The Queen Is Back

  Being somewhat limited in my actions, once again, has made me pull out that crown and dub myself as "Queen of the Small Gardens".  This is not by my choice but rather one made by those who care about me.  "You have to stop doing everything and let your body heal."  These are orders given by those who have more sense than I do apparently.  I fully admit to doing things that an "old lady" should not be doing but...putting a roof on the lean-to seems like a simple thing.  So does pushing a lawnmower for four hours or bailing out the tiny Frog Ponds.  I just do not like asking for help for things that I can do for myself.  That said...I have had to ask.  I have had to stop.  I have a year to be lazy....lazy hurts...bad.  I have always felt much better being active even if it was overactive.  That said, my whole Queen of the Small Gardens is even a bit on the downside as I am not allowed to work the gardens to my satisfaction.  Lazy...I have to be lazy.  Oh, did I mention that lazy hurts?  It does.

  So...since my gardening work has come nigh on to a halt, the gardens decided to take things in hand.  It saddened me to see the empty rows, the barren flower beds and the weedy raised boxes but...this fretting was all for naught.  The gardens planted themselves!  Perhaps, these are not the plants that would have been so tediously tended but they are gorgeous and I am appreciative.  Mother Nature knew I needed a boost so she sprinkled wildflower seeds everywhere!  (Some folks would argue that my wildflower beds are nothing more than unkempt weed patches but, to me at the moment, they are lovely!)

         

  Some of the prettiest "gardens" are beneath the potted fig trees. These are trees that I rooted back couple of years ago and just never had the opportunity to transplant them into the yard. So...they are still in pots.  BUT!  Underneath those fig trees are lovelies!  Wood Sorrel or Oxalis plants are thriving!  Each morning, I am greeted with hundreds of pinkish blooms! The blooms are said to symbolize joy and renewal.  Both seem appropriate simply for the feeling I get each day just by seeing the delicate flowers and that my body is trying to do a bit of rebuilding.  The heart shaped leaves are said to bring good luck and heart health....both which are always needed.  I am taking my lovely "Fig Tree Gardens" as a sign that this year of healing is going to bring me back to where I need to be.  But, for now, I shall be the lazy (but aching) Queen whose realm is going to have to fend for itself for the duration.  

Lucky, Little Blooms!

   Back in December, we had winter.  Yep!  Old Man Winter made his way this far south and dropped the temperature down well below freezing for four days.  While I do not mind cold, the garden was not too happy.  I had planted (over planted because people forgot to come get plants) cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, green peas, beets, mustard greens and collard greens.  Knowing the cold for that many days was going to wreak havoc on the plants, I spent two days piling leaves in the gardens.  I figured that covering the plants with a foot of leaves may help.  Well, it did...it did not.  Several hundred of the plants perished.  Others survived and are now doing well.  I did have to replant the entirety of the peas but they are growing extremely fast so, hopefully, peas will be on the menu soon.  

  Since the beets took a beating, I decided to plant spinach between the few survivors.  Checking the spinach seedlings caused me to find my smile for the day.  Since the nice weather has returned, the oxalis have emerged and are blooming!  I love these tiny plants so much that I allow them to grow wherever they wish...including in the beet/spinach rows.  It matters not.  

  Back years ago, Mark's grandma (Momie) showed me her lovely pot of oxalis and it was during our conversation that I learned how she adored the purple blooms.  She and I shared a good many times together and I grew to love the plants as much as she did.  Oxalis are also known as wood sorrel and bloom in some lovely colors including purples, pinks, whites and yellows.  Their leaves are what a lot of folks call "clover" when they find that "lucky" four leafed one.  Most of the time, the leaf stalk is topped with three leaves but occasionally a fourth leaf shows up!  I suppose it can be lucky if you wish since I feel lucky just seeing the pretty flowers as they tell me that spring is on its way soon.

Tiny but Amazing! Yellow Woodsorrel

   It seems as if every tiny bloom is catching my eye these days.  Perhaps it is a subconscious yearning for spring or maybe it is pure boredom with being isolated for so very long but I find I am drawn to the tiny plants.  It could be that I am feeling small and insignificant and so can relate to the wee things in nature.  Still, the wildflowers of the area are the focus of my spare time, as of late.  Today as Son and I were planting lemon trees, I found a tiny bloom beneath the plum tree.  Ahh, wood sorrel!  What a grand find!  I pointed out my discovery to Son and tried to explain why I was almost giddy.  He tolerates my silliness for which I am highly grateful.  

  The finding of the common wood sorrel was not an earth-shaking thing but did bring a smile.  I tried to recall what Granddad had told me about the plant.  (As the youngest of five, I was often in my grandparents' care as Mom had her hands full with the farm duties and the other four siblings.  To entertain me, Granddad taught me so many useful things about plants, critters, woodworking, home repairs, toy making, etc.  You name it and he covered it!)  Since I am aging, I do not totally depend on the teachings but do check things to reinforce the lessons.  More oft than not, Granddad was correct.  The common wood sorrel is entirely edible...roots, stalk, leaves, blooms and seeds!  The plant also has a myriad of medicinal uses, too.  Folk medicine says that yellow wood sorrel is useful in treating stomach issues, sore throats and mouth ulcers.  I wonder??

  One of the quotes I remember Granddad often saying was "For every illness, there is a cure somewhere in nature."  It seems he knew his stuff!  As I am delving more and more into the plants of our area, I am learning that those often overlooked plants are the most amazing.  It has occurred to me that perhaps I should forgo the showy garden centers and simply encourage what grows naturally.

Wildflowers, Momie and Memories

   So the yard work continues as I have decided to rework the entire thing.  Perhaps spending so much time confined to the Small Gardens while I healed has made me grow weary of the hodgepodge arrangement.  I am now doing a much more (not) organized hodgepodge arrangement.  Seriously, my gardens will never be tidy and well-manicured.  Personally, when I see yards like that, I cannot help but think of how bored I would be.  I need the surprise of what may be just around the next corner.  So, I am busying myself creating "corners". 

  While putting the finishing touches on a weird piece of yard art made from hurricane donated wood, I was pleasantly surprised to see tiny wood sorrel blooms peeking out from beneath the chives.   While most folks see these as weeds, I find their unique way of popping up in unexpected places quite appealing.  Wood sorrel was one of Mark's grandmother's favorite flowers and she kept a large concrete urn of them on her tiny porch.  Even though she never did a thing to care for them since she was unable to venture outside, they bloomed profusely all spring and summer.  Whenever I would take the kids to visit her, she would always mention her lovely flowers.  

  It is sort of funny how things stick with you and memories come hopping out with a simple view.  The wood sorrel blooms brought a flood of memories of happy times spent with "Momie".  She and I got along famously perhaps due to our love of simple things.  I sure miss her.  Thank you, sweet little wildflowers for brightening my day with happy memories.

Work! It is good for you!

   So, it is no secret that I love to garden.  It is not just a matter of growing food but rather the chance to be outside doing something...anything.  I go stir crazy being inside all day.  I just cannot figure out how people do it!  That said, I probably overwork in the gardens but, I feel if I enjoy it, then it is all good.  The Small Gardens became my haven when I was ill and I now have this need to "repay" them for their hospitality.  The entire series of gardens is receiving a much needed "makeover".  This, too, has been a healing process for me.  (Work!  It is good for you!)  New arbors, new pathways, new "outdoor rooms", new plants, new ideas are all forthcoming.  Not that the old will be gone but rather new added.  There is also this grand scheme of repurposing materials as to keep all of this within a reasonable cost range.  Since our very active hurricane season of this past year donated us a good bit of lumber and a couple of tons of debris, the ideas are flowing.  Most everything is being repurposed into garden supplies of one sort or another.

  This repurposing or reusing has spilled over into the plants.  While seeds have always been saved, wild plants are being embraced as part of the landscaping (or lack of landscaping if you think that means structured, well kempt gardens and manicured lawns).  Just this morning, I found that the oxalis or violet wood sorrel had conveniently found a ready home in the garlic bed.  Pop would have told me that I needed to pull the weeds from around the garlic bulbs but I had other ideas.  Let the wood sorrel grow.  Why not?  It adds a bit of brightness to my morning and I need all of the brightness I can get.  The oxalis stays.  I am happy.  The garden is flourishing even with its added weeds.  All is good.

Bayou Magic at Dawn

  Once again, I urge folks to really stop and take notice of their surroundings.  There are so many things that we all overlook everyday.  STOP!! Stop and literally "smell the roses".  Life is so amazing but most people never pause long enough to notice.  We all become so caught up in our everyday lives that taking the time to really see what is around us is low man on the totem pole.  Nope!  No more!  Call it a resolution or a promise to yourself but really take the time to find the miracles in your own backyard.  It matters not if you study some small pebbles or start identifying wildflowers...just really take notice of things. After a short time, you will find that there is a whole new world opening up to you.  Discovering what is naturally there can increase your creativity, relieve stress and actually improve your health!

  Down behind the greenhouse, there is one thicket that is full of tiny plants and mosses.  If I am there at the right time of day and the sun is doing its thing, the whole place turns into a magical spot.  As the sunbeams spill through the canopy of leaves overhead, each tiny plant is highlighted.  Shadows dance off the tree trunks and leaf-laden ground.  I fully expect at some times to find a band of tiny elfin creatures residing there!

  Today's magical find was a small clump of Oxalis or Wood Sorrel.  This is one of many types of wood sorrel that can be found now growing wild throughout the area.  The sorrels are one of my favorite wildflowers simply because they can bloom any time of year.  Let a couple of warm days come and the woods are full of the hot pink blooms. The sunbeams highlighted the blooms in a glorious manner!  I sat in awe of the beauty.  Here...here is a little Bayou Magic.

  

  

The Fertile Soil of a Compost

  As a kid growing up on the farm, my life, of course, was filled with plants.  I was taught how to plant, tend and harvest.  The lessons started with the seeds and how to tell if they were viable and ended with how to preserve the bounty of our harvest.  Pop made sure that his knowledge of caring for plants (and the farm animals) was passed along so "if there is ever a need", I would be able to provide for myself and family.  The knowledge has come in handy as our pantry shelves stay filled with the most delectable treats from our garden plot.  One of the all important instructions was to "never let anything go to waste".  This not only applied to what we could eat or share but even the scraps.  On the farm, most kitchen scraps were fed to the farm animals.  The chickens, hogs and cows loved any vegetable scraps!  What was deemed too far gone to feed the critters was placed in the composting pile.  That, as we all know, is grand stuff for the gardens.

  The compost pile here is in steady use since I am not allowed by the city to have multiple critters running around the place.  So, every table scrap is dumped to be broken down into soil additives.  Of course, the wild critters around the Bayou have a fine time finding free foodstuffs each night but a good bit still rots and the nutrients can be used to grow more plants.  Of course, a lot of rubbish from the gardens makes its way to the pile as well and, occasionally, seeds sprout.  I allow a good many flowering plants to live where they sprout so the compost pile is a makeshift flower garden of sorts.  

  After emptying some coffee grounds into the compost, I noticed that the oxalis or (pink wood sorrel) were blooming in one corner.  They flourish here and are always the earliest to bloom.  Today, however, one bloom was the largest that I have ever seen!   The normal size of each bloom is about 1/2 inch in diameter but this one was easily 2 times that (maybe larger) and, instead of the normal 5 petals, this had many more.  The whole bloom was like a big ruffle!  Thinking this was just a fluke and nothing to be excited about, I checked the other plants and sure enough there were others with the large blooms and equally oversized leaves.  

  Maybe the compost pile is a really good place for the wood sorrel to grow.  If that is the case, I am purely happy to let it thrive there.  These plants hold a special place with me since they have always been favorites of several of the important ladies in my life.   Grandmother, Mom, Aunt Helen and my grandmother-in-law, Momie, all adored the little pink blooms.  Each made the same remark at different times of how they knew spring was here if the wood sorrel bloomed.   I wish they could see these blooms!

Momie and the Wood sorrel

  This time of year, the tiny purple blooms of the oxalis or wood sorrels brighten every nook and cranny of the Bayou.   At one time, there were a very few of the plants growing here and those were weak, thin plants. Since the plants were pretty,  I babied those until they became healthy, strong plants.  Each year, the plants were covered with blooms which made me smile.  At the time, I had no idea that the plant was edible.  I just liked the looks of it and loved the fact that it was one of the first plants to bloom in the spring and continued to bloom throughout the summer.  It fast became one of my "domesticated" wildflowers and whenever I found it in the gardens, I let it grow.  Others deem it as a weed but, here, weeds can sometimes be welcome.

  This morning while I was out doing some trimming, I was careful to leave the larger patches of wood sorrel.  One thing that I discovered about using the weed-eater, is that it is a mindless job.  As long as you keep the thumb on the trigger and feet clear of the twine, things go relatively well.  Since it does not take a lot of brain power, my mind takes the opportunity to wander a bit.  This morning's brain ambling took me back to Mark's grandmother's place.  This dear lady took me as one of her own and shared a good many things with me.  We had a lot in common. One funny little thing was that we both loved the wood sorrels.  On either side of her door, she had a large concrete urn.  These urns were filled with the oxalis plants and she babied them as I did the wild ones.  The wood sorrel was her pride and joy.  Only Momie (the family's name for her) could get away with having "weeds" in her garden boxes.  No one dared say anything about it as she could and would take them down off their high horses right quick.  In other words, "Don't mess with our wood sorrel!"

  Now every time I see the first blooms of the season, I think of this dear lady and our friendship.  We remained close until her death years ago.  The fact that a memory can be triggered by the sight of a tiny wildflower just means to me that she is still with me and always will be.  Kindred spirits...so to speak.

They are Memories.

  Weeds can be beautiful!  That is a good claim.  Or, better yet, they are not weeds, they are wildflowers!  Yep, I am sticking with those two.  Weeding the gardens has come to a screeching halt. I was doing rather well for the past month or so but, today, weeding has ended.  Critters have ruled.  Mind you, I like critters or, at least, most critters but there are a few that I can do without.  If I never see (or rather feel) another gnat again in my lifetime, I would be perfectly happy.  The sheer bliss of not being eaten alive would outweigh any "loss" I might suffer by the extinction of gnats.  Those things are not good for anything, as far as I can see.

  That said, I have no problem with a few...umm..wildflowers growing in among the plants.  They sort of make the garden plot a bit more interesting.  Sure, all of you enthusiastic gardeners who abhor any weed making an appearance will sharply disagree with me but, then again, it matters not.  I tend to ignore nick-picky folks anyway.  Only those that live on a bayou that breeds billions of biting critters will fully understand my take on this.  But, weeds are beautiful...as I have said.

  This afternoon, a leisurely stroll through the gardens found me enthralled by as simple weed.  A Wood Sorrel blooms were spilling about in the midst of my parsley and bell peppers.  Their happy little blossoms were highlighted by the setting sun as the dark shadows blocked out most of the other plants.  The sight almost entranced me and sent the brain into a whirl of happy thoughts.  These tiny blooms are tied to so many things of my past.  Pop always used to let them grow in the zinnia beds.  My grandmother would pick the blooms and braid their long stems into a wreath for my hair.  Mark's grandmother had huge concrete urns filled with Wood Sorrel on either side of her front door.  As a child, I remember picking bouquets for Mom when we would be picking huckleberries in the woods. It is no wonder that I adore the plant and allow them to grow where they may.  They are not weeds..they are memories.

Pretty Little Yellow Flowers!

  I think that I have mentioned it before but during this season of colds and sore throats, anything that may bring a bit of relief bears repeating.  I was out in the yard for a few minutes between rainstorms and noticed that the Oxalis are blooming.  Just recently, I was elated to find the purple ones in full bloom but now the yellows have joined in on the wintertime fun.  This is good timing, I say, as the Oxalis or Wood Sorrel have a slight medicinal property that helps to soothe sore throats.  Picking a handful of the leaves and steeping them for a few minutes makes a fine tisane.  Simply pour boiling water over the leaves and let sit for a bit.  Strain and add a bit of honey!  Now you can either sip this like a tea or gargle with it.  While this is not a lasting treatment, it does soothe the soreness for a while and with the honey is very healing.  So, those tiny plants that are the bane of folks who love an all grass lawn, should be welcome in our yards.  I know they are in mine!  One word of caution to those folks who might suffer from gout, kidney disease or arthritis, you might want to steer clear from eating any Oxalis.  It is said to cause problems with these maladies.  This is due to the oxalic acid and oxalates contained in all parts of the plant.  To be honest, even though I have a slight bit of arthritis in my hands, I have never had a problem with the plant other than it being a bit sour and, by the way, all parts of this plant are edible!  Fun stuff!

  Another cool fact about the Wood Sorrel, all parts can be used to make a yellow dye!  Even the green stems and leaves when boiled will turn the water yellow.  What fun!  My oldest son and I played with natural dyes some twenty years ago.  We gathered all sorts of plants and dyed some snippets of unbleached, natural cotton fabric.  While the dyes did not have the brilliance of the artificial colorings of today, it did give us the idea of what our grandparents and great-grandparents might have done so many years ago.  It was a fantastic learning experience!

  So, with all the fun things associated with the Wood Sorrel, you may now understand why I never intentionally remove the plants.  I let them grow where they may and just enjoy them!

Little Purple Flowers

  The weather has been warm so far this December.  While this is not too unusual for this far south, it does keep it from feeling like Christmas. When I can wander about the gardens in short sleeves and find flowers blooming, it is hard to imagine Ole Santa flying in on his sleigh.  I thought that sleigh needed snow to make easy takeoffs.  Hmmm....wishful thinking for here, I guess.  

  This morning, I went out to check the progress on the slowly ripening tomatoes only to find a clump of purple flowers gracing the planter boxes.  No, these are not some that I planted but rather "volunteers" that figured I needed a bit of a "pick-me-up" first thing this morning.  I have to admit that they did make me smile.  The oxalis were in full bloom with their pretty purple flowers nodding in the breeze.  I love these little things even though most folks see them as nothing but weeds.  The whole thing is that more folks should indeed plant the oxalis or at least encourage them to grow where they sprout.  You see, oxalis are not only pretty, they are edible.  Yep, this "weed" is a free food source in a world where folks are starving.  However!  There is one drawback!  Anyone who is plagued by kidney stones should not feast upon the plant.  The oxalic acid in them may cause problems.  That statement, alone, may cause some folks to be leery about tasting the plant but when you consider that spinach also contains oxalic acid (so do beans, chard, tea, parsley, berries and chocolate,  Yikes!  CHOCOLATE!  Yep!  Chocolate!), it becomes a lot easier to ingest the plant.  I do.  AND, contrary to what a lot of folks tend to believe...it is quite tasty.  The greens and flowers are a bit tart while the tubers are sweet.  (Strange, I know!)

  Years ago, Darling Daughter and I went on a binge of making "flower jelly".  We scrounged around the yard and woods to find blooms that we knew were edible and boiled them to get "flower water".  That became the base of our jelly.  To be honest, some blooms had literally no flavor but others were remarkable.  The oxalis or wood sorrel were some of the tastier of the bunch.  I was pondering the idea of letting the oxalis take over the yard just so I can have the fun of stunning folks with a jar of flower jelly now and again.  It is rather fun to watch their expressions when you tell them just what is on their morning toast.  Oxalis...its what's for supper...dinner...breakfast or just a snack while meandering the gardens!

 

Six More Weeks...

So, Old Punxsutawney Phil proclaimed there is to be six more weeks of Winter. Six more weeks of cold, snow, sleet and ice will smack the country. Six more weeks of...hey, wait a minute! Do you mean we have had the start of Winter already? You could have fooled me! Here on the Bayou, it seems like Spring started at the end of Fall. With the exception of a few minor cool snaps it has been relatively warm. Today, for instance, reached a balmy seventy-six degrees. Could Old Phil possibly be wrong? Or could Winter be on delay and suddenly we will experience the bitterly cold weather that February and March usually bring? I am betting we do see some cold before all is said and done. I am so ready for a bit of cold..I miss it.

Still when out and about today, I noticed all the hints of Spring! One of the most prominent is the Oxalis. The tiny, pinkish-purple flowers that emerge with the first tinge of warmer weather. These normally are found deep in the woods under the canopy of trees but I have carefully transplanted them into the yard. Now, they grow abundantly in every nook and cranny that is not cultivated. Their tiny bulbs multiply with great rapidity so now, I am almost inundated with a sea of pink! I love them!

A lot of folks do not know that Oxalis are the one and same as Wood Sorrel. Yes, that "obnoxious weed" is actually a very tasty dish! The tiny tubers are edible much like a potato and the Wood Sorrel greens can be added to salads or soups! When dried these leaves make a sort of lemony-tasting tea! You should try it sometime! Why even Jane Powell foraged for Sorrel in the much loved musical, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers"! That said..it must be tasty! Personally, I think the tea is the way to go if any wish to try it. The leaves are a bit tangy and a lot of folks have the notion that the oxalic acid found in them is toxic! Happily, though, this is not a threat! You would have to ingest a massive amount of the leaves to ever be adversely affected. A little known fact is that a lot of the foods we eat every day contain oxalic acid. Brussels Sprouts, Spinach, Broccoli, Grapefruit and Chives are just a few crops that possess just as much as the Wood Sorrel!

I must make a confession here, though. When I planted the Oxalis in the yard, I had no idea that it was edible! I just adored the pretty little pink flowers! Their bright little faces always made it seem as if Spring was just around the corner! Now who do I believe...Punxsutawney Phil, who saw his shadow? Or the Wood Sorrel that saw fit to put forth its delicate little blooms? My goodness! It is the first week of February! Do you really think Winter is over? Stock up the woodpile...the cold is coming!..........Maybe.

Meandering the Garden Path

The wind whipped the petals off of many of the roses today, which made the garden look a bit bare. There are many, many buds still on the bushes so in a few days the rose garden will again be dotted with color and not be just a thorn garden. I am having a problem with black spot on the leaves this year and have decided to try a "home remedy" of apple cider vinegar with a few other ingredients added in for good measure. Once I figure out just what all would be helpful, I will post a recipe for the spray.

Although the wind tore up most of the roses, the jasmine and Deutzia Scabra held their blossoms well. These must be some tough plants! The Deutzia Scabra is full of snow-white "feathers" and is a cutting off of a bush from long ago at my parents' house. Theirs sat at the corner of a large circle driveway and was quite massive. Mine, though, is still small even though it is about ten years old. It has had a difficult time growing. Hurricane Katrina literally ripped it from the ground and buried it under a pile of debris. There it sat for several months until I was able to dig it out. Once I located it, the Deutzia Scabra was replanted and then had to be moved again once the gardens were designed. All of that moving could not have created the best of growing conditions, but still, it blooms on, proving that this is one tough plant! Hubby calls it the "Feather Tree" because of the appearance of the blooms. This year once it finishes its bloom cycle, I will trim it back and root a few cuttings. It should do well.

Other plants that are holding their own through the wind are the Amaryllis blooms. As large as these flowers are, they are pretty sturdy. These were gifts from my son and daughter-in-law. The bulbs that they sent were of a nice, healthy size and have bloomed every year. This year, a few must have multiplied as I have four new ones in the garden. I love the soft rose color of this one named the "Susan". Also a few "wild" or throwbacks to the original Amaryllis have shown up this year. These "Old World" bulbs have sort of an orangish tint to them and are striped with yellowish-white. They are small in comparison to the others but I still think there is a place for them in the garden.

A bit further down the pathway are the irises. I am pleased to see that the purple irises are in full bloom and are loaded with buds, but for some reason, my yellows have never set any buds. I am wondering if I should lift them out of their bed and replant them in a better place. Perhaps the yellows need more water. I might try potting a few and sink them in the pond. I would love to make a "bog garden" some day. I think the irises, elephant ears and water hyssop would do well there. In the creek bed, ferns, irises, and water hyssop abound, so I just need to "create a creek"!

Then there are the weeds! Most people will call Oxalis a weed but I rather like the little blooms so I let it grow where it will. This is also known as wood sorrel and grows from a tiny bulb. It grows wild in the woods, ditches and fields but since it has taken up residence in my gardens, it is now a landscaping plant! I love the natural way this plant will spill out of container gardens, fill up empty spaces between larger plants and blend right in with the vegetables in that garden. The stems and leaves of the plant contain oxalic acid so some care should be used with the plant. Not that there is enough to cause immediate problems but still care should be taken. This little plant can have free rein in the garden as far as I am concerned!