"Some like it HOT!"

Do you like the hot weather? Some plants do too!

Dry, hot weather has dominated Southeastern Wisconsin for several weeks, causing gardeners to spend hours each day watering their parched plantings, as they strive to maintain annuals and perennials, shrubs and trees.  Although many plants struggle with our pseudo-tropical weather, some LIKE it hot!   Various herbs handle sunshine and hot temps, as long as they receive adequate moisture.

Watering culinary herbs frequently is recommended to produce succulent, flavorful leaves to enhance your favorite recipes.  Depending upon your soil type, you may need to shower your herbs once daily (or twice daily if they are in terra-cotta pots which allow roots to dry rather quickly).  Your efforts will be rewarded when herbs are abundant and you can harvest for tonight’s dinner, or dry them for use in your own spice blends.

Whenever possible, harvest herbs BEFORE they put forth flowers (some herbs become bitter if they are harvested after seed pods or flowers are present).  Of course, sweet basil in flower or a sprig of oregano with dainty purple blossoms can still be used to garnish an entrée, but as a flavoring agent, it’s past its prime. 

If you are growing a selection of BASIL in your herb garden, consider making pesto using a combination of various cultivars of basil. (Purple-leaf basil is quite lovely, but don’t combine with green basil leaves or your pesto will be a gruesome gray!)

Basil Pesto   (Add some to cooked linguine or rotini and serve hot; can freeze leftover pesto for future use.  NOTE:  pesto is quite potent-- more is NOT better!)
2 cups basil leaves, washed (can use a few varieties of basil for depth of flavor)
2 – 3 cloves fresh garlic, sliced thin (approx one tablespoon)
1/3 cup  pine nuts (might be labeled as pignoli; can substitute walnuts)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Combine all ingredients using blender or food processor; add salt to taste. Please store in fridge or freezer until ready to use.

M. Lynn Schmid,   Certified Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture

"What? Again?!"

A delightful, dainty, dwarf iris… ‘What Again’

There is nothing typical about THIS bearded iris!  Sword-like foliage grows to a height of just 10” – 12”  (not 24” – 36”  like an ordinary iris).   The showy blossom presents lower petals in soft yellow, with upright petals in shades of lavender.  

‘What Again’ may seem like a peculiar name for a cultivar, but it makes sense when you understand it will bloom in the spring and again in autumn!  This iris may have been more appropriately named:  “What??!!  Again???”   This easy-care perennial plays nice with a variety of perennials, such as Coreopsis ‘Zagreb’ and  various spring flowering bulbs.

To encourage the autumn bloom, simply cut away the expired blossom in late spring, and then look forward to your second blooming session in Sept/October.

Low maintenance is a bonus; tubers will multiply underground and should be dug out every 3 – 4 years to encourage maximum flowering.

This dwarf iris (Iris pumila ‘What Again’) is drought tolerant and is rated for USDA Zone 3 through Zone 9, which means it will thrive virtually anywhere in the USA except Alaska and Hawaii.   Plant a few tubers of ‘What Again’ in your yard, and look forward to a show next spring, with an encore in autumn!

M. Lynn Schmid,   Certified Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture

Grow spices - bake cake! Cinnamon Crunch Rhubarb Cake recipe :)

Most herbs are the leaves or fleshy tissue of an edible plant.  Spices, however, are usually derived from the bark or seed pod of a plant, such as cinnamon and nutmeg.  Following is my own recipe I’d like to share which incorporates cinnamon and nutmeg to take a rhubarb cake to a higher level. Enjoy!  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the Kitchen of Lynn Schmid  (Horticulturist at Lammscapes)

Cinnamon Crunch Rhubarb Cake -- a delicious treat that uses fresh rhubarb from your garden  (can use frozen rhubarb, if desired)

Topping can be mixed and set aside:
½ cup white granulated sugar, one tsp. cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg

Ingredients:
½  cup Crisco® shortening
1  cup light brown sugar
½  cup white granulated sugar
Cream above ingredients with mixer until smooth; then add:

1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sour milk (2 TBSP. vinegar + 7 ozs. milk; can substitute buttermilk)
1 tsp. baking soda
Mix until batter is creamy and smooth; then add:

2 cups all purpose flour, sifted, plus one tsp. cinnamon

Gently fold in the final ingredient: 1-1/2 cups THINLY SLICED rhubarb (note: if using frozen, thawed rhubarb, suggest draining excess liquid before adding)

Use cooking spray to prepare 9x13 Pyrex® glass baking dish.  Spread batter evenly; then gently spoon sugar & spice topping over batter.

BAKE 50 MINUTES AT 325º  (the aroma in your kitchen will be lovely!)
Allow to cool for 30 minutes to serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Topping forms crunchy, lightly browned surface.  Yield: 24 servings

Fresh from Home - Grow your Own! - Herbs & Veggies

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Fresh-from-Home---Grow-your-Own--Herb-Planter-Workshop.html?soid=1103177261687&aid=dNiypio-nd0

"Lily of the Valley" - Regal, yet simple!

"Lily of the Valley"—Regal, yet simple!

Is that Grandma Mary’s perfume I smell… or are lilies of the valley in full bloom?  The fragrance of lilies of the valley is quite distinctive—different from the scent produced by other lilies.  You may love the intense aroma (or not!) but either way, you likely can identify Convallaria majalis  simply by its scent.

The lily of the valley loves shady areas and thrives as a woodland plant.  It is extremely prolific and sends out underground rhizomes forming a thick mesh beneath the soil level, as well as stolons above ground.   When digging lilies in early spring to share with a friend, you may be surprised that these dainty, delicate blossoms are supported by a tenacious network of rhizomes and roots, often 12” deep.  You will need a SHOVEL in order to share—not a hand trowel!

In spring 2011, lily of the valley received special attention in England when Kate Middleton decided her bridal bouquet  would follow an old royal tradition and be comprised primarily of lily of the valley, in lieu of more exotic plants.  Kate’s bouquet was reminiscent of a simple, olden-days country wedding.  Lily of the valley grows well in the United Kingdom (as well as in some parts of the USA), and Kate made her decision to utilize British-grown flowers in her bridal bouquet.   Lily of the valley can be grown easily in the Southeastern Wisconsin region; you need a bit of shade, a bit of space, and a few rhizomes from a friend or nursery.

NOTE:  If you have small children, please remember the lilies’ leaves, flowers and  late-season orange berries are quite toxic, so please plant where they would be inaccessible to curious children.

M. Lynn Schmid,   Certified Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture
 (Wikipedia provides this 19^th century illustration of Lily of the Valley)

A tribute to Mothers ~ Happy Mother's Day!

Mother’s Day…  a time for reflection

Mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, godmothers, mothers-in-law and aunts have all played roles in forming WHO we are today… who we’ve become.  Each of these women was a unique individual, possessing talents and skills they may have shared with us.  Although some memories of our loved ones are pleasant, others are not.  But with the passage of time, even memories that were not so pleasant at the moment might bring a smile to our faces today, as we reflect back on them.

There are countless (expensive!) ways to honor your mother on this special day… diamond earrings, fancy handbags; simply page through the numerous ads you’ve received since the beginning of May.  But remember that many moms don’t want diamonds from their children; they simply wish to be remembered and respected on their special day, and this can be accomplished in creative, loving ways that don’t require spending a small fortune:

Ø Invite your mother/grandmother to your home for a brunch that you and your children will prepare.  (Keep food selections simple to ensure success.)

Ø Find a unique basket that will hold a few plants; if gift is for grandma, let each grandchild select a plant to place in basket and add a poufy bow.

Ø If mother or grandmother has passed on, you can plant a flowering shrub or tree in her memory—one that will bloom every year around Mother’s Day.

Ø Bake something special for her… try your hand at baking bread or a lovely pie, featuring her favorite fruits or berries.

If you are a mom, grandma, godmother or auntie and someone takes time from their busy life to call you or drop by to give you a hug in person, just savor the moment and take time to reflect … this is your special day!   You have made a difference in someone’s life!

M. Lynn Schmid,   Certified Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture

"Spring is Blooming - Outside & IN !"

Spring is Blooming – enjoy outside & IN!

Spring has come to Wisconsin with all the spring bulbs and flowers blooming a bit early due to our warm March.

Why not bring the Spring indoors?  It is very easy to use just a few small flowers to make a beautiful arrangement. 

Use small jars and bottles from jelly jars to small vases, juice bottles, old medicine bottles and small craft bottles from your local craft store.  The display is more interesting to have a collection of different sizes and shapes and heights for your vases.  Then simply put a few stems and leaves in each one.

In our arrangement, I have used the following:

·        Grape Hyacinths

·        Johnny Jump-ups

·        Daffodils

·        Violets

·        Bleeding Hearts

·        Lily of the Valley

·        Virginia Blue Bells

·        Forget-Me-Nots

So take a walk in your yard and bring Spring into your home.  It’s an easy & fun activity on any day!

LAMMSCAPES!  Floral Designer,

Gretchen