Back from vacation, time to work in the garden

Vacations heal the mind body and spirit.  Been on a long one and realize it is long overdue to fill you all in.

The garden has always been a tropical jungle.  Now it is a truly an untamed paradise.  I have lots to prune, weed, and organize.  Winter annuals have perished in their pots and need to be replaced with heat tolerant colorful summer flowers.  Large branches from trees and shrubs need to be pruned.  Over grown volunteer plants need to be removed from where ever they have germinated.  Fallen leaves need to be raked up.  As the days get longer and the heat gets stronger, gardening will be limited to early in the day or late in the day.

 Here are the fruit trees all competing for space.  From left to right, Carambola, Orange and Mango. There are also more fruit trees behind these.  There is a fig, sugar apple and papaya as well.

Farm to table ratatouille

My private garden hosts a high fashion model shoot.

My private garden became the backdrop for a high fashion photo shoot over the weekend a few weeks ago. I am still pinching myself and asking, “Did this really happen?”A few weeks earlier at an art event I met a woman who was a jewelry designer Mika Altidor www.mmcjewelry.com and her friend Ana Tomic. We chatted up a conversation, got to know each other, hit it off and exchanged business cards at the end of the evening. We kept in contact via social media and I offered my garden for a photo shoot. A week or two later it was all arranged.

Mika and another designer Krista Jones got together to pool resources and filmed the shoot using Mika’s jewelry and Krista’s fashions. I knew they were coming with a photographer on a Saturday morning. When Mika and Krista arrived, they came prepared with many suitcases, bags and an entourage of a makeup artist Joshua Ribadeo of the Glam Squad www.glamsquadbeauty.net, Meagan Claire photographer, two models Ana Tomic and Cecilia Singley of Ford Miami, and an assistant.

I did not realize they needed a bedroom to change in and prepare the clothes; the makeup man needed a large table to set up all his makeup so we set up in the kitchen. The shoot took all day. It was a bit overwhelming having so many people in the house who I had just met. Everyone was really nice and they said it was one of the most relaxing shoots they have ever been on.

The end results were certainly spectacular to say the least.

It was nice Sunday was the next day to relax before the start of a new hectic work week.

Secrets For A Successful Vegetable Garden

There are many secrets for growing successful vegetables and herbs. A raised bed is one of them. There are some great suppliers and many options. There are many suppliers of raised beds that will not break the bank. Raised beds will save time and also your back! Although they are usually only eight inches high, it keeps the costs down when you fill it with soil. Buy bags of composted manure ir you are not near a farm or horse stable where you can get it for free. You may want to add some professional potting mix, and your own compost that is rich in organic matter. The better the soil, the easier it is for the plants to absorb the nutrients and water necessary for great growth. Look at the picture of me standing behind an amazing huge basil! In Florida most of our soils are way too sandy. The plants get nematodes and they become weak and stunted. Raised beds and great soil is the way to go. Weeds are less of a problem in raised beds. I mulch the raised beds as well to keep the weeds out. Containers also work well. For tomatoes I like a five to seven gallon container. For herbs use at least a gallon size, and when they outgrow that a three gallon size works fine. Good luck and happy planting!

How to Start Your Own Garden Club

I have lived in my community for many years and finally decided to start a garden club here. We had never had one and there are about one thousand residents in the area. Most are homeowners and there are also some duplexes and apartment residents as well. I am a tree hugger, I admit it. Tell me about a plant group and I am there. Over the years I have attended the Palm Society, Herb Society of Broward County, The Violet Patch, Bromeliad society, Rare Fruit Council and BUSH. The last one always raised eyebrows; it stands for Better Understanding through Horticulture. They are all fun, meet once a month and were held at the county extension office. Your local county extension office may also host such meetings. Since I was so busy attending these, I did not find it necessary to form a group and take on the responsibility. Then I changed my mind and was happy I did! Its easy and fun.

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Pining For the Holidays: Learn How to Bring Amazing Health Benefits to You and Your Family This Winter Season.

Pine oil has so many health benefits it’s like having a doctor in a bottle! Dermatologists have used it to treat many skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, athlete’s foot, cuts and more. Its antiseptic properties lend itself for household cleanser (Pinesol) and natural deodorizer. Massage therapists use it to relieve aching muscles and arthritis due to its pain relieving properties. Years ago when TB was rampant and there was not cure, doctors prescribed fresh air camps in the mountains. There were cabins with no windows, and the pine was the only relief. Doctors world wide would prescribe spending time in the forest to heal respiratory infections, asthma and bronchitis before the discovery of modern medicine. Fleas would be controlled with pine tar soap. Clothes would be moth free with pine tar paper lining the drawers.

The holiday season can cause our emotions to roller coaster. Pine oil can ease the anxiety and stress over the holidays. Its called aromatherapy and the benefits are plentiful. It refreshes, relaxes and rejuvenates the mind body and spirit. The essential oil comes from the Pinus sylvestris tree.

Have a pine needle sachet party. Get fresh pine needle branches from Christmas trees. The fraiser fir works quite well. Buy precut netting and ribbon at a crafts store. Pluck the needles from the stems until you have a nice amount. Enjoy the aroma on your fingers. Notice how your fingers get black! That is the pine tar. Place the needles in the center of the netting, gather the ends, tie a ribbon around it and your sachets are ready to enjoy. Place a few in your drawers to make your cloths smell nice, and keep pests away. Keep some sachets in your car for tension free errand runs. Place some around the house. The needles keep their scent for yeas. Tourist areas in the country sell pine needle pillows. Let me know how your family and friends enjoyed this event!

Flamingo Gardens

Going to Flamingo Gardens is like revisiting old Florida. There were many citrus groves and farms in Broward county sixty years ago. Most of the farmland has given way to strip centers, shopping malls and housing developments and our food is brought in from other areas. Flamingo Gardens provides a link to the past.

Flamingo Gardens was created in 1927 as a citrus grove of 320 acres. Back then there was very little development in Davie. The main owners Floyd L. and Jane Wray lived in Hollywood and did not move onto the property until 1933, when they built a house there. The charming home is now a museum and is opened to the public. Step back in time as you enter the house and revisit the 1930’s with furniture, knick knacks and a fully stocked kitchen with gadgets from yesteryear.
A favorite place to visit for locals and visitors alike, Flamingo Gardens has a multitude of attractions. The gardens were created about eighty years ago and now contain some of the state’s largest specimen trees. Known as champion trees, there are signs marking which ones have attained this prestigious status. Lush gardens are easy to walk, with paved paths and sitting areas. The gardens are grouped in the front of the property just after the gift shop.
As decades come and go, changes to the garden have occurred. There used to be a barn with antique cars on display years ago. This has given way to a large meeting room where educational lectures, special functions and events are held. A nice sized well stocked garden center with garden whimsy has come and gone. The old quaint animal area remains intact and has been updated, with a wonderful wild bird outpost as well.

There are tram tours daily that take visitors around the garden. Tour guides explain the garden history and provide names of the botanical plants. Flamingo Gardens is a special place in Broward County. Every time you go you learn something different about plants, birds and more.

The aviary is like a nursing home for injured and sick birds. This bird sanctuary provides a wonderful opportunity to visit Florida birds close up. There is a large shade cloth area where several Florida ecosystems have been successfully recreated. Each area blends into the next, providing the birds a place to feel at home. The area has many, many birds and it is a photographer’s paradise.