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2012 New Year’s day – Here are my “I’m Gonnas” – Sharing with you my 10 garden resolutions

January 1, 2012 By 2 Comments

My blogging vacay takes a break to share with you my 10 garden resolutions for 2012.

2011 held many garden surprises.  It was the year of the unexpected.  It wasn’t my plan to re-do my entire garden in 2011, but that is, indeed, what happened.  In one year, I learned more about gardening and who I was as a gardener, than all the other years combined.  It was a gardening epiphany.  A strong word?  Yes; but appropriate.

All of what I learned in 2011 resulted in my “I’m gonnas” for 2012.  Most of what I will write about in 2012 will be about my gardening epiphanies.  Here is a peak what I hope to accomplish:

1)  Enhance the purpose of my garden.  Helen’s Haven is a wildlife habitat.  This is something I never want to forget.  It’s the core of my garden’s purpose.   But I also like garden art — even in the form of artistic looking plants.  If it’s twisted, weeping, or stuck strangely on a standard, I will grow it in my garden.  It’s not a departure from wildlife gardening since every plant, by some definition, meets a criterian providing for wildlife:  food, cover, place to raise young.   In broad terms, a plant may not offer food or a place to raise young, but all plants can provide some sort of cover.  However, not all plants are created equal – some are better than others at providing for the wildlife’s needs. In my case, I have enough land (1/2 ace) that, with careful planning, allows me to indulge in the fun and freaky.  2012 will find me trading up some pedestrian exotics for equivalent (or better) natives.  Out with the Forsythia, in with the Hamamelis virginiana.  If my Forsythia had more value than yellow flowers, such as varigated foliage, or used as a seasonal clock telling me when spring is near or when I need to fertilizer my tall fescue, I would keep it.  But I have iCal for that.  And even though Forsythia is an excellent provider of cover and a nectar source for early spring pollinators, so is the the native Witch Hazel, but on a grander scale.

2)  Less maintenance, higher impact. Given that Helen’s Haven was already low maintenance, I even surprised myself when I found the last vestige of high maintenance in my garden and converted it to year round interest and less maintenance.  Out with the dedicated Perennial Border, in with the Mixed Border.

3)  Photograph my garden more.  As I journey through the seasons, side by side with Helen’s Haven, I want to remember the first galanthus of the season, the daffodils facing the sun, the butterfly alighting the Lantana, and the fall color setting my soul on fire.  And as a note to self, tag my photos better.  I’m really bad at this.  Out with the random photos, in with the  photos with purpose.

4)  Entertain more.  We all lead busy lives.  Mine is not much different than yours.  But at some point, having friends over to share a nosh, a cup tea, or a glass of wine, fell low on my list.  I plan to change these priorities.  Out with just me in the garden and in with friends over more.

5)  Stop to watch the flowers grow.  I actually do a very good job of  this.  But I think there is room for improvement.  Doing more of number 4 will help this along.  It is not uncommon for me to just sit and stare at the beauty that surrounds me.

6)  Weep at nature’s beauty.  When I finished my Mixed Border re-design, taking it from a perennial bed to a mixed border, for several days and even now, 3 months later, I want to weep at the beauty I created it.  After years of searching, I found the soul of my garden.  It’s no longer just a good selection of great plants, placed in a pretty pattern.  This garden now has soul.  I’m gonna weep if I want to, when I want too.

7)  Enjoy the seasons as the come. My garden epiphany helped me realize, that there is something beautiful and wonderful in every season.  I clearly remember when I lived in England and it was raining again, I thought to myself, If I didn’t go out because of the rain, I wouldn’t get out much.  The same with the garden.  Raleigh has beautiful winters.  Half chilly, half cold, but with flowers that bloom and berries that ignite.  I will just quit my whining and accept the season I’m in.  Why am I so anxious for spring when I have a winter waiting to bring me beauty.  Yes, I must bundle up and the days are shorter, but I will no longer let that deter me.  I’m gonna enjoy the season I’m in.

EIGHT)  Eat pray mulch.  I’m gonna eat what I sow, pray for nature to take it’s course, and mulch for all the good mulching does.

9)  Sit in the Garden House to just look and listen.  The Garden House was one of the first plans I had for my garden and finally after 14 years those plans were rallied.  I’m not gonna squander my good fortune.

10) Write more, blog less.  This is not what it sounds like.  Blogging is writing; but as I go into my 5th year blogging, I realize I feel I need to post something when I’m not really in the mood.  I much rather write a post when the mood strikes me, not by the turn of a calendar.  After all, isn’t that what blogging is all about — being able to post in real time?  Besides, I’m writing a book.  That has to take precedence. I’m gonna go back on blog vacay now and come back when my book is done.  Then, I’m gonna write whatever I want, when ever I want.  I like that!

May all your dreams come true in 2012 and remember, they may not even have been invented yet.  So keep a keen eye open for dreams not even thought of yet.

H.

 

 

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

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Gardening With Confidence blog takes a vacay

November 16, 2011 By 7 Comments

My blog needs a vacation; one longer that I’ve ever had personally, but a well deserved one. After 5 years of regular postings, Gardening With Confidence blog will rest while I finish my book, 50 Ways to Garden With Confidence. I will continue with my other blog commitments, Moss and Stone Gardens – Where Moss Rocks!, Christian Science Monitor, Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart Living and TarHeel Gardening when that starts back up, but my personal blog will rest.

Once the final manuscript is turned in, I can resume my Life of Raleigh, where I garden with confidence.  It’s my hope my book will help others garden with confidence, as well.

Excerpt from Gardening With Confidence™

There are just some gardens that when I enter, it feels like I’m in the middle of the pit of a well orchestrated symphony, with each instrument — a flower, a shrub, a tree, an accent — insignificant on it’s own, but lyrical within the arrangement.

These gardens aren’t monied, necessarily. But they are exact, with each addition carefully considered. The rhythm, the scale, the color echo, work well together. Nothing dominates or stands out to upstage each important player. It’s the garden as a whole that must be considered for it to sing.

Thanks for understanding.

 

H.


Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

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Prune

October 12, 2011 By 3 Comments


On a side street in New York City’s East Village, on 54 East First Street, David Spain and I managed to get a 7:30 reservation at the much talked about restaurant, Prune.

We went to Prune under the recommendation of my friend and editor of Country Gardens magazine, James Baggett.  Since James is a foodie and a post New Yorker, I  knew he had an opinion I wanted.

When I traveled last summer to Montreal, James told me to try Poutine.  So while the kids and I were spending the day in Old Montreal, we ordered up.  Even though I sent a great photo of our treat to James,  I felt I disappointed him with just sending a photo instead of describing the taste, texture, and pleasure we each enjoyed savoring Poutine.  Perhaps, reporting about my experience dining at Prune will make up for my Poutine faux pas. This food review is dedicated to you, James.  I hope it brings you similarly good memories.

 

PRUNE, the restaurant, not the tree trimming action.

Seated at an end table, our waitstaff, Emma, with lips of a Gibson Girl, pursed as if she knew no one is ever dissatified enjoying a meal at Prune, liked us instantly since we brought our own table decoration, Moss Rocks!   As we chatted, we made it clear we were celebrating, since it was the day David Spain first appeared on Martha Stewart TV.  Within seconds of telling her this, Emma said she would be right back.  When she returned, she wasn’t alone; in her hands were two glasses of something sparkling.  I don’t know for certain why we were treated to a glass of a sparkling wine, Cava Brut, Castell Roig sp.  Emma knew we were celebrating, but I don’t think it was necessarily because of Martha.  It seemed celebrating was enough for Emma to bestow upon us the sparkling wine.

Cava Brut, Castell Roig sp was charming from the first sip after the clink of our glasses, to the empty bottle we finished at the end of our meal.  Our little congrats-taste from Emma led us to ordering a bottle.  After all, we were celebrating.  It seemed appropriate to forego ordering drinks or  even wine, and stick instead with this nectar and so we ordered a bottle. With the intense week prior to Martha, preparing and scripting, we were finally relaxing and enjoying our New York experience.

The conversation never wavered; it never does with David Spain. We engaged our table mates in conversation, a chef and a design student at Parson’s School of design, also celebrating, in their case, her 27th birthday.

THE APPETIZER

For appetizers, David ordered lamb sausage and I ordered the grilled shrimp in anchovy sauce. This was James’ recommendation.  He was very specific about this.

As an anchovy aficionado, meaning I’ll eat any anchovy from a can, jar, or pickled, added to salads, pizza, or eaten right out of a jar, with olive oil dripping down my neck, I knew I would love this shrimp dish and  I did.  James didn’t have to recommend it twice.

The shrimp had their heads on, which some of you may not like. Too many people I know won’t even eat a shrimp that wasn’t deveined, let alone with their head still on.  But after all, I’m  Chessie Chick, born in Chincoteague, raised in Norfolk, so anything from the water is good to me.

If you are one of those people who want your shrimp dressed, skip down. You may not want to know what I did next.

Pinching off the head, I sucked the juice right out of its thumbnail-sized exoskeleton. They were good. Real good.

As I write this, it occurs to me, I didn’t see what David did with his heads.  I hope they didn’t go to waste.  Nothing worse than a lost opportunity.

Next, the body of the protein packed shell was slowly peeled away to reach the finger length pale, pink meat.  Slowly, I dipped each bite in the anchovy sauce wishing there was more or that I didn’t have to share the sauce. I would order this again.  Thank you James.

David’s lamb sausage appetizer, these meatball thingies, were tasty even for this southern girl who doesn’t  actually eat (or like) lamb. It’s one of the rare foods I don’t particularly care for, but I felt since we were celebrating, I would try it again. I also didn’t have the heart  to tell David I didn’t eat lamb; knowing we would share the meal, I didn’t want him not to get his first pick. And, it wasn’t like I was gonna have to eat okra or anything, so why not try it, right?  It was good…for lamb.

THE ENTREE

After another pour of Brut, we decided on our main course. I choose the quail; David got the lamb shank braised with tomato, cinnamon, cumin, and preserved lemon.  I guess David likes lamb.

The table next to us, who arrived while were were having our appetizers, were eating the roasted marrow bones, parsley salad, with sea salt.  I wondered what that was like and wondered more what I could make out of the bones when they were done. They sure seemed like they could make great votive holders.

My meal was presented beautifully, but I did have to get past the quail taking on a human-like quality, I gave one to David and had the other. He shared his lamb with me. It was decided, and it was a wise decision, we would eat the quail first then move on to the lamb. Not unlike switching from a Pinot Gris to a Cab, we felt it was important to start with a more delicate taste first and them move on to a more earthy, richer flavor.

The quail, tasted wild, as if it were shot from a natural landscape where hunters would gather wearing garb advertised in Garden and Gun, stroking their hunting dog afterwards, and sipping a fine cognac. There were no buckshot holes, though, so it’s hard saying how the quail met their demise.

The little wing, no bigger than the leaf of a lotus, was where I started; pink inside, not dissimilar to the shrimp, but meatier, richer, smoother, I let each bite roll around my tonngue until I completely owned it. Next, I moved on to the other wing, the legs and tiny thighs, then the body, which was deboned, was succulent and smooth, causing me to groan out loud. This didn’t go un-noticed by our table mates. But it was understood. You see, if you listened closely, a chorus of groans occured throughout the evening, right down the vertical line of tables.

 

After the quail, we began eating David’s lamb.  I enjoyed this lamb flank even more the lamb sausage. Who knew? but this lamb didn’t taste like the mutton my mother made. Tender and rich, I ate an unrespectable amount. There was no room for dessert….until Emma mentioned caramel, salted ice cream, crouton…maybe not in that order and I’m not even sure we were offered

other choices; maybe I didn’t let her go on; maybe I stopped her at the salted caramel.

Smooth, silky, startling savvy tastes only salt mixed with cream can do. We also enjoyed a distilled wine with dessert.  With all that gluttony, even we were surprised to have turned down the coffee, but it was getting late.

We enjoyed the meal, our time together, and toasting James for recommending Prune.

As a final departure, with the nod from Emma, I planked the table to the disbelief of our table mates, who, once recovered,  raised their glasses, and with a wink, we walked back into the streets of New York City.

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

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The Garden of C.J. Dykes

October 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

C.J. and Bryar touring Oakmist Manor

 

 

A manor for sure, but named English Garden—Woodland Paradise by the home’s gardener, C.J. Dykes.   As I travel down Oakmist Road, in Cary,  Finding their house number, I’m greeted with a formal English front entrance design.  C.J. welcomes me inside.  Enthralled with all that I see,  I’m now inclined to dub this place Oakmist Manor.   It’s not just this bit of formal front design that sparked another name in my mind, it was this home’s interior that did.  Every inch of this home’s interior is exquisitely appointed by the hands of Bryar Cougle; but alas, this is a story of a garden.

 

C.J. and I have been friends for some time, he and I worked together on the moss garden we designed for the Raleigh Garden Club’s NC State Fair entry.  C.J. has a very good eye and knows how to pack a lot of goodness into a small space; something I knew from his home garden.

Recently, Oakmist Manor, ahem, English Garden — Woodland Paradise was open for the Raleigh area Garden Conservancy’s Open Days tours.  A glimpse at the photos below will affirm the hit this garden was on this year’s tour.

Here’s an excerpt about C.J.’s, taken from the Garden Conservancy’s 2012 Open Days Directory The gardens were started in 1992 with a handful of perennials from C. J.’s former house. It is now a mixture of roses, perennials, palms, tropicals, and a woodland shade garden. The front gardens consist of a formal rose garden, a mixed shrub garden, and a formal French parterre. The back has a dense shade garden under the deck, a banana grove, three mixed English-style perennial gardens, and a lower semi-shaded woodland trail. There is probably more genera and species than most people would ever see except maybe in an arboretum or botanical garden. The gardens gained the honor of being named a Certified Wildlife Habitat™ by the National Wildlife Federation in 2010.

I hope you enjoy this virtual tour!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C.J.’s garden is one I hope to visit in all seasons.  As a horticulturists, C.J. knows a bit about planning for a garden to perform in every month of the year.   Well done, C.J. And Bryar, next time I’m invited for tea and you don’t see me there, CALL ME.

 


Helen  Yoestis a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

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Tulipa clusiana ‘Chrysantha’

September 21, 2011 By 1 Comment

Helen’s Haven™ Rock Garden Collection

Tulipa clusiana ‘Chrysantha’

 

Name: Tulipa clusiana ‘Chrysantha’

Zones: 5b – 9a

Size: 8 – 12 inches tall

 

 

 

 

Conditions:   Moist well drained soil while in spring growth.  Hot well-sunned soil during summer dormancy

Perhaps it’s the orange that speaks to me.  I do like orange, especially when it’s combined with a cadmium-colored yellow.  Tulipa chrysantha, sometimes sold under the name, ‘Chrysantha’, is orangey on the outside opening to a yellow inside.  The colors seem to have some spice to them.  Tulipa chrysantha is planted
in Helen’s Haven’s rock garden, front and center, so as not to be missed.  Each spring, these species tulips return to charm me out of winter, leaping me forward into spring.

My original planting of 5 Tulipa chrysantha bulbs has grown as the grouping reproduced offsets, increasing their numbers.

The petals open in proportion to the brightness of the sun.  On overcast days, Tulipa chrysantha will remain partially closed; when doing so, the beauty of the bicolor exterior petals, is on display.  The tiny bulbs like to be planted deep — a full six inches deep.    Tulipa chrysantha may need to be lifted and replanted if they begin to show a slowed performance.

This fall, I plan to add more Tulipa chrysantha and other species Tulips.  They may not pack the punch of a Dutch hybrid tulip, but they offer a lot of pizzazz from such a little bulb; one that just can’t be matched.
Helen  Yoestis a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.


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Helen’s Haven’s Garden House

August 31, 2011 By 8 Comments

In too many years to count, I’ve had a re-occurring dream where I would open a door within my house and discovered a room I had yet to occupy.  The dream was always the same.  My heart fluttered at the site of this ancient place.  

The room was old and worn.  There were no freshly painted walls, of some realtor vanilla; rather, they were tattered and tired, as if it was once occupied by another being, abandoned after being bored.

The lightly crusted walls left  a faint feeling of love.  Yes, the space had once been loved; I could feel it. But it’s been a while.  I also could hear the voices of those who spent time in the room.  They were happy voices.  Vines hung from the ceiling; the floor was crunchy and brown.  There was some light in the room, but I couldn’t tell from where it came; perhaps it was covered by vines.

Often, I would fantasize about a room of my own, taking my re-occuring dream and reliving it in the light of day.   Virginia Woolf wanted A Room of One’s Own and I wanted one too.  Even when I wrote about design techniques, I would use the Garden House as an example.

There were many things holding me back. I had to first recognize the room of my own was not within the house; rather, it was a house within the garden.  I will dub her — The Garden House.

Several years ago, I reviewed Debra Prinzing’s book  Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways.  My review included a description of what my room would look like.  This room has been wrapped around my mind, heart, and dreams for far too long, it seemed more of a premonition than just a dream.

About 10 years ago, I sequestered a natural area of our half acre lot for the children’s play set.  At the time, my three kids were 1, 2, and 5 years old.

For about a year now, the kids have been done with their play set.  They tell me it’s time for me to have a room of my own. Happy of course, I mapped out the space for my Garden House and a place to one day also add chickens.  I’ve now found the perfect house, (Market Imports in Raleigh, NC), so I’m  all set. But then those pesky emotions started in.

I’m not often stymied by such emotions, well maybe I’m a bit sentimental.  Most often, I can reason through the emotions with, this was their life then, they have moved on to other interests, and the like. But as I pulled back on the sledge hammer to begin the dismantle, I got a little choked up. There were so many years of fun on this play set. The cousins, neighbors, play dates.

For hours after dark, particularly, by the light of the low voltage lights, added to the oak tree looking down at the play set.  This, of course, was by design to extend many hours of play.  My husband and the kids made up a game called swing ball, where he would throw the ball a the kids feet as they were swinging.  Even the neighborhood friends could be heard laughing and giggling along side of mine saying, Me next, me next.  

The play set had a fort area that served as a teahouse, a place for picnics, as well as, a place to acquire bruised knees and skeeter bites. During the winter, we would make a fire near the play set, gather, and make ‘smores.  We had it down.  It became our routine.

Today, my oldest child is too busy reading her books to care about the play set and the younger two, affectionally known as the babies, only pass by the play set to get to their bikes from the shed. They are done with it.  It’s time to move on. 

I was able to get past my emotions when it dawned on me that the play set will, in part, be used in the Garden House.  Pieces of wood will serve as the footing. And maybe more in the form of a bench or shelf.

As I laid out the dimensions of the Garden House, with some pieces of recycled wood, I noticed the remains of  many summer paint projects,  they were lightly crusted, with a faint feeling of love.  I could hear the voices of those who use to spend time in this room.  There were limbs with branches as thin as vines hanging over my head, blocking my light; as I moved around, the brown mulch crunched under my feet.  Then I realized,  I was standing in my dream.  I was living my dream.  It was then that I knew it was time for me to have a room of my own.

 

 

 

Post script – In anticipation of this week’s delivery, I cleared out the new area and laid out where the Garden Houses will go.  I had to take down a weeping cherry tree and move 3 blueberry bushes.  The bench will be moved to the area behind the Garden House and will be apart of the future design.  In the meantime, most of the play set remains.  I think I need to gather the kids to say our good byes, while toasting ‘smores. 

 

 

Coming soon to Helen's Haven™


I    

This is a week of transition.  From my babies to tweens; from dreams to reality.

 

 

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

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Garden Home Retreat at Moss Mountain Farm with P. Allen Smith

May 2, 2011 By 8 Comments


With so many of the garden media channels —  magazines and TV, putting garden as second billing, such as House and Garden, Home and Garden TV (HGTV), it’s refreshing witnessing someone willing to step outside the boxwood, combining the words, garden and home.  P. Allen Smith has blended the  blurred lines of life, simply calling his retreat a Garden Home.

Indeed, a romantic goal for many of us who want to live in our gardens – at least to be surrounded by what makes our garden special, whether it’s the color or the clutter, surrounding our home with what makes us happy in the garden is often emulated.

Allen blended the Garden Home lines at the front door by choosing the colors found in the old Post oak gracing the front entrance. Subtle colors marry well in creating a mellow welcome into a Allen’s retreat.

Fortunate to attend the first, of what I hope to be many, Garden Home Retreats at Moss Mountain Farm with P. Allen Smith, several bloggers attended  a 2 day-event, allowing us to get the know the man behind the TV and print persona.  As a fan prior to attending, my opinion of his talent was only reinforced after spending time there.  The man — creative, classic, and cultured with a kind heart, took the time to ensure our visit was superb.  It was.

During the two-day event, we toured some of Allen’s design team’s gardens, including the governor’s mansion, with an introduction from the First Lady, Ginger Beebe, a Master Gardener.  The gardens flowed nicely with the home, including appropriate nods blending the home and garden.

From there, we traveled to three other of his designs, each very different, but equally desirable:  The Murphy family garden, a French inspired garden, and the opulent,  Marlsgate Plantation.

 

 

The Murphy family garden

 

 

French inspired garden

 

Marlsgate Plantation

 

Moss Mountain Farm

As the rain bounced between dancing and sitting one out, I settling in at Moss Mountain Farm.  Not deterred by the weather, the gardens drew me in.  The views from inside the house were clearly taken into consideration.

My time there as well spent.

Leisurely strolls along the garden paths, absorbing the breathing taking views, and connecting with the past in a modern day Garden Home, inspired even the garden writers, many of whom, have seen their fair share of gorgeous gardens.

As the garden writers chatted with each other about our personal experience at the Garden Home, and as we focused our camera lenses on various vignettes, we all agreed, it was beyond our respective expectations; and I had very high expectations.

I walked away with a new appreciation of my own Garden Home.  I plan to borrow the term, Garden Home, when referring to Helen’s Haven.  Indeed, inside my nest is equally important to me as outside.  I do this out of respect to Allen who inspires visitors to treat their Garden Home as one, however humble.

 

 

I Plan to keep up with all things Allen, from his blog, television show, Garden to Table, and of course, his latest book,  P. Allen Smith’s Seasonal Recipes from the Garden


The trip was paid for  by Allen’s sponsors. Many thanks to the wonderful products of Corona Tools, Garden Safe, Stihl, Berry, Laguna Ponds, Bonnie Plants, Easy Gardener, and Proven Winners.  I, too, am a fan of each of these products.

 

I’ll also bow to Foxgloves, Inc. for providing us the most stylish and comfortable garden gloves I’ve tried. They also made a great photo op.

All in all, all things Allen are good.

 

The attendees:

Helen Yoest with Gardening With Confidence™

Adriana Martinez  Anarchy in the Garden

Andrew Key Garden Smackdown

Annie Haven Manure Tea

Ben Ford The Thrifty Landscaper

Beth Phelps U of A ex

Brenda Haas BG Garden

Dee Nash Red Dirt Ramblings

Fern Richardson with Life on the Balcony

Jacqueline D’Elia Southern Post Journal

Janet Carson U of A Home and Garden

Jean Ann Van Krevelan Garden to Farmer

Jenny Peterson J. Peterson Garden Design

Kaylee Baumle Our Little Acre

Kerry Michaels About Container Gardener

Laura Mathews Punk Rock Gardens

Mike Lieberman Urban Organic Gardener

Rhonda Hayes The Garden Buzz

Robin Horton Urban Gardens

Shawna Corondo The Casual Gardener

Shirley Bovshow Eden Makers Blog

Stephanie McCratic Evolved Mommy

Steve Bender Grumpy Gardener

Teresa O’Conner Seasonal Wisdom

 

The Garden Home Retreat at Moss Mountain Farm

Overlooking the Arkansas River Valley, the Garden Home Retreat at Moss Mountain Farm encompasses more than 650 acres. The centerpiece is the cottage, a Greek Revival-inspired abode designed and built in an earth-friendly manner and appointed with a well-edited mix of modern furnishings and pieces from Allen’s collection of Southern antiques. Directly behind the cottage is the croquet lawn, which is bookended with a summer kitchen and art studio. The twin clapboard structures boast Rumford fireplaces and large, four-panel sliding glass doors to be opened up for maximum viewing.

The surrounding land includes a fountain garden that separates two wings of terraced garden rooms filled with annuals, perennials, heritage roses, trees, shrubs and ornamental grasses planted along pathways and borders, in raised beds framed with espaliered ‘Gala’ apple and ‘Keifer’ pear trees, and growing on whimsical arbors and other structures. An orchard filled with heritage apple trees runs along the back of the lower terrace garden, while a short stroll away is the one-acre vegetable garden and a blueberry parterre planted with 1,700 blueberry plants in 67 varieties, plus a selection of stone fruit trees such as peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots. Wildflower meadows, pastures that are home to numerous breeds of heritage chickens and turkeys, as well as Dorper sheep, Moose the donkey and Trudy, Allen’s driving mare, and daffodil hill, which overflows with more than 200,000 daffodils each spring rounds out the expansive, breathtaking property. Various outbuildings, from barns to mobile chicken homes, are located throughout the grounds and surrounding pastures.

About Little Rock, Arkansas

The capital of Arkansas, Little Rock is also the largest city in the state, with a metro-area population of more than one-half million. Little Rock derives its name from French explorer Bènard de LaHarpe, who sailed up the Arkansas River and, upon seeing the first rock bluff since leaving the Mississippi River, called it “La Petite Roche.” What remains today of the rock formation is located at Riverfront Park, a 33-acre urban park that spans the south shore of theArkansas River. Along with “La Petit Roche,” Riverfront Park is also home to sculpture and rose gardens, nature trails, a history pavilion that details Little Rock’s rich history, the landmark Junction Bridge—which was recently transformed into a pedestrian bridge—and myriad other unique spots to take in the breathtaking vistas of the Arkansas River and beyond.


Downtown Little Rock is the epicenter of the city’s cultural and entertainment offerings, with the River Market District taking center stage. Once a desolate landscape of abandoned buildings, this 10-block area underwent a dramatic restoration in the mid-1990s and is now filled with a variety of shops, art galleries, restaurants, bars, and commercial and residential developments. The focal point of the River Market District is Ottenheimer Market Hall, which is home to 15 merchants offering delectable food from around the world, specialty items and more. And from May to October each year, the Market Hall is home to the Little Rock Farmers Market.

Designated one of 10 Great Streets for 2009 by the American Planning Association’s Great Places in America Program, President Clinton Avenue is the picturesque main artery through the River Market District. Named for former Arkansas governor and 42nd president William Jefferson Clinton, the street leads visitors to the Clinton Presidential Center and Park, which includes the Clinton Presidential Library, the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service and the Clinton Presidential Foundation’s Little Rock office. In addition to the archival collection and research facilities, the library features interactive exhibits, replicas of the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room, and other educational opportunities, such as a 100-foot-long timeline presenting the day-to-day work of the president.

About the Capital Hotel

The Capital Hotel was borne of an idea of what the greatest sort of luxury hotel could be in the late 1800s. Sporting, of all things, an elevator large enough to bear a guest and his horse upstairs, a state-of-the-art communications system (the “magnetic annunciator”) and proudly displaying the first electric light fixture to be found in a hotel in the South, a local matron declared the hotel “a capital enterprise located in a capital building.” The name stuck.

 

The Capital was a beacon to Southern culture in its day, and over the decades, it was continuously reinvented to characterize the very best of the South for each time. Today is no different. A family of third-generation Arkansans has lovingly renovated and refreshed the 1877 Italianate hotel and its cast-iron façade. Two restaurants grace the hotel, including Ashley’s, which features chef Lee Richardson’s “New Americana” fine dining, and the Capital Bar & Grill, a city favorite specializing in Southern comfort food and good company.

Other cultural and entertainment destinations in the River Market and surrounding area include:

Heifer International Headquarters and Global Village: Founded in 1944, Heifer is a non-profit, humanitarian organization dedicated to ending world hunger and caring for the earth by providing livestock, trees, training and other resources to assist struggling families, towns and villages around the globe. The Platinum LEED-certified campus includes the Murphy Keller Education Center, where visitors, staff, volunteers and the international development community can come together to learn more about world hunger, poverty, solutions currently being employed to combat those problems, and Heifer’s mission to seek solutions in the worldwide effort to end hunger and poverty.

Arkansas Arts Center: Founded in 1960, the Arkansas Arts Center is committed to building a collection of unique works on paper, primarily American and European, from the Renaissance to the present. Among the most recognizable works in the collection are sheets by Cézanne, Van Gogh, Jackson Pollock, Georgia O’Keeffe, Alison Saar, Rembrandt and Rubens. The Arts Center Collection also features 135 drawings and watercolors by the Post-Impressionist Paul Signac, over 100 Post-Minimalist drawings, Arthur Dove’s Sketchbook “E”, and nearly 80 works by Will Barnet. Masterworks in the collection include paintings by Diego Rivera, Odilon Redon and Francesco Bassano; sculpture by Henry Moore, Louise Nevelson and Roy Lichtenstein; and prints by Rembrandt, Whistler and Dürer. The second major area of collecting is contemporary objects in craft media, including teapots by contemporary artists, contemporary baskets, turned wood objects, studio glass, ceramics, metalwork and jewelry designed by artists. Among the highlights are works by Dale Chihuly, Albert Paley, Peter Voulkos and Dorothy Gill Barnes.

Historic Arkansas Museum: The Historic Arkansas Museum is a historic site museum of Arkansas’ frontier days. Five pre-Civil War houses, on their original block, are restored to antebellum appearances so you can learn about life in pre-Civil War Arkansas. Guided tours of the historic houses encounter living history actors, making it easy to step back in time and learn about the history of Arkansas. The Historic Arkansas Museum center features the museum’s outstanding collection of Arkansas-made decorative, mechanical and fine arts objects in six galleries. You’ll also find a wonderful museum store, living-history theater, educational areas and much more.

Old State House Museum: The Old State House Museum is the oldest standing state capitol building west of the Mississippi River. Construction on the building began in 1833 and was declared complete in 1842. The Greek Revival building was commissioned by Territorial Governor John Pope, who selectedKentucky architect Gideon Shryock to create plans for the Arkansas capitol. The State House served as Arkansas’ capitol until 1911, when the construction on the current capitol was completed, and became a museum in 1947. Permanent exhibits include As Long as Life Shall Last: The Legacy of Arkansas Women, On the Stump: Arkansas Political History, First Families: Mingling of Politics and Culture and The Period Rooms, which features five parlors and one hallway depicting different eras of furniture and decorative styles ranging from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. These rooms are examples of some of the earliest exhibits in the museum.

Museum of Discovery: Arkansas’ science and history museum, the Museum of Discovery is fun for kids and adults alike to explore the wonders of nature, science, technology and history through permanent hands-on exhibits, collections, events and educational programs. Permanent exhibits and collections include Arkansas Indians, Energy!, Bug Zoo, multicultural masks, more than 50 animal species and one of the largest Kewpie collections in the world.

The Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center: The Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center is focused on the wide variety of outdoor recreational opportunities that Arkansas’s fish and wildlife resources provide. The location along the Arkansas River allows many viewable wildlife activities within an urban area. Basking water turtles, butterflies and migrating pelicans are common sights.

Little Rock Central High School Historical Site: In 1957, Central High School became a crucial battleground in the struggle for civil rights as the “Little Rock Nine” attempted to enter the previously all-white school. Little Rock came to symbolize the federal government’s commitment to eliminating separate systems of education for blacks and whites. The new Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site Visitor Center opened in September 2007 to mark the 50th anniversary of the high school’s desegregation.

Quapaw Quarter: This section of Little Rock is home to the city’s oldest and most historic neighborhoods, with as many as 15 National Historic Districts making up the nine-square-mile area. The Quapaw Quarter boasts more than 200 homes and businesses listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in architectural styles ranging from Antebellum and Victorian to Craftsman. Notable spots in the Quapaw Quarter include the governor’s mansion, Mount Holly Cemetery, MacArthur Park and the Villa Marre, an extravagant Italianate and Second Empire-style home that was featured in the television show Designing Women.

 

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Five essentials to gardening with confidence

January 7, 2011 By 12 Comments

Some 600 years ago Before Christ, Lao Tzu was doing a lot of thinking on our behalf. I admire a person who can succulently present small words into life’s biggest challenges, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Each day, week, year, or any of the number of life’s change of events begins a new journey. Isn’t this wonderful? At any time, we can begin again in our journey of a thousand miles.

When my first child came along, for a tiny moment in time, lasting about a year, I figured I would have to put gardening on a back burner. At the time of her arrival in 1996, we lived in a 1905 cottage in Oakwood, in one of the Raleigh’s historic districts. This is a home my husband and I renovated on weekends. During the week, we lead life in the fast lane, each working exciting careers, but on the weekends, we worked at a comfortable pace renovating our home, one room at a time.    It was the perfect home for the two of us and we figured when the children came along, we would find a bigger place to live.

The garden was renovated along with the house itself.  When I think of home, whether mine or yours, I naturally think of the garden gracing the grounds as much as the place where you tuck in your loved ones in at night.   Rarely can separate the two. I loved that garden; no doubt she was my surrogate child.

As timing would have it, Hurricane Fran arrived a month before the arrival of our first child. Fran was nature’s way of telling me to slow down. At the time, I wasn’t sure of her reasons, and clearly a hurricane didn’t hit Raleigh just to send me a message, but I took Fran as a first step of what would become a thousand miles.

Before Fran, my little garden in Oakwood was in full shade; after Fran, she was in full sun. I looked into the future, one month down the road, and decided to let the garden be. I have a child coming and with that child, we will need to soon move. This was a defining moment. I spent that first year looking for our next home, with my little Bud in tow.

On Bud’s one year birthday, we closed on a 25 year-old home in Raleigh. I can vividly remember looking at the new garden before me realizing, ironically, this was also transformed by Fran from full shade to full sun. It was obvious, too, the previous owners did nothing with their garden as they planned the next journey in their lives. When I looked out at what was to be my garden, I realized for the first time, this was no longer my space, but rather a place where my kids would run and play. This would be the place my kids will share stories to their kids about how they played in the garden. My kids would need a place to explore, to kick a ball, and to chase fireflies, and not having me fretting over my beds and borders.

It was then I decided that if ever there was a time to build a garden, it was now. Now, when the kids could build along with me. For the next 2.5 years, Bud and I hung out in the garden together. With her running around wildly, while I wiled away the hours digging in the dirt and learning where my sun laid. Then came number two, quickly followed by number three. We were family; one who planned to spend hours everyday in the garden. And of course, for us, a garden is really just a metaphor for enjoying the out of doors and all it has to offer. Today, 14 years later, my kids know where to find me on Sundays, my day in the garden. All time leading up to this day and the day itself, I know where my kids are – in the garden, running, playing, exploring and chasing fireflies.

Because time was precious and money was tight, I wanted to get the garden right the first time. During this time, I gained a lot of confidence in the garden and learned many lessons. Here are five essentials I learned early on so I could garden with confidence. Why not begin today with a new or renewed mindset:  right plant for the right place?  Understanding these five essential elements will help you garden with confidence.  

FIVE ESSENTIALS TO GARDENING WITH CONFIDENCE

Zone

There is a lot of talk about zonal denial, micro-climates, and changes in our zones due to global warming.  If you are a risk taker and know your garden well, then by all means push the limits with your gardening zone.  In my garden, Helen’s Haven, Zone 7b in Raleigh, North Carolina, I no longer take these risks.  I’m perfectly happy in the zone I own.  I know plenty of gardeners that plant zone 8 and even zone 9 plants in our zone 7b gardens and are thrilled with their success, even if it may be short lived.  I use too, but don’t anymore. I find it even risky planting plants on the zone’s edge. Ideally, I like to wrap a zone around a plant. There is no doubt, I’ve missed out on a lot of fun this way, but I don’t loose as many plants either.

Soil

We need to accept the soil we’re dealt or be prepared to amend.  I have yet to garden in perfect soil, and still, I find gardening success. I’m a heavy amend-er and believe in the power of mulch.  In our area of the Piedmont region of North Carolina, there is clay and sand. In the heart of Raleigh, where I am, it is all clay.  As you move outside of Raleigh, you’ll find sandy soil.  So when I read a plant label that recommends planting in well drained soils, I know they’re not talking to me.  But planting these plants in my garden is a risk I’m willing to take.  Why?  Because here I have some control; december-25-2008-090I can amend my soil. And I do. I have amended all my garden beds, one planting hole at a time.  Adding composted leaf mulch or other organic matter to the hole and blending it with the clay with some added insurance of a permanent clay buster such as PermaTill or Clay Busters, I can make my sticky clay soil friable.  In any garden soil type, you cannot go wrong adding more organic matter. Then top dress the garden beds with a lush, thick layer of mulch each year to moderate the soil temperature, suppress weeds, retain water and generally tiding up the garden.  By doing so, you’ll have a happy garden; happy gardens give gardener’s confidence.

Sun

Full sun, part sun, part shade, dappled shade, full shade, afternoon sun, morning sun, winter sun, more sun.  Know your sun. If the plant tag says full sun (6 hours or more a day) then that means it needs full sun.  Anything less and the plant will not perform at its best.  However, having said that, you can use the sun requirements to tame plants as well.  As an example, I like Akebia quinata commonly know as five-leaf Chocolate vine.  This is an vigorous vine.  However, I grow this sun lover in the shade where it is well behaved. Remember this:  The north side will have the least sun, the south side the most.  The eastern side will have cool light, the western side hot.  Of course all this depends on what’s above and if it is deciduous.  There is nothing mysterious about this.  Take the time to identify areas in your garden and track each hour. To see the effects of the sun’s angle, track around March 21, June 21, September 21 and December 21. The results may surprise you. This is also good advice to repeat every few years as your plants (and your neighbor’s plants) mature.

Water

The last thing I want to do is deny myself is a plant based on watering needs.  But, I’m also prudent. I garden water wisely.  By that I mean, I have my gardens grouped into three watering zones:  Oasis, Transitional, and Xeric.   I’m also fortunate in that I have most sun types covered in each of my helenyoestgarden-1watering zones.  When I garden shop, the plant’s watering needs are a high priority for me.   But because my garden is designed in zones, it narrows down where I will plant it in the garden.   This also makes my garden purchases easy.   I wont waste money on a thirsty plant requiring shade if the only area I can plant in is in my Oasis zone, in full sun.  Also, it allows me to have a mental map of my garden with me at all times.  I don’t want to spend any more time than I have watering. The thought of dragging a hose around, past 10 drought tolerant plants to reach one thirsty plant is not part of my makeup.  I’m way smarter than that.

Critters

We all have our critter challenges.  For some it’s deer, others moles, voles, and armadillos.  For me its rabbits.  Bunnies are my nemesis!  I have voles and moles too and once when a new development was going in two miles away, I saw evidence of displaced deer.   Then I actually saw the critter.   A sight common to many, but not to me.  That deer was so out of character in my garden, it might as well have been a kangaroo.

I’ve given up worrying about critters.  If I don’t have a chance at winning, I’m not going to play.   I do what and where I can, but I will not be a bound to sprays either.  I don’t have the time or the where-with-all that requires of an exact spray schedule.  I get no pleasure from it either.  These critter repellent sprays work fine, but need to be kept up.   When I look back at what I had to give up, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I first thought.  I can only have a few Hosta, because the voles love them.  I have voles.  But I also love Hellebores, so I grow Hellebores – the voles don’t bother them. The bunnies will have to go elsewhere to Echinacea because I will no longer provide these favorites of mine as a favorite for them.  As for the Rudbeckia, I’m trying them in a tall pot this year.   I may try to put some Echinacea in a pot as well.

So you see, following these five essential elements will soon have you gardening with confidence.  With the selection of the right plant for the right place, do what you can and accept what you can’t and you will be good to go!

COLLECTING CONFIDENCE

Hmm, let’s see where to begin with all my acts of silliness regarding right plant, right place.  There was the time I planted 7 gorgeous Hostas in a new bed only to wake up to find them nearly gone.  Every one was chomped off at the root level and much of the foliage was dragged down under and finish off.  Voles! Voles are herbivores and find the roots of Hostas, Camellias, roses, and Aspidistra elatior (cast iron plant) much to their liking.

Would you believe I replanted?  I did do some research and followed some very good sound advice.  As advised, I planted with the Hosta still in the pot, wrapped in landscape fabric the top, sides, and drainage hole and for good measure, I heavily sprinkled the area with PermiTill.   I planted my 7 new Hostas; but when I checked on them the next morning, they were gone.  At about this time, I was out of time, patients and money.  I gave up and planted Hellebores instead and haven’t had a problem since.  Voles don’t like Hellebores.

I wasn’t so lucky the time the voles went after my Aspidistra elatior.   Thank goodness, these cast iron plants were only a rather pedestrian solid green variety. I had 5 planted one day and as per my usual customary habit, I went to check on them the next day. Three were gone.  I was outraged, mostly because I knew there were voles in this area, but I didn’t know voles liked cast iron plants.  So what did I do?  I did something that put me into the “Don’t that beat all” category.  I moved the remaining two cast iron plants into a location; a location where I knew there were no voles.  The next morning when I went to check on these two plants, they were down on the ground.  There was only on explanation – I transplanted a vole with a plant.  If this ever happens to you, you have two choices – laugh or cry.  I chose to laugh.
Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

Helen is a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazine and she also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum.

AND

Helen is the founder, publisher and editor of:
Tarheel Gardening – your online resource for North Carolina gardening enthusiasts.

You can follow Tarheel Gardener.com on Twitter @TarheelGardenin and on facebook at Tarheel Gardening.com.

Filed Under: Garden Sustainability, Gardening With Confidence Tagged With: , ,

Gardening With Confidence – what it means

January 5, 2011 By 9 Comments

Over the years, I’ve posted many different topics under the blog title, Gardening With Confidence, but starting this year, I hope to better define gardening with confidence and what it really means.

During the 2010 holiday break, I revamped the focus of my blog.  Future posts will specifically be about how to garden with confidence.  The core topics will be garden essentials, including how-tos, maintenance, plant profiles, wildlife, and sustainability.  I will continue to write book and product reviews, share recipes, design ideas and, of course, write about great garden art!

Going forward, you will also be reading more about my garden travel.  I travel a lot for Gardening With Confidence and I want to be able to share more with you of what I see and find.  After all, seeing so many gardens for my work with Better Homes and Gardens, Country Gardens and as a volunteer with the Garden Conservancy, has helped me garden with confidence and I hope it will help you too.

For this first post of the new year, I thought I would share with you what I mean by gardening with confidence.

When you first hear the name, you might think it a bit cocky.  It’s not meant to be so.  The name was given to me by my husband, David, watching me work in the garden.  He said, “you really know how to garden with confidence.”  He later told me that I make it look so easy – he was always my biggest fan.  But I didn’t always garden with confidence.

Driven by the desire to really know how to garden, to be confident in the garden, not just the schooled part of design or plant culture or pruning basics, and what not, but really understanding and then learning what it is to garden.  I worried too much if I was doing it right. After awhile, I learned there isn’t really a whole lot I can do to mess up.  Alleviating this fear of messing up with a little logic and forethought, even those few major mistakes can be avoided.

Confidence building also comes from using the right tools, being prepared for the elements, and visiting other gardens and local arboretum in your area for ideas of what can grow.  Confidence also comes from meeting other gardeners, talking with the staff at your independent garden center, reading regional blogs, and even chatting on garden forums.  
The gardening  community is vast.  Every town has a go-to person or several for various interests.  Google any gardening topic and a hundred or more ways to do it will be available.  Go to plant sales, join a garden club, listen to lectures, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.  I’ll bet, I ask at least one garden related question a day of someone who knows something I want to know…I’m down from a 100 ;~\  I know what I know, and I know what I don’t know.

Sometimes, I learn something of what I didn’t even know I should know.  Those are the best.   Somewhere along the way, I got so much confidence, that I was comfortable enough to say – I don’t know the answer to that, but I’m happy to look into it.  And that was when I really began to learn.

When you meet me, you’ll find I have the annoying little habit of picking your brain to learn what you know or how you go about doing a certain task.  My world is wide open for learning new ways to either benchmark, become better or to learn an easier way to do something.

In 2009 when I made the transition from a PC to a Mac, I would go to the Mac One-to-One classes, and depending on my instructor, determined what questions I would ask that day.  Each are trained on all their programs, so I can get all my basic questions answered from anyone, but I have a second list of questions to ask of those I want to dwell deeper with.  They know me now and are long past the corporate retort of telling me they are trained on all the programs, to telling me their Mac interest – iPhotos, iMovie, GarageBand, websites, blogs, etc.  When I have that bit of knowledge, I begin to ask questions, specific to their interest,  beyond my ability to absorb.

The same with horticulture or design.  If I meet a plant propagator, I don’t bother asking what their favorite flower is or tips to amend the soil; rather, I pull a question form my memory bank and ask questions like when and how to propagate a Chamaecyparis obtusa (Pygmaea Hinoki Cypress) or  there was the time when Tim Alderton from the JC Raulston Arboretum was over helping me answers questions in my garden, such as what is this larger growth coming out of my Philadelphus virginalis (Dwarf Snowflake Mock Orange)?  I asked if it was reverting.  Nope, he said, it was root stock from a birch (I believe it was a birch, I’ve already forgotten.)  Never be afraid of admitting what you don’t know and there are no stupid questions.  This is the secret to gaining confidence.  Gardeners are always at the ready to share information.

So, from the time I started gardening as a child with my dad showing me the way, and me, no doubt, annoying him with all my questions, to today, looking for what you can teach me, I garden with confidence.  I know that I can only mess up just so bad, and oh yes, plants do die and I didn’t necessarily kill them.

2011 marks my 10th year in business.  As the saying goes, it seems like yesterday.

Gardening With Confidence™ began on September 11, 2001.  Yep, that was the September 11th.  Technically, I formed the company sometime in late August, but I had my first appointment to meet a client at 1:00 on that horrid day.

Remembering back, because of the morning’s events, I called my client to confirm our appointment before heading over there.  I fully expected to re-schedule, but when I called, I only got his answering machine.  At first I was unsure what to do.  We just experienced the most devastating act of terrorism our country had ever known.  Keeping the appointment seemed so trivial; so minute; but I didn’t want to stand him up either.

When I knocked on the door, I stood back and said, “If you want to reschedule, I understand.”  He replied, “No, come on in, life has to go on.”  And it has, a least to the extent of never forgetting, but carrying on.  I worked that garden for 4 years until he moved and then I was hired by the new owners, who are still clients today and also great friends because, of course, we have a common interest – their garden.

Each future post will end with a personal experience – a quip – of how I gained that topic’s experience.  It will be called COLLECTING CONFIDENCE.   Because that’s how I did it, I started with one lesson then another.  It was like collecting.  Before I knew it I had a collection…and I’m still adding everyday.

Gardeners, like you, make the best resources, and better still when you put your guard down to ask teach me or show me or tell what do you think about this or that, you will gain a little bit more confidence.  

I hope I can teach you a little bit from my own garden experiences.  Since 1997, I’ve gardened on a half acre, wildlife habitat, on a suburban lot in Raleigh, NC in a garden I call Helen’s Haven.

I hope you will share with me your gardening experiences, a well.  You see, I didn’t learn to garden with confidence in a void, but rather from doing and learning from friends like you.

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

Helen is a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazine and she also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum.

AND

Helen is the founder, publisher and editor of:
Tarheel Gardening – your online resource for North Carolina gardening enthusiasts.

You can follow Tarheel Gardener.com on Twitter @TarheelGardenin and on facebook at Tarheel Gardening.com.

Filed Under: Gardening With Confidence Tagged With: ,

Plantluck Dinner – Winter Solstice Celebration Meal

December 20, 2010 By 8 Comments

Happy Winter Solstice

On Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 6:38 PM EST we can take a collective breath as we begin to see the days grow longer. Longer days are here again. As we go from the point of days with shorter daylight to days with longer daylight, there is a cause of celebration.

To celebrate, Helen Yoest (that’s me!) of Gardening With Confidence™ and 3 fellow social media friends created a Winter Solstice meal just for you.  I often write about the wonderful friends I’ve met on facebook and Twitter.  Thanks to Lynn Felici-Gallant at Indigo gardens for introducing me to Kath!

We treated this meal like a potluck dinner.  Each of us offered up whatever we fancied, but agreed the recipes would be plant-based – not necessarily vegetarian; but a recipe that used a plant as it’s main ingredient. As such, we are calling this meal, a Plantluck Dinner for a Winter Solstice Celebration Meal.

The planners for your Plantluck Dinner for a Winter Solstice Celebration Meal:



Image (copyright by Deb Cram, www.seacoastonline.com)

Kath Gallant, right, with her family and staff of Blue Moon Evolution

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www.facebook.com/BlueMoonEvolution

www.bluemoonevolution.com

Teresa O’Connor
 Seasonal Wisdom
 www.twitter.com/seasonalwisdom
 Fan Seasonal Wisdom on
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Helen Yoest
 Gardening With Confidence
 www.twitter.com/HelenYoest
 Fan Gardening With Confidence™ on
 www.facebook.com



Kelly Senser

National Wildlife

www.twitter.com/klsnature


Solstice Stuffed Acorn Squash


Solstice Stuffed Acorn Squash

Recipe by Kath Gallant, proprietor, and Matt Greco, chef, Blue Moon Evolution

Ingredients:

4 medium acorn squash, locally harvested if possible

2 cups Lundberg’s long grain brown rice

1/3 cup shredded carrots

1/3 cup minced, dried sweet cranberries

1/3 cup minced, dried sweet apricots

1/3 cup whole, hulled pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup minced red onion

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped mint

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut the top  of the acorn squash, and remove all seeds. Place the squash and the tops face down in a roasting pan. Add  cup of water and cover loosely with foil. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the squash is soft to the touch. Set aside.

Meanwhile, blend 2 cups of Lundberg’s long grain brown rice with 4 cups of water and teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer for 50 minutes. When the rice is tender, drain and pour it into a large bowl and allow it to cool. When cool, add the carrots, cranberries, apricots, pumpkin seeds, red onion and 2 tablespoons of parsley.

Whisk together balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, mint, pepper, remaining salt and remaining parsley. Toss with the rice and fruit medley. Fill each acorn squash and enjoy!

Image (copyright by Deb Cram, www.seacoastonline.com)

Blue Moon’s deep-rooted philosophy is based on the inherent respect for the individual and the planet. Since 1995, Blue Moon Café has been serving fresh, local, organic fare in an upbeat, open, kitchen-friendly atmosphere. Blue Moon Evolution—a new, full-service restaurant with a seasonal menu and spirits to satisfy everyone from the raw foodist, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free eater to the conscientious carnivore—is an extension of the Café’s commitment to honoring the food and the farmer.

Today, Kath is serving Solstice Stuffed Acorn Squash. “I love this dish, especially at the holidays. The natural shades of the rice accented with the vibrant jewel-toned cranberries and apricots served in a savory squash reflect the colors and the spirit of the season,” says Kath.

This dish will be on my Solstice celebration table.

Seasonal Wisdom’s Kale with Feta and Bacon


Here’s a tasty way to eat more healthy winter greens. This recipe combines nutritious kale with bacon and goat cheese to create a delicious dish your entire family will enjoy.

Lucky for us, kale grows well in winter in many places, and it’s hard to beat this green’s high nutritional content. Kale is simply loaded with vitamins A and C, not to mention B vitamins, calcium and other minerals. At our house, we make this dish whenever nutritious comfort food is needed on a cold, winter night.

Ingredients:

3 slices of bacon or vegetarian-style bacon (preferably organic, local or sustainably raised)

1 bunch of kale leaves, chopped

1/3 cup of chopped red peppers (I use frozen peppers from my garden)

1 medium sized onion

1-2 cloves garlic

2/3 cup of vegetable broth

1/4 cup of dry white wine

1-2 tablespoons of feta cheese

1 tsp of Dijon style mustard

1 tsp fresh thyme (1/2 tsp of dried thyme)

1 tsp fresh rosemary (1/2 tsp of dried rosemary)

Pinch of cayenne

Salt and pepper to taste

Fry bacon until crisp. Place cooked bacon on paper towels to drain. In remaining bacon fat, saute garlic and onions in cooking pan at medium heat until onions are translucent. (If using vegetarian-style bacon, add olive oil while cooking bacon and also while cooking onions.) Then, add red peppers and cook a minute or so to soften.

Add herbs, mustard, broth, white wine, and salt and pepper. Stir to mix well.

Then add chopped kale and stir well. Cover pan and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. A few minutes before done, add feta and stir well. Serve warm.

This recipe makes a yummy side dish. But these greens also make a great quiche: simply add a cup of milk or almond milk; 3/4 cup of shredded cheese; and three eggs to the above recipe. Pour mixture into uncooked pie crust and bake at 375 F for 35-40 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when a toothpick stuck in the center of the quiche comes out clean. Let it sit a few minutes before serving.

Teresa O'Connor Seasonal Wisdom

About the Author: Teresa O’Connor (aka @SeasonalWisdom on Twitter) writes about gardening, local foods and seasonal folklore for online and print publications as well as on her blog www.seasonalwisdom.com.  She’s also one-half of the Nest In Style podcast team, which covers seasonal home and garden trends monthly.

Teresa co-authored Grocery Gardening: Planting, Preparing and Preserving Fresh Foods, (Cool Springs Press 2010), where she reported on nutritional research about produce, and provided tips for purchasing fresh foods locally.

Teresa’s upcoming speaking appearances include Seattle’s 2011 Northwest Flower & Garden Show, 2011 Boston Flower & Garden Show and 2011 Boise Flower & Garden Show.

GWC’s Sweet Potato Casserole


ingredients:

6 Sweet Potatoes

Bag of mini-marshmallows

Some butter – optional – I happen to put butter in everything

Some brown sugar – I used 1/4 cup

Proportions can change depending on your preference. Add more or less of any ingredient to suit your taste.

Boil potatoes with skins on. Can be boiled a day in advance. When done (when a knife easily enters the potato) let cool.

After the sweet potatoes have cooled enough to handle, remove the skins. At this point, the skin will just slide off.

Pre-heat oven to 350 F

Place ingredients directly into an oven proof dish.

Chop or mash the sweet potatoes with a folk.

Sprinkle brown sugar over top

Sprinkle 3/4 mini-marshmallows over top

Dot with butter (if desired)

Mix all together

Cook at 350 F for about a half hour or until heated through.

Add the reminder of the mini-marshmallows on top for garnish.


Recipe for Apple Crumb Pie


 Crust (if you don’t already have a favorite of your own):
ingredients:

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon margarine
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Step 1: Using a fork, cut margarine into flour and salt (already in bowl); combine until particles are about the size of small peas.

Step 2: Add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until the flour mixture is moistened and dough almost cleans the side of bowl.

Step 3: Gather dough into a ball and place on lightly floured surface. Using floured rolling-pin, roll dough until it’s about 2 inches larger than inverted pie plate.

Step 4: Fold dough into fourths; place in pie plate.


 Step 5: Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

Step 6: Decorate edge as you deem fit. I use my fingers to create wave pattern. Note: I actually use both hands, but I needed one to snap the photo. :0)


 Pie filling:

ingredients:

4 or 5 golden delicious apples (or your favorite baking apple)

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Step 7: Peel and slice apples, then place inside crust

Step 8: Mix sugar with the cinnamon. Sprinkle over the apples.

Step 9: Mix all ingredients together until moist and crumbly. Place on top of the apples.

Crumb topping:

ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

1/3 cup butter (margarine may also be substituted)

Step 10: Bake pie at 400 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.

Enjoy!


 While I bake this pie for various occasions, it’s a family tradition to present this dessert warm from the oven to each child’s teacher during appreciation week in May. We draft a poem to go along with it, which typically begins something like this: “An apple for the teacher is a customary treat, so we baked you a pie to let you know you’re sweet.” Fun for all!

 Kelly Senser is a nature-loving mom who enjoys wildlife gardening and outdoor play. She’s a senior associate editor atNational Wildlife magazine. Follow Kelly on Twitter @klsnature.


I hope you enjoyed our Plantluck Dinner – Winter Solstice Celebration Meal. A meal sure to please all of us looking who are forward to longer days!

Helen  Yoest is a garden writer, speaker and garden coach through her business Gardening with Confidence™.

Follow Helen on Twitter @HelenYoest and her facebook Friend’s page, Helen Yoest; or facebook Like page, Gardening With Confidence™

Helen is a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazine and she also serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum.

Tarheel Gardening – your online resource for North Carolina gardening enthusiasts.

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