What Will Grow Near a Black Walnut Tree?
Black Walnut trees are wonderful if you are a cabinet maker, eat the walnuts, or leave them as forage for wildlife, or use the husks to make a colorfast dye. But if you are a gardener, they provide a challenge, to say the least. A toxic chemical, juglone, diffuses from the roots into the soil, […]
Garden Planning: Monarch Waystations
Last spring I went to a conference in Lawrence, KS and was inspired by Dr. Chip Taylor of KU’s biology department. In 2005, Dr. Taylor created a program to develop “Monarch Waystations” across the United States. The goal of the program is to educate the public on the importance of butterflies and their habitats, to […]
What can I do with my herbs?
This is a beginners guide to cooking with fresh herbs. Use the following chart as a guideline to begin experimenting with new flavors in your recipes. This is an excellent way to ‘spice up’ your favorite dishes so that they seem like new! Basil Magical Michael Annual Ornamental; use to flavor Italian dishes Basil Purple […]
Prairie Plantings: Improving your Quality of Life
There something so simple and calming about the prairie. Growing up in north central Kansas, I knew too well the heat and drought of the plains states. Even in the shade of the wooded creek bottoms near our house, it was sultry and hot. Later, when I lived in Manhattan, KS, a quiet walk on […]
Common Landscape Plants with Unusual Edible Qualities: Not Your Typical Fruit or Vegetable!
We all want a landscape that is easy to maintain, provides beauty all year round, and provides benefits for our families, right? What if we create landscapes that are even more beneficial to our families and to wildlife, where we could, in season, simply pick fruit right off the tree in our backyard? And what […]
How to Cut Garden Flowers for Floral Arrangements: Fall Floral Design
Ever wonder how to use your landscape to create beautiful floral designs? Follow the step by step guide in this second edition of How to Cut Garden Flowers for Floral Arrangements. (See first edition here) Materials: Vase Scissors Permission to cut plants in the landscape Water 6 or 7 stems of Miscanthus (Maidenhair) Grass 1 […]
Using Native Grasses in the Landscape
Native grasses have always fascinated me. Living in the Great Plains, and growing up in the Smoky Hills Region of Kansas, I got to find grasses from two separate ecoregions. The tall grasses of the east and short grasses of the west seemed to collide in my backyard. Now, I use native grasses and sedges […]
Aronia Berry Recipes-The Miracle Fruit
What do I do with Aronia Berries? (Find Grimm’s Garden’s recipe for freezing peaches!) These berries have a plethora of uses. Consider eating them fresh or frozen. They make a great summer snack frozen. Pies, breads, and other baked goods, salad toppings, jams and jellies, salsa, and icecream are all great uses of this berry. […]
How to Cut Garden Flowers For Floral Arrangements: Country Floral Design
I absolutely love cut flowers. I look forward to bringing in a new bouquet into my house every chance I get. If you want to bring some of your landscape flowers indoors but don’t know how to, you are in the right place. (Click to our second edition of Floral Design) Materials: 1 Quart Mason […]
