Quotation of the Week: "The poetry of the earth is never dead." — John Keats

English Gardens

If you want something a little extra special and out of the ordinary, why not consider one of our favorite signature creations, an English Garden. These lovely gardens are meant to be temporary and can be used for a short period of time in the home. Made up of predominately outdoor color, these gardens will bloom for several weeks on a protected porch or patio, and then should be disassembled and replanted in your garden. Because there is no drainage, this garden requires careful watering. It is fully lined, but is susceptible to drips, so careful placement in your home is a must. These gardens are made with seasonal color and are usually available in the Flower Shop. Custom designs are made on request.

Keep the Color Coming: Post-Holiday Amaryllis Care

by Tamara Galbraith Attention: Anyone who received an amaryllis as a gift over the holidays...don't throw that bulb away just because the flower stalk is now withered and ugly! With a little coddling, you can enjoy the same beautiful blooms next year. After the blossoms shrivel, cut the flower stem 1 inch above the base with a sharp knife. Continue to water and feed the remaining bulb regularly, and provide plenty of light. Amaryllis can be planted outdoors - pot and all - in partial shade and then into full sunlight during the summer. For Christmas blooms next year, bring the plants into the garage in late September and place the pots on their sides. Cut off all water. This gives the plants a couple of months to rest before preparing to bloom again during the holidays. In November, remove any dead leaves and replace the top couple of inches of potting soil. Resist the urge to pot up, as amaryllis like being jammed into a small space; there should only be about 1" between the bulb and the pot. Thoroughly water, place in a sunny window indoors and wait until growth emerges. Once a flower bud becomes evident, continue watering when soil becomes dry, and make sure the plant is receiving plenty of sunlight. Water well during blooming, but put the plant in a less bright spot to help the flowers last longer. Then, when the flowers begin to fade, it's time to start the whole process over again. If you're in USDA hardiness zone 7b or warmer, amaryllis can also be grown outdoors like any other flowering bulb, although many of the Dutch hybrid types will not do that well. Just make sure the soil is well-drained and rich in organic matter. Space bulbs about a foot apart and barely cover the bulb tops with soil. Select a sunny spot in the garden that receives some shade during the afternoon hours. Avoid placing the bulb where it will dry out excessively; a light layer of mulch will help retain moisture and keep the bulb from overheating in hot weather.

How To Plant A Bare-Root Deciduous Fruit Tree

Choose a spot in full sun with good drainage and adequate space for the tree to grow. If space is limited, choose a semi dwarf tree or plant so that you can espalier, training it on a wire trellis, an arbor, or against a (preferably east facing) wall. Winter pruning with the addition o a summer pruning will allow your new tree to be kept as small as you want. Prune off any damaged or broken roots, and plunge the remaining roots into a bucket of water to soak while you dig a hole. Dig a planting hole and check the drainage. If the soil is heavy clay, work at least 2 pints of gypsum into the soil in the bottom of the hole, it will do no harm, and it may improve drainage. If gophers are a problem, line the hole with a basket made of poultry wire to protect the roots while the tree is young. Hold the tree in the hole so that the bump on the bud union faces north, to shade it from the sun, and the point where the roots start on the trunk is just below the surrounding ground. (The bud union is the location where the variety was grafted onto the rootstock; on trees it usually appears as a slight bend in the trunk or a change in its width.) Backfill the hole by sifting the native soil you took from it back into the hole around, through and over the roots. (Do not add soil amendment unless you're planting in pure sand.) Plant high, so that as the tree grows the area where the trunk meets the ground is high and dry. Press down with your hands to compact soil around and over the roots. Make a watering basin. Mulch the ground around the plant and in the basin. If the tree does not already have a good branching habit, prune it immediately after planting: cut the tree to a height of 30 inches to 36 inches above ground. Remove most of the side branches (if there are side branches) except those needed for main scaffold limbs. You can produce a low branching tree by choosing to keep three low branches that are not exactly opposite each other. To protect the trunk from sunburn, paint it with flat white latex paint (not enamel) that you've slightly diluted with water. Water deeply by allowing the hose to lie on the ground and trickle into the hole until it penetrates around the roots. If drainage is poor or if the soil is heavy clay, check once a week and water when the soil begins to dry out. Gradually lengthen the intervals between irrigations to encourage deeper roots.

Recipe of the Week: Winter Vegetable Soup

What You'll Need: 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 strips smoked bacon, chopped 1 cup chopped onion 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups cubed, peeled acorn squash 2 cups diced, peeled red potato 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped carrot 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1 can (28 ounce) whole tomatoes, drained and chopped 2 cans (14-1/2 ounce) chicken broth 4 cups chopped kale 1 can (15-1/2 ounce) navy beans or other small white beans, rinsed and drained

Step by Step:

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bacon and saute for 3 minutes. Add onion and garlic; saute for 3 minutes. Add squash and next 6 ingredients (potato through thyme), stirring to combine; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes. Add kale; simmer 5 minutes. Add beans; simmer 4 minutes or until potato and kale are tender. Yield: 4 servings