Our featured flower of the month is a perennial ground cover called “Delosperma”.  Delosperma is a member of the Aizoaceae plant family and is also known as the “Mesa Verde Ice Plant’. Flowers are soft and appear to be iridescent with succulent leaves. The ice plant adapts well to our climate in zone 4 and is magnificent when used as a border or draped over walls and boulders.  I start my plants in garden loam or gravelly soil for plants that are four inches high and spread out up to 15 inches.  Cheers

Floral Gardening

My eBook “The Flower Affect” is your one stop solution for identifying and growing familiar flowers.  It is floral gardening made easy and readily available for download on your Kindle or mobile device at Amazon here:

https://www.amazon.com/Flower-Affect-Melvin-Sydnor-ebook/dp/B07GJVHMRP/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542052838&sr=8-1&keywords=9781387609017

Holidays are on the horizon and my focus is shifting towards food and festivities.  A good meal can compliment any special occasion or gathering.  Smoking and grilling are unique cooking styles that offer a distinct taste to food and in zone 4 our weather is conducive to outdoor cooking.  Using smoke is considered to be the authentic way to barbecue.  True pit masters will say “no food is better than barbecue” and the essential ingredient is smoke.  Distinct flavors are derived from the type of wood burned in your smoker or grill.  The wood usually comes in chunks or chips and sometimes whole logs of apple and cherry.  Hickory is known worldwide for its profound flavor when used to cook pork.  Alder and mesquite are my personal favorites.  There are numerous choices of woods, rubs and cooking methods.  Experiment! Find what works for a unique and scrumptious holiday meal.  Enjoy

Fall is here and we have already received a winter blast in zone 4, freezing blooms and putting an end to the growing season.  It is one day later, the high is fifty degrees and the next several days we will experience spring like temperatures.

We have experienced low precipitation levels this year, our snowiest months of March and April fell extremely short creating extreme drought conditions leading to a devastating fire season and changing our habitats forever.  In my own little corner of zone 4 I have planted drought tolerant species and I can  take solace as I consider my environment, the impact I have made and what I can personally do to make a difference when the weather will not cooperate.  Cheers

If you’re looking for a drought tolerant annual flower, then try our featured flower of the month the Gazania.  Gazania’s are full sun daisy like flowers that thrive in the dry heat of summer.  They perform magnificently in sandy soil.  Gazania’s take 60-70 days to mature, so if you live in an area with a short growing season you will want to start plants indoors about 8 weeks before the last frost.  The blooms are boldly colored, open during the day, and close at night.  I experienced great success with Gazania’s using them as border flowers in my garden.  Cheers

One of the most alluring plants in my garden is Salvia (Flare), having bushy dark green foliage that grows to heights of 18” – 20”. The red fluorescent spikes appear to illuminate in flower beds or border settings.  They performed magnificently this season when I planted them in rich well draining soil. My blooms usually last until late summer extending into the fall season.  Cheers

 

When I plan my garden I include late summer blooms for brightly colored cut floral arrangements.  This year’s varieties included Aster for it’s diversity, Zinnias were added for their tenacity and Rudbeckia was included for stability.  Enjoy!

If you are searching for late summer blooms to add to your garden try our featured flower of the month, Echinacea.  Echinacea is also known as “Cone Flower” a hardy perennial plant that is well adapted to zones 3 through 9 and considered to be one of the top 10 flowers to cultivate.  It thrives in full sun and will hold its own during drought like conditions. Echinacea with its daisy like features come in a multitude of varieties, shapes and colors. Their large heads are resistant to insects and disease. Echinacea will attract beneficial creatures like bees and butterflies in addition to providing food for birds during the winter season.  I start my seeds in well draining soil for plants that should reach heights of 30 inches and provide blooms for seasons to come.  Cheers

Summer is in full swing and grill time is at a premium.  Marinade, mops and rubs are essential elements of meat preparation and with hunting season on the horizon the recipe below will make a great marinade for venison or beef.

 

 Red Wine Marinade

2 cups of dry red wine

¼ of oil

½ cup of red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons of dry sage

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Combine the ingredients in a blender and food processor. Makes about 2 cups.

Enjoy!