"Summer Sweetness"
June 6, 2012
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Dear Gardening Bug,
Since summer is upon us and members of our extended family will be off in various places over the next few months, we hosted a big family dinner at our home on Sunday. The menu included many veggies from The Farm, with babaganoush as appetizer and fresh marinara sauce with homemade pasta as the entrée.
Before dinner I went out and collected things from the garden for a centerpiece. I'm always delighted by the treasures I find. Some of the flowers lasted longer than others, but they all combined beautifully for the evening. Later Kevin was outside and noticed the night-blooming jasmine in full bloom. He brought in a sprig and added it to the bouquet, and it instantly filled the house with fabulous fragrance!
The cut jasmine has continued to reopen each night since ... just one of the many sweet treats of our summertime gardens. Take a look at more of this week's "garden treasures."
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Colorful Crape Myrtles!
Another summertime favorite is crape myrtle. These colorful trees are starting to dot our landscapes here in Brevard County. Last week we received our first shipment of crape myrtles for the season, and they are looking lush!
Crape myrtle blooms will continue all summer, and the tree will re-bloom into September if you take the time to remove the seed pods. They take on a whole new kind of beauty in the winter months; although they lose their leaves, the exfoliating bark adds a lovely touch during their dormant months. For more information on crape myrtle, check out this link from the Hendry County IFAS extension office.
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Summer Fruits and Veggies
Other sweet treats for the summer include our wonderful fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes, especially the cherry types, will continue to provide us with healthy goodness for the next month or so. Eggplant and okra should be producing all summer long. And in the markets and roadside stands you'll be noticing my favorite summer refreshment: watermelon!
Mangoes are also coming into season, and we hope you'll mark your calendar for our Mango Madness on July 21. The event will feature a seminar on growing mangoes, as well as samplings of many varieties of this luscious fruit. In the meantime, our friends Roger and Lloyd from Four Lions Orchard on Merritt Island will be selling mangoes as they are available right out in our parking lot. This week the featured mango is the Zill (small, but delicious!).
Below: kumquat blossoms, pummelo, and blackberries.
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Flowers for Sight
Rockledge Gardens is partnering with the Rockledge Lions Club again this year for the month of June, donating 10 cents for every 6" pot of flowers that is sold during the month to help pay for glasses for people who cannot afford them.
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 This Week at The Farm
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