Saturday, June 14, 2014 10:00 am
Join us for an entertaining Garden Talk about those flowers and leaves in your garden that you could be munching on.
Many of the plants we grow today for their attractive foliage or gorgeous flowers have had a place in the kitchen too. Pickled nasturtium buds make an interesting alternative to capers; rose petals can be candied, or used to infuse honey with a luscious flavor; lavender flowers have a myriad of applications, from flavoring sugar to adding zip to lamb and beef stews.
Join us for a chat and taste testing of easy-to-do dishes ranging from sorrel soup to chamomile ice cream and pound cake with citrus and lemon geranium sauce.
Many recipes call for only a handful of leaves or flowers, making this a good program for gardeners with limited space or time.
Some of our plants to take home and munch on...
 |
|
Wait...I'm supposed to make fruit vinegar with these? No!
|
Okay, yes, you can make a wonderful summer beverage with homemade strawberry vinegar - but, really, isn't strawberry shortcake a higher priority? Our lovely Fragaria x ananassa "Quinalt' plants produce delicious 2" berries from June til frost. They are self pollinating, hardy, and can grow well in containers.
And, since there's a balance in life, please consider the virtues of Jerusalem artichokes, aka Helianthus tuborosus. The edible parts of these plants are the knobby roots, which have a sweet, nutty flavor and the texture of water chestnuts. A relative of the sunflower, you'll have tall daisy like flowers in mid to late summer, and then a fine vegetable for use in salads, soups etc in the fall.
 |
| The surprisingly stately Jerusalem Artichoke |
Among the many munch-worthy plants at the sale, we'll also have dill, thyme, tri-color sage, mashua, lavender, basil, mint, tomatoes and oregano.... that's surely enough to make for a very happy summer!
As we arrive at the midpoint in the year, please join us in thanking our wonderful speakers...
 |
Kathy Echols is a great friend for a butterfly to have...
|
We have been very fortunate to have several terrific plant specialists donate their time and expertise to explain how we can maintain lovely and sustainable gardens. Please join us in thanking Master Gardener Kathy Echols, Garden Designer Kelly Marshall and School Garden Creator Lesley Stiles for some inspiring and educational plant talks. We hope that you will attend the educational and entertaining plant talks that are scheduled throughout the rest of the year.
