Oregano makes a beautiful ground cover.

Growing herbs is easy. Anyone can have an herb garden. If you don’t have a spot of sunny ground, then a big pot on your terrace or deck will do. The very best place for an herb garden is next to your kitchen door for easy access.

Mint is best grown in pots as it may become invasive if allowed to roam freely in the garden.

Perennial herbs such as oregano, chives and thyme make beautiful, carefree borders for flower beds and evergreen rosemary makes a nice small shrub, so feel free to mix these into your ornamental landscape, too.

You can never have too much thyme, right?

The best way to start most perennial herbs is with small plants from the garden center. Don’t be fooled by their tiny size. Most herbs are tough plants that will survive neglect, poor soil and harsh winters. They will increase in size and many will multiply over the years so you will have more plants for your garden or to share with friends.

Rosemary is planted close to a glider so that the fragrance can be enjoyed. Basil seedlings visit Rosemary's pot every spring.

Annual herbs such as dill and basil may be started from seed (or nursery plants). Sprinkle seeds on top of moistened soil. Top with about ¼” of additional soil and pat down gently. Mist lightly until the soil is wet. Keep moist until sprouts are at least 2 – 3” tall. You may need to thin plants as they grow. Do so carefully and give to a friend. In fact, it’s a good idea to buy seeds with gardening friends as one packet will produce a plethora of plants.

Chives have adorable blossoms which are also edible.

Give your herbs plenty of sunshine and don’t let them get too dry, especially as they are becoming acclimated. A scoop of organic compost mixed into the soil is all most herbs will need to flourish.

While not technically herbs, lettuces are also easy to grow from seed. The flavor of just-picked salad greens is something many people never experience.

Coming up next: Ways to use your herbs.

A frozen silver julep cup makes the drink even more delicious.

Ingredients:

• leaves from 4-5 mint sprigs, preferably spearmint
• 2 sugar cubes or 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 2 1/2 oz really good bourbon
• mint sprig for garnish

Preparation:

1. Place the mint and simple syrup or sugar into a frozen julep cup or double old-fashioned glass.
2. Muddle well to dissolve the sugar and to release the oil and aroma of the mint.
3. Add the bourbon
4. Fill with crushed ice and stir well.
5. Garnish with the mint sprig.
6. Sip slowly and enjoy.

The foxgloves are especially robust this year.

Japanese iris

Siberian iris

These pale lavender bearded iris are from a small clump that was rescued from a neighbor's trash heap. They appear to be grateful for the second chance.

The fragrance of these peonies is intoxicating. Not unlike the mint juleps.

Magenta peonies

Kousa dogwood is just starting to bloom.

a scarlet floribunda rose

These are my dear friend's favorite flowers. To me, they will always be Linnie of the valley.

Fragrant sweet allyssum volunteers sprout between the pavers.

 

Need another drink?

 

The forget-me-nots are waning just as the Asiatic lilies are budding.

This spiderwort, "Sweet Kate", is planted next to the deep purple shamrock, below. I love the contrast of the foliage colors. St. Francis, aka St. Frank, is in the background.

little pinks

I love hydrangeas when they are budding. The chartreuse color with those rusty brown stems is so lovely.

Bruce likes the hydrangea, too. The party animal is partied out!

Y’all come back, now.

Consider this your personal invitation from a member of the Garden.

Thursday, April 19, 2012
Silent Art Auction from 6-9:30 pm at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
More than 100 extraordinary artworks will be available by silent auction to support the Children’s Garden. Join us for beer, wine, hors d’oeuvres and live entertainment.

You won’t want to miss this event!
Tickets: $50/person in advance; $55/person at the door.

For more information or to purchase tickets - www.lewisginter.org/support-us/charitablegiving/CheerstoArt.php

Let’s not forget, as we celebrate Easter, that the budding flowers, baby chicks, bunnies, lambs and eggs are symbols of new life and rebirth.

As a Christian, I celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and our rebirth through Him. The concept is as profound as it is simple: “Whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Happy Easter!

Select eggs that are about a week old. They are best for boiling as the shell will separate more easily. Put eggs in a large sauce pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and cover the pan. Let eggs sit for 12 minutes. Then drain and cool under running water. Tap shells on countertop and crack gently all over. Remove shells under running water being careful to keep whites intact.

Cut eggs in half lengthwise and pop out yolks into a small mixing bowl. Mash yolks with about 1/4 cup mayo (for 6 eggs) and about 1 tablespoon yellow mustard. Mix until yolks are smooth and most lumps are gone. Fill whites with yolk mixture. I use a spoon, but I have a friend who uses a pastry bag to make her’s extra fancy.

Now the fun part! Top with capers, olives, tiny pickles, slivered red pepper, thinly sliced cucumber and fresh dill, tiny slices of smoked salmon or ham, an asparagus tip, crumbled bacon, you name it! Or just go for the classic and add a sprinkle of paprika and black pepper. Enjoy!

The devilish chick in the center is in honor of our Richmond eaglets. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go to my Facebook page (link at left) to find the link. Warning: you may become obsessed with baby eagles.

When the forsythia blooms, it’s time to:
1.  Prune the aforementioned rose bushes. Cut stems as low as 4” – 6” on most varieties. Always cut at an angle just above an outward facing leaf bud. This assures that the new growth won’t be too dense in the center. Roses like good air circulation as they are prone to mildew and other fungi. Also be sure your pruners are clean. Some people dip them in bleach between cuts. I don’t go to this extreme.

2.  Remove dead foliage from last year’s perennials. Clean up leaves, twigs and debris from flower beds. Be careful, as new growth may have already started to come up.

Tender hosta shoots were buried beneath a blanket of oak leaves.

3.  Remove tree leaves that have fallen onto azaleas and other shrubs. This is a job best done by hand, if possible. A leaf blower may help dislodge leaves in shrubs too tall to reach. While you’re inspecting these shrubs, remove any dead or damaged wood.
4.  Cut back ornamental grasses and liriope. You can use a string trimmer or lawn mower if you get to this chore right away. If you wait until the new growth sprouts, you will have to use hand trimmers to avoid damaging the tips of this season’s foliage.

5.  Trim boxwoods and other non-blooming evergreens. Get them into the shape and size you want so that when the bright green new growth appears, you won’t have to cut it all off.

Don't prune flowering shrubs or fruit trees like this Celeste Fig. You can already see tiny fruit emerging.

6.  Apply pre-emergent crabgrass control to kill new crabgrass seedlings as they begin to sprout in the lawn. I loathe crabgrass.
7.  Pull weeds! They are easy to spot in the spare garden growth. The earth is soft and moist right now, so pulling them is easy. The weeds you pull now will not be able to flower and produce seeds, which means fewer weeds later in the season.

The forsythia is blooming and the weather is beautiful. Get out in the garden and get dirty!

Two year old Jerry currently lives with his owner who used to raise show quality Parson Russels. She is no longer interested in this pastime, and so Jerry needs a new home. He has been neutered, and is in good health. Since he has been a kennel dog, he is not fully house-broken. “about 90 percent” is how his progress is described. Terriers are super intelligent, so with a little patience and training, learning to potty outdoors should not be a problem. Jerry, like many terriers, does not like cats, but gets along great with other dogs.

This is a wonderful and rare opportunity to adopt a young, small dog with a wonderful, sweet disposition. And can you believe how cute he is?

I can tell you from personal experience, there is nothing in the world as rewarding as loving a rescued dog. If you want a companion, a buddy, who will adore you and warm your heart every day, consider adopting Jerry.

If you would like to meet Jerry, please contact my good friend, Debbie Lipscey at springerfarm@aol.com or 804-690-9157. Debbie once fostered one of the loves of my life, Toby. She is helping Jerry find a new home and a new best friend forever. Maybe that best friend is you.

Here are a few of the things we did to make this small space live large. You may be able to incorporate some of these ideas into your next small space make-over.

First, we eliminated the doorway into the smaller bedroom. This allowed for a 66” vanity with two sinks along one wall. By having the vanity custom built, we were able to make it shallower to save space. The wall mounted faucets allowed us to use these fabulous wading pool sinks without adding to the width of the countertop. The cabinet shop also made the wall mirrors.

Another custom trick: we added electrical outlets inside the back of the cabinet. This is accessed by way of a drop front panel below each sink. This often unused space is the perfect place to keep a blow-dryer and electric shaver plugged in and ready when needed.

We also broke through the old closet and incorporated the small amount of extra space into the shower. A large shower head adds drama and style while the handheld makes cleaning the shower (and an occasional dog) easier.

Since radiators are still used as heat in the house, we replaced the old cast iron one with a sleek, wall-mounted unit. It also serves as a great towel warmer.

Vintage style glass block on the upper portion of the shower partition wall provide privacy but allow natural light to enter the enclosure. No shower curtain is used. The stall is large enough to enter at one end, with the water at the other.

The door from the master bedroom was converted to a pocket door. The Toto toilet, the Drake model, has a round bowl instead of an elongated one, again to save a few inches.

By keeping the materials and color palette to a minimum, the space feels clean and soothing. In a small space, it is also important to use surfaces which reflect light, where possible. Polished marble, semi-gloss paint, glass block and polished chrome fixtures add to the feeling of lightness as do the tall mirrors. Avoiding clutter is also important when each inch counts.

The bathroom is quite small by today’s standards. But with careful consideration of every inch of space, it feels and functions as a much larger space.

Custom cabinetry by Mill Cabinet Shop – see link at left.

R Home is published by Richmond Magazine. Each year, the magazine conducts a survey asking people to vote for their favorite home related businesses. From architects to window washers, there are 72 categories. I am thrilled to have been chosen from among a field of so many wonderful decorators and designers.

I sincerely thank each of you who took the time to vote for me. I always say that I have the most wonderful clients in the world. You all have humbled me with this very special recognition.

Thank you!
For more information about Richmond Magazine, visit: http://www.richmondmagazine.com

The beach is literally covered with shells…

…and crowded with “locals”.

one of two bald eagle nests on Lovers' Key

As a storm blew over the southern sky, a huge double rainbow appeared. The tiny white buildings in the picture are actually high-rise condominiums in Bonita Springs.

Fallen trees at the tip of the island make dramatic sculpture. Someone had decorated these roots with shells and natural objects.

Always the decorator, I added a couple of horseshoe crabs.

A great blue heron does not want to share his favorite fishing spot.

"got bait?"

As the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico, our time here came to a close. We would leave Lovers’ Key, but the memories of this special place, like love, will last forever.

A sailbost seems to balance on the horizon.