Edible Garden Decor

The anxiousness for growth in our garden area has my wife thinking of how "lovely" the whole space will look once everything finally starts taking off. She really was amazed last year at what a pleasant sight the fruits and vegetables were in the garden spot with the varying heights, colors, and leaf types. As of right now the ground is pretty much bare thanks to all of the rain storms we have had, but there is still hope that the view will be up and running here in the next few weeks.

It is incredible to know that such delicious plants can have such an aesthetic affect too. Here are a few examples of what will be found in our garden this year (if everything grows right) that will be great foods as well as eye pleasers. Feel free to share your ideas or share how you've incorporated these edibles into your landscaping decor!

Sunflowers: Yes- the seeds are edible when roasted and salted! These come in varying sizes and colors and can be great house wall covers or fence borders. My wife loves how they seem to stay in bloom for so long.

Various Herbs:
- Chives: A great pot plant with tall, skinny, onion green type leaves that also bloom pretty purple or white flowers when completely maturing. Great to mix in dips, soups, or your breakfast eggs.
- Basil: From small to large bold green leaves, these are a great italian flavor and the dark green is great contrast to a light colored pot.
- Oregano: Little bushy plant- another pot plant or perhaps to be used for border bunches. Another italian favorite!
- Rosemary: Mimics a "shrub" with the thin long leaf types. A good soup and stuffing flavoring.
- Mint: Bright green leaves that spread. A wonderful smelling ground cover. Good garnish for ice cream, drinks, or to make jelly out of (my wife's specialty).

Raspberries and/or Blueberries: Instead of bushes that do nothing- get some floral and fruitful ones that are great for attraction of butterflies and birds- as well as small children who love to nibble on the bright blue or red berries.

Rhubarb: Instead of ornamental showy leaf plants- use rhubarb! Then pies can be made.

Strawberry plants: Another great ground cover with floral and fruitful aspects.

Pumpkins: It will be easy to decorate your front garden area with pumpkins for Halloween if you just plant the viny plants directly there! Train the vines to wind around trellaces, around porch beams, or stakes you've set up. Beautiful broad leaves, orang flowers through the summer, then bright big fruits during the fall.

Hopefully all of these plants will work out for us this year and the weather will cooperate. We're looking forward to the look and flavor!

Have a good week!

Pros and Cons of Multiple Rainy Days

Pros for the few rainy days IN A ROW that we've had in or area (trying to think on the positive here):

1. Soaked flower beds make pulling weeds a little easier (see above).
2. No need to water the lawn or the garden when it's being naturally watered!
3. OK... Need a little help here. Share your pros!

Cons (can't help but think the negative too):

1. The garden is OVERWATERED and the cold weather is killing things! (Poor Tomato Baby!)
2. No sunshine means it's difficult to get to work outside on the lawn and my wife can't finish planting anything else that needs to be put in the garden.
3. The kids are inside the house all weekend making you crazy! :)
4. The darkness is dreary.
5. The lawn is oversoaked and waterlogged.
6. Share why else you think too much rain is bad...

I guess we're supposed to have sunshine soon... I hope! Looking forward to being back outside again without getting soaked to the bone!

Have a good week!

Summer Lawn Memories

Just want to take a moment to dedicate a post to all those wonderful memories we build and cherish that are associated with our lawns during the summer season of our beautiful northwest area.

Do you remember as a kid- running through the sprinklers in your shorts and slipping all over the wet and slippery grass?

Did you have a dog that couldn't wait for you to get home and when you did he'd knock you down onto the grass and lick your face with doggy slobber love?

Did you ever kick around a soccer ball as soon as the sun started coming out and end up falling and staining those jeans your mom just bought you?

Did you play tag with your friends and get tagged to hard that you fell- but got right back up after hitting the soft lawn laughing and running right back after everyone who yelled that you were "it"?

Do you still have all your crazy family members from around the states come up for a reunion of love, laughter, and arguing while lounging in lawn chairs?

Do you reminisce times laying there under the stars with thoughts of summer love floating through your mind?

Do you remember lying a towel down and falling asleep tanning only to be awakened by your younger sibling tickling your nose with the grass blades?

Are 4th of July barbecues with a blanket on the grass watching the fireworks at the neighbors still a tradition (and legal) in your area?

Do memories of bouncing on a trampoline before hopping off and resting on the grass bring back those same feelings of thrill?

My point is- there are so many memories associated with a lawn that we don't even realize and perhaps take for granted. So take care of your grass so you can enjoy the peaceful "being a kid" feeling when standing in your lawn and looking back at what you loved about your green yard when you were growing up.

PS: Please share any other specific memories you may have that are associated with a nice and green lawn. We'd love to see them