Monday, June 25, 2012

Chinese Perennial Primrose

My daughter was asked to find me a perennial primrose and came home with this little darling.

I will be planting it in the front somewhere.

Primula -vialii
________________________________________________

Family: Primulaceae
Genus: Primula (PRIM-yew-luh) (Info)
Species: vialii (vy-AL-ee-eye) (Info)

Comman Name: Chinese Perennial Primrose

Category:
Perennials

Height:
12-18 in. (30-45 cm)
18-24 in. (45-60 cm)

Spacing:
9-12 in. (22-30 cm)

Hardiness:
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)

Sun Exposure:
Light Shade

Danger:
Handling plant may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction

Bloom Color:
Violet/Lavender

Bloom Time:
Late Spring/Early Summer
Mid Summer

Foliage:
Deciduous

Other details:
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings

Soil pH requirements:
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)

Patent Information:
Non-patented

Propagation Methods:
By dividing the rootball
From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
From seed; stratify if sowing indoors

Seed Collecting:
Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Seed does not store well; sow as soon as possible

Friday, June 22, 2012

Tinkerbelle Lilac

I have two planted in the front yard and this is there second year.
The bees and butterflies spent weeks on them.
I recommend this little lilac and will be updateing photos

____________________________________________________
Tinkerbelle Lilac
Syringa "Tinkerbelle"
Syringa "Tinkerbelle" flowers
This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid
Height: 5 feet
Spread: 4 feet
Sunlight: Full
Hardiness Zone: 3b
Group/Class: Fairytale Series Lilac

Description:
A new hybrid introduction related to the Meyer lilac, featuring showy spikes
of spicy fragrant true pink flowers in late spring, small rounded foliage and
a compact habit of growth; neat and tidy, an excellent garden shrub; full sun
and well-drained soil
Ornamental Features:
Tinkerbelle Lilac is blanketed in stunning panicles of fragrant pink flowers at
the ends of the branches in late spring, which emerge from distinctive crimson
flower buds. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has dark green foliage
throughout the season. The small pointy leaves do not develop any appreciable fall
color. The fruit is not ornamentally significant. The smooth gray bark is not
particularly outstanding.
Landscape Attributes:
Tinkerbelle Lilac is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less
rounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants
with less refined foliage.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering
to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for
attracting butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Tinkerbelle Lilac is recommended for the following landscape applications;
General Garden Use
Mass Planting
Hedges/Screening
Accent
Plant Characteristics:

Tinkerbelle Lilac will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet.
It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer
plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate,
and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry
and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape
conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban
pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Leek Casserole

Ingredients

4 lbs. potatoes, mashed
1 lb. bacon, cooked and chopped
4 medium leek
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups grated cheddar
salt and pepper

Directions

Slice Leek into thin rings and cook in water with salt until tender. Drain the leeks well and set aside.

In a pan melt the butter, then stir in flour. Once it's blended well, stir in the milk a little at a time, making a white sauce. Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups of cheddar. You could add spices of your choice at this point, such as nutmeg. Add the cooked leeks to the sauce and stir well.

Take 1/2 of the mashed potatoes and make a layer in a 9X13 inch pan. Next layer in the leek, then the rest of the potatoes. Cover with last cup of cheese, and sprinkle with bacon.

Bake in 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Source: This is one of my Mom's standby recipes that her family of 9 children enjoyed without complaining!

By LovingLynden from Lynden, WA

Onion Potato Pie

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded hash browns (it calls for frozen, but I use boiled, grated potatoes)
5 Tbsp. melted butter (You know me, low fat. I used 3 Tbsp. light olive oil.)
1/2 tsp. salt.
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup sweet pepper (red or green)
1 cup diced ham - optional (It didn't call for any meat, but I had some leftover ham to add.)
1 cup shredded cheese (any kind you like cheddar, Swiss, or low fat *smile* Mozzarella)
3 eggs slightly beaten together with 1/3 cup of milk

Directions:

Mix hash browns and 5 Tbsp. melted butter (or 3 Tbsp. olive oil), and salt. Press this mixture into the bottom and around the sides of a greased 9 inch pie pan.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 25-30 or until edges are browned. Cool to room temperature. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees F.

Saute onion, pepper and ham in remaining butter or oil until pepper and onion is tender. Spoon into potato crust. Sprinkle the cheese over the onion mixture.

Pour the egg-milk mixture over the top. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 6-8 servings.

Very good leftovers to heat in the microwave. This could be started earlier in the day, and refrigerated. You could even bake the crust ahead, then just pour in the ingredients and bake as directed. If the ingredients are cold from the fridge, it might take a few minutes extra to bake it.

By Harlean from Hot Springs, Arkansas

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Camera Lens Bling

Too cute !

Check out this great tutorial and then get wild with crystals and ribbons flowers wow Love this one
Found HERE

Paper Flower Tutorial

This cute paper Flower tutorial can be found HERE

Monday, June 18, 2012

Another Chiffon Flower Tutorial

This is another much simpler chiffon Flower tutorial.

Found HERE

Decline of our Birds

Just me or can anyone else figure out if you take the food away the birds will die ??

Common Birds In Decline

What's happening to birds we know and love?

Audubon's unprecedented analysis of forty years of citizen-science bird population data from our own Christmas Bird Count plus the Breeding Bird Survey reveals the alarming decline of many of our most common and beloved birds.

Since 1967 the average population of the common birds in steepest decline
has fallen by 68 percent; some individual species nose-dived as much as 80
percent. All 20 birds on the national Common Birds in Decline list lost at least
half their populations in just four decades.
The findings point to serious problems with both local habitats and national
environmental trends. Only citizen action can make a difference for the birds
and the state of our future.

Which Species? Why?

________________________________________________

Invasive Plants

In some species, cultivars of a perennial are not as invasive as others. Use this list to check into the
plants you are considering for your garden.

List

Achillea spp. (Yarrow) - invasive roots
Aegopodium spp. (Goutweed) - reseeds, invasive roots, use in confined areas
Ajuga (Bugleweed) - invasive roots, excellent ground cover in shade, use in confined areas

Ajuga (Bugleweed) - invasive roots, excellent ground cover in shade, use in confined areas
Anchusa spp - reseeds, invasive roots
Artemesia spp. (esp. Wormwood) - invasive roots
Borago officinalis (Borage) - reseeds, invasive roots
Campanula rapunculoides (Creeping bellflower) – invasive roots
Centaurea cyanus (Bachelor button) – reseeds
Cerastium tomentosum (Snow in the summer) - invasive roots, can overwhelm desirable plants
in a rock garden.
Chrysarrthenium parthenium (Feverfew) - reseeds
Convollaria majalis (Lily of the Valley) - invasive roots, excellent ground cover if confined
Leucanthamum sp. (Oxeye daisy, Shasta daisy) - reseeds, invasive roots
Lunaria annua (Money plant) - reseeds
Lysimachia nummularia (Creeping Jenny, Creeping Charlie) - invasive roots
Lythrum salicaria (Purple loosestrife) – noxious weed, DO NOT PLANT
Macleaya cordata (Plume poppy) - reseeds, invasive roots, use in large containers
Mentha (Mints, esp. Catnip) - reseeds, invasive roots
Monarda didyma (Beebalm) - invasive roots
Myosotis (Forget-me-not) - reseeds
Oenothera spp. (Evening Primrose, esp. speciosa ‘Rosea’) - invasive roots
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) - reseeds
Phalaris arundinacea var. picta (Ribbon grass) - invasive roots, confine in a container
Physalis alkekengi (Chinese lantern) - invasive roots
Physostegia virginiana (Obedient plant) - reseeds, invasive roots
Polygonum cuspidatum (False bamboo, Japanese Knotweed) - invasive roots
Rosa (Roses, esp. wild roses, brambles) - invasive roots, use in native plantings or where
the roots can be confined
Sedum spp. esp. ‘Golden Acre’ - this and other sedums drop pieces that will re-root
Stach’s bysantina (Lamb’s ear) - creeping stems root and spread
Tradescantia virginiana (Spiderwort) - invasive roots
Veronica spp. (Speedwells, esp. creeping speedwell) - invasive roots, pieces drop off and re-root
Viola spp. (esp. Viola odorata) - reseeds and becomes a problem in lawns
Yucca spp. - invasive roots

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Sea Thrift in the Little Yard

Armeria maritima
Common Name: sea thrift

Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Plumbaginaceae
Zone: 4 to 8
Native Range: Mountain and coastal areas in the northern hemisphere
Height: 0.5 to 1 feet
Spread: 0.5 to 1 feet
Bloom Time: April to May
Bloom Color: Pink, White
Bloom Description: Pink to white
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry
Maintenance: Medium
Flowers: Showy Flowers
Tolerates: Dry Soil, Shallow, Rocky Soil, Drought
Uses: Groundcover, Will Naturalize

Culture:
Best grown in infertile, dry, well-drained soils in full sun.
Foliage mounds tend to rot in the center if grown in moist,
fertile soils or in heavy clay. Good drainage is essential.
Deadhead spend flower stems to encourage additional bloom.

Noteworthy Characteristics
Thrift or sea pink is a compact, low-growing plant which forms a dense,
mounded tuft of stiff, linear, grass-like, dark green leaves (to 4" tall).
Tufts will spread slowly to 8-12" wide. Tiny, pink to white flowers
bloom in mid spring in globular clusters (3/4-1" wide) atop slender,
naked stalks rising well above the foliage to 6-10" tall. Sporadic
additional flowering may occur throughout the summer.
Flower clusters are subtended by purplish, papery bracts.
In the wild, thrift or sea pink commonly grows in saline environments
along coastal areas where few other plants can grow well,
hence the common name.

Problems No serious insect or disease problems.

The Little Pink Mounds in the back and around the tree is the Sea Thrift

Right on the tree trunk are chives ready to go to seed.

More on the Little Yard Boxwoods

Buxus microphylla japonica 'Winter Gem'

Excellent evergreen shrub for small hedges.
Among the hardiest of Boxwoods, the rich green foliage acquires
a golden bronze hue through winter, returning to green in spring.
Evergreen.

Botanical Pronunciation: BUK-sus mik-ro-FIL-la
Key feature: Hedge Plant
Plant type: Shrub
Deciduous/evergreen: Evergreen
Cold hardiness zones: 5 - 9
Light needs: Partial to full sun
Water Needs: Needs regular watering - weekly, or more often in extreme heat.
Average landscape size: Moderate growing 4 to 6 ft. tall and wide, when unpruned.
Growth rate: Moderate
Flower color: Yellow
Blooms: Inconspicuous
Foliage color: Green

Care Information
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep,
extensive root system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins
in spring. For a tidy, neat appearance, shear annually to shape. Pruning time: summer
after flowering.

Design Ideas
This is the classic hedge plant. Its dense, evergreen growth makes it perfect for
shearing into a small, formal hedge. Ideal for defining different spaces in the garden
or for a tidy foundation cover-up. It is especially lovely against red brick. Use as a
partition to divide your front yard or driveway from your neighbor's. Also beautiful
as background foliage. Creates lovely topiaries, particularly in cone shapes if planted
where it snows. An excellent plant for parterres and hedge mazes. Keeps its color over winter.

Companion Plants
Boxwood is so versatile and offers a nice backdrop to a variety of low growing
shrubs and perennials. If kept more natural in shape, pair with Lilac, Burning Bush,
Smoke Tree and Japanese Rose. For a formal appearance or knot garden, combine
with topiary forms, fragrant plants and culinary herbs such as Germander,
Rosemary and Sage.

History
Also known as B. harlandii, this species is native to Japan. Boxwood is so
named because its very hard wood was valued in ancient times for making
boxes and small containers.

My Little Yard this week June 17 2012

The Little Yard

Work Continues on the little yard.
The last 2 weeks have been a winter gem boxwood Hedge.
Lowes has them still on unmarked sale at 12.94 each for the 2 1/2 gallon size.
Also put in 6 candytufts along the backside.

We hit a 5 foot by 3 foot blue basalt rock and took 5 hours and a jack hammer to break off about 8 inches across the front.

Friday, June 8, 2012

A DRAMATIC SURPRISE ON A QUIET SQUARE

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Paper Lantern how to

How to found HERE

Animals at there best

Traveling For Quilts

Traveling art Gallery For quilts can be found hERE

Friday, June 1, 2012

How plastic bottles can lighten up the darkness.

Brilliant !

This is so INGENIOUS!! It's true that necessity
is the mother of all invention.

How amazing and creative is this? We take something so simple as windows
and sunlight for granted - a luxury in a third world country.

Click here http://www.wimp.com/lightenup/ for an incredible video

How plastic bottles can lighten up the darkness.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Household Tips and Tricks

Cut foam pipe insulation to fit sides of container...

and cut slits in foam for a super easy paint brush holder.

Many More found HERE Inthiscrazylife

Monday, May 7, 2012

Banana Split on a Stick

It's a frozen banana split made in a cup. So easy to make.

Ingredients:

8 Tbsp. strawberry topping
4 bananas, peeled and halved crosswise
1 1/2 cups strawberry ice cream, softened
8 Tbsp. pineapple topping
1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1/2 cup chocolate-fudge topping
1 1/2 cups chocolate ice cream, softened
Whipped cream
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
8 maraschino cherries (drained and patted dry)

Directions:

Divide strawberry topping among eight 6-ounce plastic or paper cups. Insert a wooden stick into each banana half; place one in each cup, stick side up. Place a square of aluminum foil with a slit in the center over each cup, cover and freeze for an hour.

Divide strawberry ice cream among cups, spooning it in around bananas; repeat with pineapple topping. Freeze for 15 minutes. Spoon vanilla ice cream, fudge topping, and chocolate ice cream into cups until full. Place a square of aluminum foil with a slit in the center over each cup. Freeze overnight or until firm.

When ready to eat, peel off the cups. Top each pop with whipped cream, walnuts, and a cherry.

Servings:8

Prep Time:2 days Minutes

Cooking Time:none Minutes

Source: I saw it on Pinterest.

By Sharon from Vian, OK

Not Time to Plant !

BY JAMES HAGGERTY (STAFF WRITER)

Published: May 7, 2012

Sue Genovese knew vegetable gardeners misunderstood the calendar during a 10-day period in March when local temperatures topped 70 degrees eight times.
"People were expecting to find eggplant, basil and tomatoes," said Genovese, whose family owns the Garden Path in Scranton. "They were looking for all the wrong things. You kindly say, 'In this area, it's truly not time yet.' "

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

1929 Recipes Milk Sherbets ,Fruit Creams

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Where to Recycle

Recycling

Earth911

How Can I Recycle This?

National Recycling Coalition

Recycler’s World

Gleaning And Foraging

Gleaning & Foraging
Fallen Fruit
Forage Oakland
Portland Fruit Tree Project
Society of St. Andrew
Urban Fruit Harvesting

Monday, April 23, 2012

Merchants and Purveyors Of Heirloom Seeds

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

2278 Baker Creek Road
Mansfield, MO 65704
(417) 924-8917
http://rareseeds.com
Catalog: Free online.
Baker Creek has been issuing catalogs for ten years now, and the current one builds on their already impressive offerings. They feature hundreds of non-hybrid vegetables, flowers, and herbs, this catalog is especially strong on hot-weather crops. It lists 44 different eggplants, 175 tomatoes, plus ample numbers of old-time corn, squash, and melons. The other garden vegies are here, too, just in smaller numbers.

Bountiful Gardens

18001 Shafer Ranch Road
Willits, CA 95490
fax: (707) 459-6410
email: bountiful@sonic.net
http://www.bountifulgardens.org
Catalog: Free online.
Offers only open-pollinated varieties, including some newer varieties as well as a fair number of old-timers. Of these, only a few are identified as heirlooms, even though many others, including some fairly rare ones, are also heirloom

Colonial Williamsburg: The Colonial Nursery Seed List

The Colonial Nursery
P. O. Box 1776
Williamsburg, VA 23187-1776
http://www.history.org/History/CWLand//nursery1.cfm
Catalog: Seed list free online.
Gardening was part and parcel of colonial life, and this remarkable museum displays everything from the aristocratic pleasure grounds for the governor to a work-a-day kitchen garden of vegetables and herbs, all carefully researched and authenticated. Their "Colonial Nursery" sells period-appropriate vegetable, flower, and herb seeds, plus bulbs, gardening accessories, and other goodies.

Eternal Seed

657 Pritchard Road
Farrellton, Quebec
J0X 1T0
Canada
(819) 827-8881
Catalog: free
Even though their website is a work-in-progress, it still includes a fine selection of heirlooms, including some nice short-season varieties and some that are very rare. Many are grown organically and packaged without pesticides. They also offer many old-fashioned flowers (including some choice vintage sweet peas) and a long list of herbs. BTW, I've never had any problems with customs or plant quarantines when I've ordered seeds from Canada.

Fedco Seeds

PO Box 520
Waterville, ME 04903
(207) 873-7333
questions@fedcoseeds.com
http://www.fedcoseeds.com/
Catalog: Free online.Vintage woodcuts, and amusing illustrations, this 100 page catalog has a mix of modern varieties and heirlooms. Among the latter, some are superstars, others are family favorites, many are historic. Informative write-ups help sort out which is which. Fedco has some rare varieties. In fact, they may be only commercial source for some of them. Of course, you're going to want these seeds. Order early. The deadline for mail orders is March 20.

Filaree Farm

182 Conconully Highway
Okanogan, WA 98840
(509) 422-6940 (Message only)
http://www.filareefarm.com
Catalog: Free online.
This organic farm offers hundreds of garlics gathered from literally all over the world. Some are heirlooms.

Heirloom Tomatoes

Heirloom Tomatoes
5423 Princess Drive
Rosedale, MD 21237
http://www.heirloomtomatoes.net/
Catalog: Free online.
Astonishing collection of tomatoes, and carrying his tradition forward. As before, this website offers hundreds different heirloom tomatoes -- red, pink, orange, yellow, green, purple, and black tomatoes, big ones, little ones, short-season tomatoes, hot-weather tomatoes, and everything in-between. Best of all, Donna even has tomatoes that taste like real tomatoes.

Heritage Harvest Seed

Box 40, RR3
Carman, MB, R0G 0J0
CANADA
(204) 745-6489
http://heritageharvestseed.com/
email: seed@heritageharvestseed.com
Print Catalog: $2.00 in U.S. Free in Canada.
Specializing in rare and endangered varieties, this young company's catalog is chock-full of intriguing heirlooms. Some, such as 'Champion of England' peas, 'Boston Marrow' squash, and 'Tip-Top melon' are vegetable superstars of days-gone-by. Others, including 'Brandywine' tomatoes and 'Moon and Stars' watermelon are popular today. If those weren't quite enough, HHS offers Canadian originals, Native American vegetables, and short-season varieties. For many of them, HHS is the only commercial seed source. A laudable effort, especially since without niche seed companies like this one, many rare and choice heirlooms would simply cease to be

Johnny's Selected Seeds

955 Benton Avenue
Winslow, ME 04910
1-877-Johnnys (1-877-564-6697)
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/
Catalog: Free online.
While Johnny's specializes in short-season crops, it also offers a nice selection of heirlooms identified as such

Landreth Seed Company

60 East High Street, Bldg #4
New Freedom, PA 17349
(800) 654-2407
http://www.landrethseeds.com/
Catalog: Free online.
This historic company (founded 1784) offers an assortment of old and open-pollinated vegetables. This year, they added a page devoted entirely to the heirloom vegetables, many of which they have offered since these varieties were new. The 193 varieties listed here (with nifty vintage images) include many classics, and is worth a browse.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

How to Flower Tutorial Sewing

Flower Bag and Flower Tutorial found HERE

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Infused Vinegar Recipes Links

Infused Vinegar Recipes

How to Vinegar

More Vinegar Recipes

Friday, April 20, 2012

Blank Recipe cards in 3 x 5 to print

Monday, April 16, 2012

How to make Your Own Beer Video

Angry Birds By Snitch

Made by our Chat board member SNITCH

Her Crochet Angry Birds.

Soooo Cute

She just finished the Red Bird

Artist Simon Beck Quilts in Snow Fields

Artist Simon Beck must really love the cold weather! Along the frozen lakes of Savoie, France, he spends days plodding through the snow in raquettes (snowshoes), creating these sensational patterns of snow art. Working for 5-9 hours a day, each final piece is typically the size of three soccer fields! The geometric forms range in mathematical patterns and shapes that create stunning, sometimes 3D, designs when viewed from higher levels.
How long these magnificent geometric forms survive is completely dependent on the weather. Beck designs and redesigns the patterns as new snow falls, sometimes unable to finish a piece due to significant overnight accumulations. Interestingly enough, he said, 'The main reason for making them was because I can no longer run properly due to problems with my feet, so plodding about on level snow is the least painful way of getting exercise. Gradually, the reason has become photographing them, and I am considering buying a better camera.
Spectacular art for the sake of exercise!