Discover the Fun of Gardening

November 1, 2012   

Create a delightful garden with winter annuals.

Fall is finally here. Mornings cool enough for a jacket are a welcome relief from the summer heat. Fall flowers love this weather too. Lots of your favorite cool-season annuals have arrived at the nursery including: violas, dusty miller, sweet alyssum and snapdragons. These flowers thrive in cooler weather, and don't mind frost or freeze, so they'll keep your garden colorful all winter long.

Plant some herbs, and they'll be ready just in thyme for Thanksgiving.

Take advantage of the gorgeous weather, to come out for the Herb Gardening workshop this Saturday at 10am. You'll learn all about the various herbs that grow well in our area and how to plant and care for them.

Happy Gardening,
Kim, Joey and Mark
 

In This Issue
Let's Get Herbal

Upcoming Events
Workshop: Sat. Nov 3rd at 10am on Herb Gardening


Fall Bulbs are In Amaryllis and Paperwhites

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Arizona Sun Blanket Flower $6.99 6" Pot

 Featured Plant
Arizona Sun Blanket Flower
Gaillardia X grandiflora
 
Gorgeous fall color on a low-growing perennial that tolerates cold and heat. Yes please! Add that it is a wonderful butterfly attractor and you've got a real winner. The blanket flower is a perennial that loves the sun and grow 18 inches tall, and spreads about two feet. Plant in well-drained soil, it doesn't like to have wet feet.

Let's Get Herbal

So after you've attended the Herb Workshop this weekend and learned how to grow beautiful herbs, what do you do with them? Below are some ideas for using those delicious fresh herbs that you've grown.

Bath Thyme - Use fresh garden herbs to create an aromatherapy bath that will relax and refresh you. Infuse oil with lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus or lemon grass ahead of time and simply add to hot bath water. Or, pick a handful of fresh herbs at bath time, crush to release the oils and add to the bath. You can also put freshly crushed herbs in a sachet before throwing them in the water to keep the leaves from getting caught in the drain. However you choose, sit back, relax and let the fresh fragrances lift your stress away.

Make it Spicy - Of course the most popular use for fresh herbs is cooking, and what dish wouldn't taste better with oregano or basil from your garden instead of dried up old leaves! Crush or chop herbs just as you are about to use them so that the oils are released in your dish.

Healing - One of the oldest uses of herbs is not for their flavor and spice, but for their healing powers. Many of these remedies have been used since ancient times. Next time you have a headache or stomachache, try a freshly infused herbal tea instead of grabbing pills from the medicine cabinet. Below is a list of some common herbs and the healing properties they have.

Basil - can help alleviate kidney problems, as well as soothe anxiety.
Vicks Plant - Clears sinuses, relieves cold symptoms.
Fennel - helps detoxify the body and restore normal stomach function.
Parsley - is a blood builder and full of vitamins.
Sage - is antibacterial and antiviral. Great for treating colds and sore throats.
Thyme - is a powerful antiseptic.
Feverfew - soothes a cough or cold, may help reduce fever.
Dill - makes a powerful tea for stomach or intestinal issues.
Rosemary - is a food preservative and digestive aid.
Tarragon - is a great treatment for toothaches.

Upcoming Events

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