Gardening Anywhere

The Perfect Gift

2024-12-09T00:00:00Z

Those hard to shop for people niggle at my brain. All year long my subconscious peruses store shelves, like a constant tick.

If I’m at the store buying clothes with my daughter, a flashy poncho for grandma may catch my eye. I may drag my daughter to the poncho and point out that grandma would love the sequins. My daughter may certainly roll her eyes and proceed to say grandma already has five ponchos, one of which we bought two years ago. She’d be right. Then I’d sigh, swallow the disappointment of still not having a grandma gift, and let the mental tick niggle on. The search is endless, unless…

You smart-garden.

The garden gives. Even the veggie-adverse population would appreciate garden gifts – rosemary infused olive oil, flowers pressed into art or stationery, lemongrass-chamomile tea, homemade pizza sauce or marinara with sprigs of basil, lemon cilantro infused tequila, salsa, peppermint soap or candles. The possibilities are infinite and easily tailored to the interests of your picky giftees.

For the veggie consumers, foodies, and clean-eaters on your list, try mason jar bouquets. Plant the giftees favorite herb or vegetable in advance or use something that’s ready to harvest from your garden. Hydroponic plants are easy to pull from the garden with leaves, stems and roots intact. Once the plant is in hand, rehome it in a mason jar of water. Tie a ribbon around the jar and voila, a beautiful gift!

Imagine grandma’s face when given a jar of lemon balm to make her favorite Kryddersnaps!

Merry gifting ya’ll!

Holiday Almondine

2024-12-05T00:00:00Z

The Price of Clean Eating

2024-12-03T00:00:00Z

What is clean eating worth to you? Think about that question and then take it a step further and think about where your food comes from. Is your food source clean? Next time you're at the market on a Saturday, observe the produce section.

I am an indoor smart-gardener. My produce pantry is alive. Garden-to table eating happens everyday in my household. Here's the monetary costs of a few items I grow in my gardens.

My gardens paid themselves within the first year. I now spend about a dollar per plant (depending on the life-span of the plant.)

$1 for a bunch of lettuce (any variety I choose)

$1 for a sweet bell pepper plant. Yields 8-10 peppers depending on variety. Love the Purple Sparkler variety in the picture above!

$1 for months of orange mint. Tea anyone?

Total: $3.00

Here are the average market prices (varies):

$2.99 – bunch lettuce

$1.99 – 1 red bell pepper

$3.49 – 1 bunch of mint (this is regular mint. I could not find orange mint)

Total: $8.47

Note that I'm not including resource expenses for either totals. Both methods require a little time and effort. I'll let you weigh the remaining costs (health, convenience, etc.) on your own. Based on price alone, the winner is clear.

Everyone can be a gardener. This includes brown-thumbed urbanites. No need for outdoor space, or even dirt. The evolution of modern gardening is inclusive. Smart-garden hydroponics delivers affordable clean-produce during every season.

Tour of Chandor Gardens

2024-09-22T00:00:00Z

"I was given the skills to paint in order to build my garden." Douglas Chandor

An Idyllic version of nature coalesced with the creativity of man, expressed through a garden. Chandor Gardens in Weatherford, TX was one of Douglas Chandor's greatest creations. This man excelled in the arts, painting over 200 figurehead portraits such as Eleanor Roosevelt, President Franklin Roosevelt, and Queen Elizabeth the second throughout his lifetime, and in 1936 came the garden. On 3.5 acres of cloche his creative playground was born. – A place to breathe.

Flowering coleus below a grand planter of cannas abuts the pavilion entrance. Great start to a day in the garden.

Exiting Chandor's Palladian style home you're greeted by a fountain and choices. The various paths wind into another guiding you through five garden spaces. Chandor's English heritage reflects in this space. Time to pick a path.

Tree roots meshing with stone work is times art. There's a lot of Asian-English fusion here. The oriental stone pillars lead to a boxwood lined path. Grasses and Caladiums help the boxwoods hold up the greenery. Yucca spikes from a white planter adding edginess to break up the soft shapes, drawing the eye to the pavilion in the background. Beautiful.

Statuary depicting a Chinese Foo Dog to protect the garden. Frogs circle the top as a sign of prosperity. Love the framing of the stairs and the mysterious black hole.

The gardens are full of peaceful nooks.

Love how steps peek from the left of the stone pillar. An arch curves over algaed waters, surrounded by lush foliage. A visage of ancient ruins coated in green patina.

An intimate nook.

Boxwood grown as a tree. I believe it's a Japanese Boxwood.

The Chinese refer to pineapples as Fortune Cones. Wealth, fortune and prosperity abound in this garden.

Fun, light-hearted fountain.

Plenty of meandering paths to spark curiosity.

Your worlds the stage.

One of my favorite spots in the garden. It has a peaceful grotto vibe.

Another angle of the same area is just as pretty as the first.

My Chinese zodiac sign –Strength, health and good luck.

The entire garden was built on a hillside. The retaining walls and slope allows for many tiers giving the garden rich layers of depth.

Originally Chandor named the garden White Shadows –aptly named. In 1953, after Chandor's death, his wife renamed the garden after him.

It's divine how the stone curves into a peak with Christmas fern, Virginia Creeper and grasses draping the edges.

Cranes under tree boughs.

The color contrast of the water above and below the structure illustrates the power of light in this garden.

Tiny little details extend to the foot stones.

When statues grow with the trees. The open window frames the path.

Side view of the same area. The craggy Live Oak creating another frame.

I could sit here and watch the ripples in the water forever.

The illusion of magical floating step stones

The scope of the garden. It's hard to believe this garden nestles in a sleepy neighborhood.

A true masterpiece.

Light trickles through to the Elephant Ears making a path of its own.

A resident of Chandor Gardens.

The bench between two worlds.

The world inside Chandor's mind –Breathtaking diorama. An expression of peace and serenity. Maybe it's what he sought when not in the limelight.

Pretty door and a nod to the Turks Cap to the right.

It emulates ancient ruins. The various shapes and textures blend perfectly.

Soda bottle walls after almost 100 years of natures ministrations. The bottom bottles match the Mondo Grass and the top bottles match the Christmas Ferns. Well done!

These walls deserve a close up. I bet 7up was a favorite in the Chandor household.

Elaborate hardscaping integrates the house into the garden.

Zoom out of the same photo. Tree canopies caressing the house. The symmetry is so natural.

The curved design is astounding. Such beautiful stone work.

Buddha completes the garden.

Drapes of English Ivy

Acer

Repetition of circles.

Time to go.

Cranberry Apricot Sauce

2024-09-20T00:00:00Z

This cranberry sauce encompasses Thanksgiving with its vibrant crimson berries flecked with apricots. It's sweet tangy flavor will accompany your turkey deliciously. Save yourself time on the big day by canning it as soon as the fresh cranberries come into season or make it a couple days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Enjoy and don't be scared to lick the leftovers off the pot when you're done!

*Helpful hints while making sauce:

Prepare! Have the cranberries washed and the apricots diced ahead of time.

Boiling the cranberries and sugar will create foam. The foam will gradually decrease as the berries pop open.

Sheeting will occur once most of the berries have burst. This happens when the sauce glazes the spoon.

Canning the sauce while it's hot and ladling into hot jars using a funnel is the safest and easiest way to can.

Head space needs to be 1/4 inch from the top rim of the jar. When jars are in boiling water bath, make sure water is 1-2 inches over the tops of the jars. After processing time, remove jars from boiling water and let sit untouched for 24 hours. Double check flexion on lid tops before removing rings.

Enjoy this wonderful Thanksgiving delight!

Crockpot Turkey Vegetable Chili

2024-09-14T00:00:00Z

Pumpkin Mini-Muffins

2024-09-14T00:00:00Z

Turkey Kielbasa Hash

2024-05-08T00:00:00Z

Healthy, one-pan, comfort food for dinner that's easy to make does exist.

Pan roasted yumminess! During the chilled, rain soaked days of spring comfort food is what I want. It's a quick meal that can be ready in under an hour. After a long day of work, take 15 minutes to cut up the ingredients and slide them in the oven before you indulge in fluffy socks and a comfy sofa. While you rest and watch the rain, the oven warms the house and the delectable aroma makes your mouth water. Take care of yourself and indulge.

But wait!

I'm trying to eat better. I want to feel better!

I crave the "stick to your ribs," soul warming meals on rainy, raw days. But sometimes, after enjoying my favorite comfort food, the yuck settles in. I feel bogged down, tired and bloated. There's nothing worse than paying a price for eating the foods I want. Hash is one of them. It's not fair.

The potatoes mesh with the meat in such a tasty way, my mouth waters thinking about it. Traditionally, it's made with corned beef, butter, and potatoes. This combo tastes great, but it's not a "feel great" kind of meal. Why not make it both?

Turkey Kielbasa Hash is where it's at! We deserve comfort food that makes us feel good on all levels! This meal dishes it out in aces. With 15 minutes of prep time, a sheet pan for easy clean up (I use two pans because I make it for four people, cut the recipe in half for two people and one pan. I also cover my pan in aluminum foil because I hate washing dishes), and super healthy ingredients it's not just comfort food, but quick and easy food! Did I mention the taste? It's a favorite in my household for a reason, and it's not the healthy reason!

A classic, delicious comfort food that's healthy and quick to make! It's not a dream.

Give it a try. It does not disappoint.

Arable! My Book Cover Concept

2024-04-30T00:00:00Z

My book cover concept! I have many hours of laying out book pages ahead of me, but I have a picture. A concept.

Albiet, the picture is a rough draft, a low quality picture taken of my computer screen, but I love it. It reflects the beauty of practical plants grown indoors. After some work it'll be stellar. Maybe someday my readers will think so too. In the meantime, back to laying out my book. Keep on the look out for excerpts and updates!

Departing a Garden

2024-04-25T00:00:00Z

The days spent running fingers through soil and tending sprouts imprints upon gardeners. A garden is a labor of love. Watching growth and the evolution of beauty throughout the seasons is akin to parenthood.

The fireworks of milestones and blooms, feed the soul. A garden is ever-changing and an integral part of the caretaker. When it’s time to leave, a piece of the gardener’s heart is left behind.

I do find contentment in leaving a fragment of me in a place I’ll never revisit. A closed chapter, but one that continues on in my absence.

I've had the honor of cultivating a part of this grand world. I left a garden that inspires excitement in new gardeners. I couldn't ask for more.

Enjoy my garden tour.

I saved ten rose plants. All ten roses were dug up and repotted. Then, I removed the hundreds of Mexican Petunia roots that were killing everything, including the roses. The process took over two weeks. The rose pictured was the first bloom after the plant was put back in its forever home. She's an heirloom and the rose scent drifts by the pool when she blooms. What a wonderful way to say thank you!

Dianthus showing off.

Sweet roses spilling onto the pool deck. I tried to train them, but they broke the string. Nature makes the rules!

One day while I gardened, a British woman stopped to admire my front yard. She said it reminded her of the wild cottage gardens back home. I laughed and disparaged myself for not weeding enough. She threw her hands out wide and said, "It's all so beautiful the way it blends together and the bees and butterflies sure aren't complaining!" After that, I stopped weeding as much and spent more time enjoying.

A favorite place to sit, even in the winter,

Redbud leaves changing into their autumn yellow.

Front yard on a cloudy day.

Lady Banks in full bloom. The first of the spring roses.

Purple Oxalis and Owls

Clematis mixup.

Ode to cats

I have a thing for rock rivers. Isn't it lovely?

Snowflakes in spring

Sweet citrus scents of Mock Oranges. Their arching branches are divine.

A Gulf Fritillary laying eggs on a Passion Vine. I'm convinced she posed for this picture.

The birds planted this Sunflower. I loved it so much that I made it part of the Gardening Anywhere logo.

Rhododendrons occupying a shady corner on a hot spring day in Texas.

Echinacea, aka Coneflowers, are a pollinator favorite.

Whiskey barrels full of blueberry blossoms. With well draining, acidic soil and rainwater these beauties deliver flowers, fruit and vibrant red fall foliage, even in Texas.

Canna's filling a corner.

I always let the zinnias reseed themselves. Sometimes I found a hybridized surprise like this butter-yellow zinnia. She sure was pretty.

I'll miss walking up these stone steps.

The Redbud show happened every spring. Three Redbuds total.

Let's end the tour the same way it began, with a rose. Leaving a garden is bittersweet, and roses speak that notion in volumes. Goodbye my Texas garden.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

2024-01-22T00:00:00Z

When it's 15°F in Texas, the pool’s becoming an ice cube, and your thoughts drift to the Mediterranean, it's time to bring some warmth into your life.

Make soup!

Warm up with a Tuscan White Bean Soup. Dream of basking in the Italian countryside while a taste of it simmers on your stove. There’s nothing like Tuscany on a cold day.

Tuscan White Bean Soup is both healthy and vegan approved!

Here's how it's made:

Ingredient List

1 small onion diced
4 carrots sliced into coins
3 large garlic cloves minced
2 bunches of Swiss chard chopped (keep chopped stems separate)
1 15oz. can stewed tomatoes
1 15oz. can diced Italian style tomatoes
3 15oz. cans cannellini beans
2 cups cut zucchini
2 32oz cartons vegetable stock or broth
2 tbsp’s extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
3 tbsp’s fresh, chiffonade cut basil or 1 tsp dry basil
1 tbsp fresh minced Mexican mint leaves
Fresh grated parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

Detailed Instructions:

1. Peel, wash and prepare all vegetables.

2. Drain and rinse beans in a colander and set aside.

3. Open the canned tomatoes and have them ready to add.

I picked Swiss chard, Mexican mint and basil from Arable, (my indoor hydroponic garden), as part of my prep for the recipe. If you have handpicked ingredients to add, now's the time to harvest.

4. Over medium heat, warm extra virgin olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. When the oil’s hot, add onions, carrots, and Swiss chard stems.

5. Sprinkle with sea salt, then sauté until onions are soft and translucent.

6. Add garlic and sauté for another two minutes.

7. Add chopped Swiss chard leaves.

Look how fresh!

When adding Swiss chard to the pot, it will look like too much leafy greens, but it's not. It wilts like spinach, causing the volume to shrink.

7. Let Swiss chard wilt down for a couple minutes. The volume of the Swiss chard after wilting will decrease by 3/4.

8. After the Swiss chard is wilted, add both cans of tomatoes, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, black pepper. Bring ingredients to a light boil, then simmer for five minutes.

9. After five minutes, add both cartons of vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes.

10. Next, add zucchini, basil and Mexican mint.

11. Cook until vegetables are tender or to your liking.

My family likes veggies slightly al dente, which is why I wait to add the zucchini. Zucchini cooks fast. If you prefer mushy zucchini, add it sooner.

12. Serve this healthy comfort soup with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese (vegan if your prefer), and a side of hot, toasty garlic bread.

Mangiare!

Beat Winter Blues

2024-01-20T00:00:00Z

Modern Hydroponic Gardens

Did the blustering winter wind steal the green from your garden? Does the cold, brown outdoors no longer bring joy? When flipping through a seed catalog do you yearn for the spring?

If the answer’s yes, then it’s time to take a stand.

Tell mother nature, the garden’s moving indoors.

Reclaim your joy and garden hydroponically.

Inside your home, seasons don’t matter. Watch the snow whip by the window while you snip basil for pesto. Reclaim your summer garden bliss and keep it forever if you’d like. Plant seeds without dirt and let the nutrient water and light provide you with a living pantry and favorite flowers. Have you ever stuck green onions into jar of water and watched them grow? If so, then you already have the basics of hydroponic gardening. It’s that easy.

Modern hydroponic gardens fit seamlessly into your surroundings.

Whether you live in a cramped Manhattan apartment or a cabin in Alaska, you can garden. A countertop or corner is all the space you need. A modern garden is out there to fit your lifestyle.

Start small, with a six-plant garden. Most of these gardens come with everything you need to start your indoor gardening life, including the seeds! Give it try. Ease those winter blues by growing some green.

Happy Gardening!

Unexpected Microgreens

2023-12-28T00:00:00Z

It’s time to thin the seedlings!

Lettuce, arugula, Swiss chard, and mustard greens clustered in their individual pods. Five to ten extra seedlings sprouted, per medium pod. Way too many plants for the hydroponic garden. It’s time to pull and snip the extras.

But wait.

Microgreens!

The surplus seedlings contain more nutrients per volume than they do as adults. Don’t compost the seedlings. Eat them to boost your health. Stay away from nightshade seedlings such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. When trying new microgreens, ensure it's safe to eat. Leafy greens seedlings are always a safe choice.

Try them tossed in a salad, built into a sandwich, or added to an omelette. Experiment to find your favorite way to eat them. Microgreens make great eats anytime!

Bon Appétit!

The Dawn of a New Garden

2018-02-21T00:00:00Z

Are you new to gardening? Here are some easy tips to get your garden started off right!

There’s nothing like picking a sun warmed tomato off the vine and popping it in your mouth! Grow your own organic fruits, veggies, and herbs right in your own backyard! I’d like to offer up some advice I wish I had when first starting out.

Start small. This is hard because once you start looking at seeds and plants you realize the volume of variety available. Then you want to grow everything. Taking care of all the everythings would be overwhelming and you’d set yourself up for failure. I recommend digging a small space like a 3’x3’ plot or several containers.

The right spot. If you are using moveable containers the right spot can be found anytime. If you are digging a plot, then finding a sunny location is very important. Scope out a spot before starting. Most vegetables, flowers, and herbs require 6-8 hours of sun a day. Also, make sure you have easy water access.

Good dirt. If you dig a plot, have your soil tested and amend per recommendation. You want soil that drains well and retains some moisture. If you’re using a raised bed or container, a combination or ⅓ perlite/vermiculite (I prefer vermiculite here in Texas because it retains more water and use a mask while handling), ⅓ compost, and ⅓ coconut coir/leaf mold (composted leaves) works well. If you don’t want the trouble of mixing soil, I recommend 2 different kinds of potting/raised bed soil mixes. Go to your local nursery and see what they recommend. Never use all the same brand. One year I filled new raised beds with a bad soil lot and my garden failed. I always mix it up!

Cold loving vs. hot loving plants. Know which plants do well in a cold verses a hot climate. For example, broccoli, cabbage, spinach and lettuce love the cool temperatures and will not grow in excessive heat. Tomatoes, okra, peppers, basil, and beans all do well in heat. It helps to read about what you plant. Understand how plants thrive. Here is a great Vegetable Garden planting guide for Texas.

Seeds and Plants. Follow planting instructions. Choose what you will eat. My first year garden consisted of a 1 cherry tomato plant, 1 bell pepper, several radishes, several marigolds and a basil plant, which I planted in containers. The garden was small, but manageable.

For first time gardeners I recommend buying established plants. If you insist on starting from seeds, try radishes, cucumbers, green beans, and lettuce. These plants are less persnickity than most.

Water and wait. After planting the garden, water, watch, and wait! Keep the soil moist, but not wet. Too much or too little water can kill your garden. Most plants need about an inch of water a week, but be aware of climate. If it rains, don’t water your garden. If it’s hot and windy, your garden may need more water. Container plants need water more often than in ground plants.

Enjoy! Remember to smile when those sun warmed leaves wave at you in the breeze. The first bite you grow will make it all worth it!

Happy Gardening!