Earth laughs in flowers.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
So I'm new to gardening.
Last year I planted some flowers and they bloomed. It was glorious. All I had to do was nurture them,...spray for pests, weed, water & feed! My reward was living art. I guess gardening is like art, when you approach a canvas sometimes you can be hesitant, lack confidence... but once you dive in - the 'creative process' allures & captivates you -it is both challenging and relaxing. So it may not turn out as well as you expected ... I remind myself that I haven't really failed if Ive learnt something from the experience. Yet most of the time there is something to show for your efforts!
This year I have taken on Roses, Wildflowers, and some other variety;( it has a scientific sounding name, and I cant for the life of me, remember it!).
The other gardening venture is my vegetable plot.
I plodded off to the Organic Seed & Plant store. Reasonable prices and the plants were not heat treated, this I assume makes them hardier to the cool weather. Its only a hop, skip and a jump away from Darling Spring, but she is not quite here yet!
Anyway, I have been reading up and doing my homework, I confess in order to find easy hardy plants that give good results. I can give a few hours here & there but I have a house-hold to run, & a baby to mind so - I'm looking for minimum input and maximum output :)
In "The Cook's Salad Garden", I read up on Mizuna and Mibuna. They are Oriental vegetables, and very versatile, in terms of cooking. They can be used in salads and soups, hot dishes, e.g casseroles.The awesome thing is that they are a very hardy plant, easy to cultivate and have all-year-round availability. Big Plus! At our local Organic Store Mizuna costs $2.50 for 6 well established seedlings. I also tried some other varieties that I hadnt even heard of but which are closely related to standard veg. I have always wanted to grow my own, its cheaper, it's fresher, you know what's going into it, and there will be a definite sense of achievement of providing for & nurturing your family.
Two other areas of interest...I am also looking forward to cultivating are more herbs, and edible flowers. Herbs are fragrant, delicious and even said to have medicinal properties.Thyme for example has antiseptic qualities and is good to drink for sore throats. As for Edible flowers, well...they're just pretty! Imagine the extra pizazz the flowers add to your dish when you entertain.
I will post a picture of my veggie plot and other such experiments as they grow,bloom & produce. Maybe I can encourage you to go out there & give it a shot, if plants can survive a Storm -they can survive almost anything!
(Just a subtle thought :)
Here are a few pic's:
*Excerpt from Health.Com
One of the mildest mustard greens, mizuna -- often found in mesclun mixes -- is high in immune-boosting vitamin C, folate and iron. It also contains powerful glucosinolates -- antioxidants linked to decreased cancer risk, says Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D., author of "The F-Factor Diet." Cultivated in Japan since ancient times, mizuna brings an exotic, slightly spicy flavor to the table.
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