'BEHOLD THE GARDEN FAIR' ~ MID-MAY MARVELS

"How fair is a garden amid the toils and passions of existence."

~ Benjamin Disra

Centaurea montana

Allium

Chives

Allium

Azelea (Karen)

Rhododendron & Azalea

Heuchera, Japanese Painted Ferns, columbine, bergenia

Centaurea montana, heuchera, oriental poppy, tulip, Lady's Mantle

Blooming Buddies

Blue

Exbury Azaleas

The Garden

The Wildflower Garden

'SHOW ME YOUR GARDEN ... ' ~ EARLY MAY COMPANIONS

"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what your are. "

Alfred Austin

Azalea and Bergenia

'Love in bloom'

Azalea, Trillium, Bergenia

Angelique Tulip

'Spring Green' Tulip

Tulips and white dwarf Iris

Double tulip

Tulips

Japanese Painted Fern

Trillium

Virginia Bluebell, Hosta, Variegated Solomon's Seal,

Sweet Woodruff, Japanese Painted Fern, Geranium, Celandine Poppy,

Lady's Mantle, Trillium, Jacob's Ladder

Trillium and Maiden Hair Fern

Flowering azalea and fern

Hosta, Heuchera (Key Lime Pie), and Rhododendron

Budding Rhododendron

MONDAY MAY MUSING ~ MEDITERRANEAN CHOPPED SALAD

"My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view."

~ H. Fred Ale

May Garden Flowers

(Petunia, Sweet Potato Vine, Alpine poppy, Autumn fern, Gerbera daisy, Columbine, Centaurea, heuchera ~ Key Lime Pie - Creme Brulee)

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MEDITERRANEAN CHOPPED SALAD

~ Garden fresh and colorful ... like May

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1 large red bell pepper

1 large pocketless Greek pita

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 minced garlic clove

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup finely chopped romaine lettuce

1 large chopped English cucumber

1 (14 oz.) can rinsed chickpeas

4 seeded and diced Roma tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped scallions (green onions)

freshly ground black pepper

2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

• Preheat broiler. Place pepper on foil lined sheet and broil abut 15 minutes, turning once or twice until blackened evenly. Remove to bowl: cover with plastic wrap and cool. Peel, seed and dice. Set aside.
• Brush pita with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Broil about 3 minutes per side or till edges begin to curl and bread is firm. Sprinkle with pinch of coarse salt and let cool. Break pita into 1/2 inch pieces.
• Dressing: Combine garlic, parsley, mint, basil, lemon juice in small bowl. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil.
• In large salad bow. combine romaine lettuce, cucumber, roasted bell pepper, chick peas, tomatoes and onions. Add dressing; toss well. Add pita and toss again. Season with salt & pepper. Top with feta and drizzle with oil. (4 servings)

SEPTEMBER GARDEN STROLL

"Spring flowers are long since gone. Summer's bloom hangs limp on every terrace. The gardener's feet drag a bit on the dusty path and the hinge in his back is full of creaks."

~ Louise Seymour Jones

~ Sedum, heuchera, pink turtlehead, phlox, Japanese anenome

~ September garden

~ Hosta, coleus, Japanese astilbe

~ The herb garden

~ Gerbera daisy, black-eyed susan