Author: zboy

Our featured flower of the month is the Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabillis) and is one of my favorite perennial shade plants to grow. It is hardy in zones 3-9 and produces blooms during the early spring months of May thru June. Its lavish green foliage can reach heights of 24-36 inches. The blooms are rose pink heart shaped blossoms that are suspended on arched stems. To add this plant to your garden’s landscape simply plant in rich well draining soil in the shaded area of your garden. Cheers

 

Fall has arrived in zone 4 bringing cooler temperatures and changes to plant life.

Blooms remain on some plants but trees are taking nutrients from their leaves triggering fall colors and a rapid departure.  Yearly mountain sabbaticals are nearly over as there is a small window for “viewing the Aspen”. The beauty we enjoyed during the spring and summer is coming to a close ushering in new glorious crops like pumpkins and squash. You might see smoke from a chimney, have a limited number of barbecues to attend and soon be invited for comfort foods that may include favorite soups using vegetables from the garden.  Cheers!

If you are looking for a perennial plant that will attract butterflies to your garden then plant Scabiosa. It is a sensational flower that resembles a pincushion. Its bushy blooms appear as if suspended from long slender stems. It is an absolute must for pots and small rock gardens. It excels in zones 4-9 and will bloom from spring until fall. I prefer to plant Scabiosa as a border flower in the shaded areas of my garden. Cheers

Our featured flower of the month is the Cleome. The cleome is an easy to grow annual flower that belongs to the Cleomaceae and Brassicaceae plant families. Gardeners have admired this spidery flower with its open trusses of blooms in multiple shades of violet, pink and white. It is a full sun, drought tolerant flower capable of reaching heights of up to 6 feet. I like to start seeds in early spring in well draining soil for blooms that should last until first frost. Cheers

Most great barbeque doesn’t require a sauce to define its taste, but it can enhance the overall flavor. From Kansas City to the Carolina’s, geographical regions play a vital role in barbeque sauce style and flavor. I would like to share one of my favorite southern barbeque sauce recipes called “Golden Mustard”.

6 garlic cloves, minced                        1 cup of white vinegar

1 ½ teaspoon salt                                 ¾ cup yellow mustard

½ onion minced                                    ½ teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon black pepper                   ½ cup water

1 teaspoon paprika                              ¼ cup tomato puree

 

Mix ingredients in a saucepan and bring to simmer. Add onions and reduce heat to low. Enjoy

Makes 2 cups

If you prefer a great deal of flexibility within a distinct plant family then you will love our featured flower of the month, the Dianthus.  The Dianthus is native to Europe and Asia belonging to the plant family Caryophyllaceae.  It has 300 different species that can be grown as perennials, biannual or annuals. Dianthus can be grown in zone 3-9. I planted the annual species in full sun and they provided an excellent boarder flower with a lot of flare and blooms that lasted from early spring through fall. These flowers are a great addition to any cut floral arrangement. Cheers