  

Flowers have long upheld their reputation of making beautiful displays within vase centerpieces, boutonnieres, hair accents, nosegays and eye appealing raised garden beds.  Boston florists have used their ingenuity to design wonderful arrangements utilizing texture, shape and color but now they’re getting even more ambitious when inventing new floral creations…

If chefs have been incorporating blossoms within their culinary efforts for decades, why not infuse the drink menu as well?

Industry professionals are finding that they can now increase their product demand by adding specialty summer drinks to their inventory segments!  It’s a contemporary suggestion but targeted demographics are actually surpassing their projected expectations by 50%.  The reasoning behind this lies in the appeal of adding bright shades to drinks that would otherwise be clear in appearance. Another explanation is due to the positive association that the brain makes between health, color and warmer weather elements.  The psychological attraction to this concept has allowed designers to indulge in their frisky creativity therefore inventing some of Boston’s most popular new seasonal refreshers.  Here is a sampling of this trendy way to fend off the summer heat waves!

VODKA, TONIC and NASTURTIUMS

Nasturtiums have been held in high esteem for their added excellence within recipes craving a peppery taste.  The beautiful orange, yellow, pink and red heads are also terrific in kicking up the taste of vodka once it’s had a chance to assimilate within the alcohol for a few weeks.  Serve at a dinner party to amp up the summer feel or simply keep it for yourself to enjoy on a hot and steamy day!

 LAVENDER SPOILERS

                                             photo credit: healthyfoodstyle.com

Although a name says a lot, don’t count on it before you’ve tasted this delicious drink that has the herb, lavender, to thank for its sweetness.  You can place stems with attached heads in a variety of liquids including soda water, ginger ale or ice water.  Any variety will do but I prefer French lavender for the fresh and crisp accent it gives to my tea.            

HIBISCUS MARGARITAS

                     photo credit: silkroaddiary.com

These are so good I can barely stand it!  Traditional margaritas can be made playful by adding the blossoms of brightly colored hibiscus plants.  Not only do they electrify a dark pink color but they also radiate the summer spirit of fun in the sun!

Now that our gardens have begun to fill with sensational fruits and vegetables, its time to start planning a fun summer menu to best utilize our efforts!  There’s a pretty high probability that if you’re a gardener in New England, you’ll see the snap peas, cucumbers, green beans, strawberries and lettuce as some of the first arrivals.  Later on in the season, eggplant, squash and my favorite, tomatoes will appear with gorgeous color signally that their time has come to impress upon your culinary skills.   As the summer comes to an end, potatoes, corn, garlic and onions are ready to be added to the sauté pans to kick up the spice and zest of your favorite dishes!   It all sound fantastic, but lets focus on the produce that we’ll be able to cook with now that will be great options for your warmer weather dining room tables.  Here are my must-haves that have always pleased my entire family-including the kids!

                        photo credit:foodnetwork.com

Cucumber and Couscous

Couscous is a wonderful grain to get your little ones accustomed to as early as possible because the taste is mild with a low fat content and can be mixed with a variety of vegetables for a healthy dinner side.  One of the first things I throw in the pot are chopped cucumbers seasoned slightly with Italian salad dressing.  Stir the contents of a Near East pre-packaged couscous box and add chunks of the water- based succulent.  You might even want to toss in a few cherry tomatoes to add more color and watch your family devour a healthy and fresh summer salad!

                             photo credit: bellaonline.com

Snap Peas and Sweet Potato

You would be surprised by the reaction of guests when you add a well-cooked sweet potato with a handful of raw snap peas to the dinner table.  All you need to know is butter the spud lightly and add your desired seasoning such as thyme, white pepper, salt or rosemary once its been cooked to taste.  Mash up the contents and generously shower with a bunch of fresh green snap peas.  The texture is pleasant and allows an unusual but sensational blend of flavors.  I highly suggest this as a featured menu item since the presentation is impressive when served with a grilled helping of swordfish or salmon. 

                     photo credit:harvesttotable.com

Lettuce

There is no telling the possibilities when you can grow your own varieties of lettuce.  You can use the roughage as either a plate garnish or create wonderful salads that will leave your mouth watering.  If you’ve never eaten lettuce picked straight from the garden, you’re in for a treat.  The crisp yet buttery consistency of the leaves allow a fun combination when paired with berries such as blueberries or strawberries and works well with breads for easy lunch options of pita or club sandwiches.  One tip for the eager picker: make sure you wash the leaves thoroughly to evade dirt and soil smudges. 

We’ve all been there…

                                     photo credit: gardenswag.com

Our gardens are just beginning to grow wildly from the heat and moisture that the summer season brings.  Our squash plants are beginning to flower with brilliant yellow blooms and the broccoli heads are just about ready to make their debut.  Pea pods are climbing the trellis and cucumber vines are curling their way around the edges of the raised beds.  Your green thumb efforts are finally paying off with the anticipation of growing a hearty and delicious harvest.

That’s right about when it usually happens…

Somewhere, something has also discovered your bountiful vegetables and has decided to help them selves to an uninvited tasting!  Your strong stalks of broccoli and cauliflower are nothing now but a few naked stems protruding through the earth.  Those stunning yellow flowers of the zucchini have somehow disappeared into the night.  Your cucumbers have been chewed, the strawberries picked over and even the green beans have been nibbled.

You’re furious.  You feel violated.  You want nothing more to find that varmint and give him a taste of his own medicine. 

But wait.  Did you know that there are flowers, herbs and other organic tips that you can use to stave off these pests without having to buy expensive and potentially harmful products?  Try out these natural ideas and watch your gardens burst again with healthy livelihood!

                             photo credit: schoolgardenweekly.com

Eggs Shells

Creepy crawlers such as slugs and snails can reek havoc on vegetable and flower gardens.  A great way to get rid of them is to lay down a sharp path such as crushed eggshells on the floor beds surrounding the plants.  They won’t like the tricky and dangerous course they’ll have to travel. 

The Stinkier the Better

Many garden pests have something in common with humans and that includes their intolerance for certain smells.  Create a border around your most victimized crops by planting yarrow, basil, mint, catnip or citronella and you’ll see that the scent will drive away unwanted eaters.

Flower Power

Rabbits can be an awful problem for many of us because they strike fast and leave little behind in their tracks.  Try putting in flowers such as lantana and ageratum close to the vulnerable beds.  These two varieties tend to block most critters since they detest their biological make up. 

The summer is bringing on the heat and that means we are able to transition from hiding within the limitations of our homes to the fun season of outdoor living!  There will be holidays, barbecues, pool parties and dinners served alfresco so we’ll need to amp up the décor of our decks, patios and backyards.  No, we won’t need to ring up extravagant home shopping bills just yet.  With a few lighting, color and texture tips, you’ll be able to transform that dull yard into a fabulous Eden for you and your friends to enjoy.  Here’s what’s hot this summer for 2015 according to some of my favorite design companies!

Lighting

                              photo via Restoration Hardware

I’m in love with the new lighting ideas that are making their way out of design rooms this season.  Particularly the “filament bulb strung lights” models are grabbing my attention, which are perfect to be hung on trees or deck eaves.  They are replacing the lantern look of previous summer catalogs and providing a more sophisticated look for evening settings.  The gentle luminescence of the bulbs provide a romantic glow to your nighttime affairs and are exactly what’s needed for those intimate moments when things start warming up in July and August!

                                                            Ceramic Potting Gardens

                                               photo credit: Pottery Barn

I don’t know about you, but I’m so excited for this look to be returning this summer, which is being showcased by Pottery Barn!  Ceramic pots are not only super easy to pick up on your travels for low cost but they actually become more trendy when they have been a little chipped or the paint has worn down.  Make sure you clean them well before potting your favorite plants and try to get creative by adding complimentary pops of color to your containers.  Once they have been designed, place the pots strategically on your deck, patio or around the barriers of your backyard garden, pool or lounging area. 

Bright Fabric Is In

            photo credit: Crate & Barrel

Another fab line from Crate & Barrel has decided to go bright and bold with their outdoor pillows and cushions.  Orange, lime green and teal seem to be this company’s go-to color palette, adding popular ocean and beach themes within the textiles.  You might frown a bit at the cost but keep in mind that these are so cute and versatile that they can be brought indoors once the cool weather returns to New England.

I saw this in a book recently and couldn’t believe my eyes when the author listed an extensive list of fruits and vegetables that actually could be used to re-grow food!  We have all done the potato experiment in science class as kids but I honestly didn’t realize that the possibilities are numerous.  Did you know that there is produce available in your super market that if prepared correctly will actually grow into a tree that you can plant in your backyard?  Or how about a vegetable that can reproduce multiple bearings of veggies just by placing it within the correct environment?  It’s true and they’re the perfect projects that you can set up for your kids to teach them a thing or two about cultivation, agriculture and preserving our natural resources.  Although there are many, here were my favorites that I couldn’t wait to try out on my own!

Avocados 

You’ll want to keep the pit of an eaten avocado and wash it thoroughly.  Prick toothpicks through the heart and immerse a little under one half of the seed in warm water.  Be careful not to place the cup in a brightly lit window and wait for the fruit to root three inches.  Once the plant leaves begin to grow, you can repot in soil and watch your new avocado tree grow!

Onions

                          photo credit: vegetablegardener.com

You can’t get any easier than this when trying to replicate a one unit of food into several.  In fact, you don’t even need water or soil in the beginning because the onion will sprout its own green shoot once it begins to age.  You can simply drop the entire head with the greens protruding upward though the soil and be amazed how fast your old onion blooms into an impressive plant!

                     photo credit: telegraph.co.uk

Apples

Although it’s true that most varieties of apples need pollination, there are a few exceptions.  Simply core the seeds from types such as Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Braeburn and place in a fertilized pot near a well-lit window.  Water every other day and watch the sprout begin to rise.  When the stem is strong enough to withstand the outdoor elements, you can plant it in your backyard.  It may not produce a ton of fruit as a natural pollinating species, but you will be amazed at your new apple tree, which can be grown just about anywhere!

The garden industry is worth millions and sales depend on the coaxing of the customer to buy products that they believe their gardens are dependent on.  Over the last few years items such as non-chemical fertilizers, organic soil mixtures, hybrid packs of grown plants, expensive tools, varmint free fencing and state of the art hose nozzles have been mass marketed to appeal to the struggling green thumb who is determined to have a healthy and happy garden.  Many end up spending hundreds of dollars purchasing these products from name big companies with the hopes that they will cure all of their gardening woes.

Don’t be fooled…

Propagating a successful vegetable and flowerbed can be done without expensive tabs or exorbitant processes.  There’s a better way and a lot cheaper strategy to cultivate your dream garden!  All you need are the essentials, most of which you probably have.  Here’s my list for my summer gardening needs that are easy and inexpensive to buy or things that I reuse to help my garden beds during the summer season.

The Plot

If you have a backyard with a ton of space, you’re lucky because all you have to do is choose an area that is the right size for your garden that receives sunlight.  You’ll need full sun for vegetables and partial to full light for flowers.  If you don’t have a useful part of land for gardening, keep reading…

The Soil

Whether the soil that you have in your yard is sufficient to grow plants depends on the consistency, sediment and moisture of the earth.  If your ground is soft and adequate for easy plotting than you may have lucked out and you can skip the potting soil step.  If you have a hard, dry and coarse platform to work with, you might want to consider making your own raised beds.  Please don’t run out and buy a pre-constructed kit from a hardware store or garden center-its not necessary.  You can either find some scrap wood planks to nail together to form a hollow square or look around your house for old furniture.  If you find a bureau or nightstand that you don’t want, take the drawers out and place them directly in the yard.  They make perfect flower and vegetable beds plus you’ll feel great knowing that your green thumb extending to the green reuse of unwanted items. 

Seeds

Trust me, there’s no better way to produce plants than starting with a simple germinated seed.  Not only can you start them indoors but the roots will also fixate better in the ground than a pre-bought plant that has already rooted somewhere else. If you want a suggested brand for seeds, I would advise on buying from Burpee.  Although they are a bit more expensive in some nurseries, you can grab great deals at discounted stores such as Ocean State Job Lot where they are almost half the price!

It’s to be expected that not every day in New England is going to be perfect weather and that unfortunately goes for the summer season as well.  But before you throw in the towel on your gardening ambitions, there are a few activities that will not only benefit your outdoor gardening efforts but will also satisfy your green thumbs while the forecast clears a bit.  No, I’m not insinuating that you grab your trowels and rough it out in the rain or break out the lawn mower and take your chances.  The grass can wait to be cut for a day or two so try another strategy if you’re stuck in the house waiting out the storms.  With just a few needed supplies, you can turn your depressing rainy day schedule into a fun and creative experience that your flower and vegetable beds will thank you for.

Just because there’s all that wet stuff falling from the sky doesn’t mean that you can’t get in the car and go for a ride to your favorite garden center or flower shop, right?  After all, didn’t someone once say that a little shopping therapy always cures the rainy day blues?  Then this is your chance!  As an avid gardener, I’m always running out of much needed supplies for my potting bench such as gardening twine for tomato stakes, plant food to spread over the beds once every month or so and packaged seeds of things like cosmos and peas to fill in the bare spots of the garden.  Most greenhouses have a sheltered area over their plants and supply areas for the sole purpose of appeasing those customers that enjoy gardening throughout any weather condition so there aren’t any worries about getting drenched while choosing your items.

If you see rain pouring out your window than this might be an excellent time to prepare your compost.  Homemade compost can consist of items such as coffee grounds, old bread such as donuts or muffins, grains, all fruits and vegetables and the best of all, egg shells.  Be sure to ground the material well so that all nutrients are blended sufficiently.  Once the rain clear, pour the compost over your vegetables and flowers and watch your plants go KABOOM from your extra added love and affection. 

Speaking of eggshells, if you have a few lying around your kitchen, they can serve another purpose other than compost.  Make sure they are halved and are large enough to support a small amount of soil.  Clean the insides well and place 2 tablespoons of well-nourished soil inside the cup.  Then grab your favorite seeds and place one in each holder.  Seeds that work the best and will grow fastest are peas, cucumbers, marigolds, zinnias and tomatoes.   Place back in their carton and set by a window with a sufficient amount of daily sunlight.  Once their heads pop up from the soil, place in your garden beds! 

Make Your Own Salad Garden

I love salad.  No really, I do.  In fact, it’s one of my favorite foods and my family’s too!  There are many ways to serve a crisp, healthy salad including my preference of making sandwiches with fresh pita bread.  My kid’s even love the crunchy and zesty taste of dressing mixed with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, cauliflower and broccoli.  Besides, can you think of a better way to get children to eat their veggies? 

             photo crredit: gardenbetty.com

Since the ingredients of salad are so important to my household, they’re one of the first crops I plant in my vegetable garden once the summer rolls around.  Over the years, I’ve developed quite a system for these beloved greens and even constructed an actual “salad bed” at one time or another. 

So what’s a “salad bed”?

          photo credit: www.coastalurbanfarming.com

A “salad bed” is a raised garden that has only the foods found in a salad of your choice.  In some versions, the plants are separated where others prefer to mix them all up which is the way you eat the dish anyways.  What makes this so much fun is that your whole family can participate in this backyard effort to produce your very own food that not only is entertaining to watch grow but also delicious compared to store bought items. 

Visually, you can be as creative as you like but here are a few ideas to get your juices flowing.  Oh, and if you don’t have the space for an in ground garden, pots on the deck or doorstep work just as well!