admin

Veronica “Perfectly Picasso”

If you are looking for a stunning perennial to add some color and charm to your garden, you might want to consider Veronica ‘Perfectly Picasso’. This variety of spike speedwell produces beautiful spikes of star-shaped, medium pink flowers that contrast with white buds. The flowers bloom from mid to late summer and attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Veronica ‘Perfectly Picasso’ has …

Read More »

Marionberry

marionberry fruit

The Marionberry is a bright, glossy blackberry with medium to large fruit, somewhat longer than wide. It is special to the area because it is named after the county in which it was developed, and 90% of the world’s Marionberries are grown near Salem. The Marionberry is a trailing vigorous grower, generally producing only a few long canes which grow …

Read More »

Squash – Pattypan

patty pan squash

Pattypan squash is a variety of summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) notable for its small size, round and shallow shape, and scalloped edges, somewhat resembling a small toy top, or flying saucer. The name “pattypan” derives from “a pan for baking a patty.” Its French name, pâtisson, derives from a Provençal word for a cake made in a scalloped mould. The …

Read More »

White Star Flower

white star flower

Bring a touch of north Africa to your yard with the white Ornithogalum arabicum. It has lots of other common names: star of Bethlehem, star flower, Arab’s eye, lesser cape-lily, Arabian starflower, snake flower or chincherinchee. This bulb is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture planting zones 7 through 11 and can be enjoyed as a tender bulb or a …

Read More »

Peony ‘ Celebrity’

Gigantic rose-pink blooms surround the white tufted centers of this aptly named beauty. It’ll be the star of your long-running garden show with its delightful fragrance and attractive foliage — perfect for borders, beds and cut flowers. Plant the peonies bare root not more than 2 inches deep to help create strong root growth in the first year. Be patient …

Read More »

Verbena – Estrella

estrella verbena

Combining vibrant colors with excellent growing characteristics, Estrella is a versatile series suitable for baskets, mixed containers and the landscape. A vegetatively propagated series, Estrella uses Westflowers genetics bred by Westhoff in Germany. The series boasts rich, vibrant colors on large flower clusters, without the common white flower center. With a well-branching and mounding plant habit, Estrella blooms flowers close …

Read More »

Lime Curd

lime curd

More zing than lemon curd. Serve on toast, biscotti, as a filling between layers of cake, or straight up. Ingredients 3 ounces (6 Tablespoons) unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 2/3 cup lime juice (about 4 limes) Zest of 4 limes, divided in two 4 large eggs, well beaten Pinch of sea salt Directions Makes 2 cups. Use a double boiler …

Read More »

Tulip – Ruffled

The majority of tulips (Tulipa spp.) flower naturally in the spring, making them a symbol of new life and renewal. Many varieties of tulips produce blooms in varying shades of yellow, adding a cheerful “hello” to the new growing season. Yellow tulips require the same care and maintenance as other colored tulip varieties. Daffodils (Narcissus spp.) and tulips (Tulipa spp.) …

Read More »

Cherry Bombs

pickled cherries

Cherry Bombs are cherries that are pickled in a sweet and spicy brine. There are many variations of this dish. The brine can be thin (like pickle juice) or thick like syrup. The cherries can be pitted or left whole with the stems. The extra acid can come from lemon juice, wine, or vinegars (like apple cider vinegar, red wine …

Read More »