"Green Thumbs & Fingers"
"I am closer to God in my garden than any other place on earth".
This is Mama'a
garden, I just inherited it. I dedicate this page to
GOD, as He makes every thing grow, I just tend it for
Him; And I hope my precious Mama is watching, and
enjoying it as much as I am, "I am still taking good
care of it for you Mama."
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'click on 'Enter', to visit my second garden'
LAVENDER = means, 'Devotion', and 'undying love'; It has always been associated with washing; In the old days lavender was added to the rinse water when doing laundry, to give the clothes a fresh scent; Victorian ladys made lavender sachets, and placed them in amongst thier clothes to make them smell nice;
PARSLEY = means, 'strength', and 'vigor'; It is a delicious additive to almost everything you cook; As a garni for dishes and salads; It is a rich source of vitamins and minerals; Parsley tea is believed to be helpful in kidney and bladder problems; It is also natures deoderant; Chew a sprig of parsley after you eat to freshen your breath; Parsley rubbed on hands is said to remove fish, onion or garlic smells;
PEPPERMINT = I have named it the 'love herb', simply because it grows so fast and spreads every where. Pull up a piece by its roots and plant in a pot to give a friend or neighbor; It will always live; A sprig of peppermint leaves in a favorite beverage, adds a zesty flavor; Make a tea of the leaves, and take for stomach upset and problems; It too is a good breath freshner;
BASIL= "Maketh man merry and glad." To the Romans it was a symbol of love. To the people of India, it is a holy herb. Basil was once used as a strewing herb on floors to keep them sweet and clean, and for chasing away witches, flies, and headaches.
Basil is a wonderful herb to grow in the garden, because it is easy to grow, attracts honey bees, goes great with tomatoes, (both in cuisine, and as a garden companion.) Plant lettuce-leaf basil for making pesto, and other recipes where large quanities are required. But dont forget the other varities, such as purple basil, delicious and beautiful in salads, globe-shaped basil, Lemon basil and Thai basil.All are good.
ROSEMARY= means, "dew of the sea", and is an herb symbolizing 'Rememberance and Friendship.' It is said, "where rosemary florishes, the woman rules." Rosemary tea will 'lift your spirits'. A strong infusion makes a wonderful rinse for dark hair. Dried rosemary leaves and twigs thrown into the fire place, or wood stove makes a natural incence. Delicious in foods too. Especially in cooking meat and sauces. It is a strong flavored herb, so follow recipe directions closely when using.
THYME= Is an herb of 'memories,and sweet times;' It is one of my favorite herbs, because every thing you put it in taste sooo goood! (Not deserts of course-but everything else) There are several varities of thyme, such as, lemon, creeping, and common. It is a creeping 'ground cover plant', and grow beautifully in a rock garden. It grows 6 to 10 inches high and has pink or violet flowers in the early fall. Thyme is the greatest in poultry and lamb recipes;
TARRAGON = is a member of the anise family. It is an herb of 'strength and vigor;' It is indispensable to French cuisine; Tarragon vinegar is delicious in salad dressings, and is excellent with chicken, mayonnaise, fish and egg dishes; Tarragon is a perennial in most areas. Can be grown indoors or out, but if you grow it outside, mulch in winter;
SAGE = the herb of 'wisdom and knowledge;' Sage was a sacred herb in medieval times. It was used as a healing herb. Today it is prized as a culinary delight. It is excellent in all poultry, pork and apple baked goods. It is also used in potpourris, wreaths, and nosegays. It retains alot of aroma even when dried. There are many varities of sage, such as, gold, purple and variegated colors. Sage is also delicious in teas.
PENNYROYAL = herb of 'determination and perseverance;' It is a repellent for mosquitas; Hang baskets of it on your porch or pateo. Rub the leaves over arms and legs to repell those little monsters; Wonderful for pets, relieves itching, and fleas; Bathe your pet weekly with a rinse of 2 cups of Pennyroyal, that has been simmered in a quart of boiling water. Boil for 30 minutes, let cool, then add this to at least 1 gallon of warm bath water. Sponge it on your pet, or put him directly into the water. Be careful not to get it in his eyes, it might irratate them.
DILL = Dill is a symbol of 'health and stamina.' It is a wonderful herb to grow in your garden, as it will grow most anywhere there is full sun. I love to use the green leaves in salads, and along with the head of seeds to make dill vinegar. I love it most in salad dressings (the fresh or dried leaves), and in my fish sauces, and tarter sause. When it goes to seed, dry seeds and put in air tight container, to be used in sauces and soups.
Saving Seeds; A good way to save seeds for next year's planting, is to leave them out in the sun for several days to dry throughly. Then put them in a plastic bag, seal tightly, and slip in freezer until next spring. This does away with insects and disease.
Planting Tree's and Shrubs; When planting a tree or shrub, remember this tip for fertilizing; Put an ounce of fertilizer in a plastic bag, punch holes in the bag, then bury it in the hole 6 to 12 inches from the shrub or tree, about 6 inches deep. It will fertilize for several seasons. Dont plant in same hole as shrub unless you can place it at least 6-12 inches from the roots of the shrub.
FERN'S; Ferns will grow beautifully if you punch two or three holes in the soil and pour 1/2 teaspoon of caster oil in each hole.
COMPOST; Cut off the bottom of a large plastic trash bag and place somewhere in or near your garden. Dump all your vegetable parings, peelings, lawn clippings, egg shells, coffee and tea grounds, and left overs, into the bag. Cover and wait. When your garden is ready to plow in the fall, lift plastic bag, and remove, and turn your compost into your soil.You are now ready for spring planting. No sweat!
Herbs With Meaning
BORAGE= means,"Courage"; It was once believed that if you put it in the drink of a prospect suitor, it would give him the courage to propose marriage; Borage leaves has a cucumber-like flavor, and the leaves can be added to salads, to enhance its flavor;
For Garden Page #2, go back to garden gate(above) and click 'Enter'.
(If you would like to adopt a plant, click on orchid plant above)
