06 Monday Aug 2007
Posted in Gardening
The hybrid tea roses I have I selected for color and hardiness. I have had wonderful success with French Lace and St. Patrick’s. They seem to perform well throughout the blooming season. Three years seems to be the magic maturity mark for all roses, however the two above-mentioned roses have bloomed gloriously since they hit the ground—both were planted as bare root roses.
More rose information to come…
23 Monday Jul 2007
Posted in Flowers, Gardening, Maintenance
I know that every garden zone is different, however, that said, I thought I would share some of my personal success stories (where roses are concerned) while tending my roses in Zone 22. I have discovered throughout my history of caring for not only my own garden, but the many gardens of clients my partner and I took care of, that sometimes garden care is a trial and error type of endeavor. What works for one individual plant variety doesn’t alwys work when applied to someone else’s garden. Some gardens thrive while being basically neglected, while other planting beds can challenge even the most patient of people with it’s recurring problems, no matter how much attention you devote!
I have several hybrid tea roses and even more shrub roses. The reason for this is a simple “more bang for the buck” theory. My shurb roses are constant performers in my garden. I will confess that they do not make fabulous cut roses for the house, however in the garden they add that punch of color and are fairly easy to care for. Some of my favorites are: Burgandy Iceberg; White Iceberg; and Brilliant Pink Iceberg. The only problem they ever give me is ‘mildew’ in the early summer months. This is caused by cool nights and warm days. It doesn’t impact the bloom, but it is a little unsightly during this time—usually only lasting one bloom cycle. I prune these roses in January and cut them to the shape I need. I clean out some of the smaller inside canes and mulch with a good compost after pruning. I feed them monthly between February and October.
More on roses next time.
18 Wednesday Jul 2007
Posted in Entertaining, Flowers, Food, Gardening
Summer has always been a double-edged sword for me. I personally find that the extreme heat and I don’t get along anymore. Maybe it’s because I try to fill each day with too many activities, which heats me up more than if I were to recline with a good book and an iced tea! One activity that is always fun in the summer months is dining al fresco. We keep the meal simple and guests will often volunteer to bring a dish, which I allow. We recently had a friend over for dinner and my husband grilled salmon on a cedar plank. I prepared a white and wild rice and mushroom pilaf, fresh dwarf asparagas. Our guest prepared individual, fresh peach, two-crusted pies. Maybe that is the one other thing I love about summer, fresh peaches.
Grilled Salmon on Cedar Plank
1-salmon filet, with skin on one side only
1 cedar plank
The juice of 1 lemon, brown sugar, capers, olive oil.
Soak the cedar plank overnight in a basin of water that completely covers the plank. Lightly oil the plank with some of the olive oil, place the salmon (skin side down) on the plank. Lightly oil the top of the salmon, cover with lemon juice and then pack the brown sugar over the top, to a thickness of about 1/2″ . Dot the sugar with capers. Cook the salmon on the grill using indirect heat with the grill top down. Check at 20 minutes for doneness. The salmon will take a little longer to cook using this method, but the results are worth the wait. The sugar dissolves and leaves a hint of sweetness—less than you might expect. Bon Appetit!
I set the table with simple white hotel linens and I cut fresh roses and hydrangea blossoms for the floral arrangement. Our patio is equipped with white tea lights that are hooked to a switch so that we can flip a switch on the patio and the lights give just the right glow for dining after dark. Somehow the stress of the heat and the day disappear when you dine outdoors!
Speaking of flowers—don’t forget to fertalize your roses throughout this blooming season. If you find rust on the leaves of your rose bushes remove them and then spread a thin layer of mulch around the base of the plant. Rust is an airbourne problem and if it lands on the ground it can find its way back to your rose bush with a breeze or the gardener’s blower.
Take time to enjoy the summer evenings and remember to slow down and cool off during the heat of the day!
08 Sunday Jul 2007
Posted in Renovating
A dear friend recently called me to get my suggestions on where she might find a great wallpaper selection to replace the not so old wallpaper in her master bedroom. I commented on how much I liked her existing wallpaper. It turns out that the wallpaper had begun to lift and separate at the seams and that this problem was something my friend wasn’t sure could be repaired. With a little internet homework, I found a “how to” posting on reparing wallpaper. Should this be a problem for you here are the simple, but effective, methods we used with great success. First fill a bucket or basin with very warm water. With a 6-8″ sponge, dampen the seams using the warm water. Then with a plastic spackle knife, apply wallpaper paste to the undersides of the lifted seams; sponge off excess paste with a well-wrung out sponge smoothing the seam until it meets and is flat to the wall. We used wallpaper paste from a paint store designed to apply wallpaper borders. The directions from the internet indicated that this type of paste tended to have a stronger adhesive in it. Our project didn’t take very long and the wallpaper looked as good as the day it was first installed. I hope this will be of some assistance to any of you that might encounter this problem.
06 Friday Jul 2007
Planting an urn, such as the concrete urns used for our family wedding, isn’t difficult. Keep in mind you’ll want some heighth in the center of the urn and then select shorter plant materials for the edge. Trailing plants are especially effective. We used columbine for the center, maindenhair fern, begonia and violas were planted around the outside edges of the urn. The white roses, seen in the picture, were cut and inserted into florist vials and placed where needed to complete the look of the arrangement. The nice thing is that with a little attention these can last an entire season, providing your deck, patio or entry a beautiful spot of color.
06 Friday Jul 2007
Posted in Dessert, Entertaining
April was an exciting month for our family, our oldest son married. The bride and groom decided on a small, family only wedding. Our dear friends offered their lovely home on the bay for the event. Upon our arrival for the big day my friend had set out a split of Champagne and this plate of sweets for the bride and her bridesmaid. This small touch made for a wonderful presentation, and the beginning of a most memorable day and evening. It’s the little things!
06 Friday Jul 2007
Posted in Entertaining, Trends
The wedding I’ve mentioned in my posting for “Presentation” was a small affair and the bride chose to keep the table setting informal. We used pottery instead of fine china, napkins that coordinated with the pottery and simple glass goblets instead of crystal. The flowers used in the centerpieces were similar to the flowers used in the bouquets of both the bride and bridesmaid. The end result provided a cozy and inviting table complete with lots of candles to set the mood.
02 Monday Jul 2007
Posted in Entertaining, Gardening
This new adventure will provide me an opportunity to journal the three hobbies that I enjoy most. Many of my friends and neighbors share these interests and, hopefully, you will find some value in my weekly postings. My “expertise” if you will, comes from life’s experiences. During my marriage of 34 years and counting, I have taken great pleasure in providing a comfortable “nest” for my family. That has always included entertaining, gardening and ongoing home and decor improvements. I realize that to some these interests are considered shallow, however, I know that they have brought me, as well as my family, great comfort.
Our home, although very cottage-sized, is comfortable and I’m told, inviting. I keep it mostly informal and that seems to work for us. An inspiring designer/writer, Alexandra Stoddard, provided me with determination to make our everyday life as pleasant as possible in her book, Living a Beautiful Life. I have attempted to remember her guidelines through the years. Even before Martha Stewart was well known, Ms. Stoddard gave tips for enjoying every day by completing daily rituals. This takes some planning and believe me, I’ve gotten off track during particularly hectic times. We all know that raising a family and keeping a home is hard work but sometimes the smallest touches will give you an unexpected lift—flowers, whether purchased or cut from the yard are an example of a simple touch that can lift the spirits.
18 Monday Jun 2007
Posted in Entertaining, Gardening
Over the coming months, we’ll be taking you through all sorts of ins-and-outs of gardening, home decorating, and entertaining.
If you’re looking for anything in particular to be covered, don’t hesitate to email us at gardenhomeandparty@gmail.com.
In the meantime, welcome to the party.
Garden, Home & Party 