Notes from the Garden

I grow lots of my seasonal herbs and veggies from seed, which means I always have too many seedlings for the area I've reserved for them. I give some away, but there always seem to be more -- and more -- and more than I plan for.

Instead of throwing the extras on the compost pile like any reasonable person, I try to squeeze them in here and there, putting them in pots, arranging them in

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How to Make Fried Zucchini Cakes with Herbs

One of my success stories in the garden is definitely squash. When I manage to save my crop from the ravages of squash bugs, vine borers, and powdery mildew, I'm ready to celebrate. I fry the blossoms for an incredibly tasty appetizer and grate young, tender zucchini into cakes, cupcakes and wonderful fried patties that are a little like a crab cakes -- without the crab. That may sound bland,

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Cleaning Flower Pots - and Decorating Them Too

I'm a big advocate of variety in plant pots. I've used ceramic mixing bowls (that I drilled holes in with a special drill bit -- a big thumbs up for Ms. Fixit), watering cans, bulk kitty litter containers, buckets, window boxes, bulk plastic plant pots tinted to look like terra cotta, actual terra cotta pots, wooden barrels, glass bottles.

Once, I even used a roasting pan. It might sound as

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How to Make Sun Tea With Fresh Herbs (or tea bags)

I'm all for beverages that make themselves -- while I do something else. Sun tea is like that. It's also very nice to make something right in the garden. I used to have a neighbor who put a huge glass jar filled with fresh herbs for sun tea in her driveway -- that's where she had the best direct sunlight. It sat there during long summer afternoons. That evening her sun brewed tea would end up in

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What is Borage and How Do You Grow It

Borage has been used for herbal healing since at least Roman times. Recently, you may have read about its effectiveness in treating the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis. It's an interesting herb with a lot going for it -- but there's some controversy associated with it too.

What is Borage?

Borage is most often sold as a concentrated oil to treat arthritis (and also as a source

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How to Make Dill Pickles from Scratch

It's easy to make dill pickles -- and it's fun too.

The dill in my garden is up to my knees and ready to harvest. Actually, I'm lucky it hasn't bolted. It's in dappled light by a ruined wooden post in the garden, so it's happy to list sideways in the breeze, leaning into the shade in a filigree of delicate leaves.

I use dill every year to make salads and pickles. It's also wonderful on grilled

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Herb Butter Recipe for Lamb

I love lamb, and my favorite holiday dish is leg of lamb cooked on the rotisserie. I use lots of rosemary, oregano, garlic and lemon during prep, and add a little mint too.

When I'm cooking lamb chops or grilling lamb kabobs for a quick meal, I like to consolidate my herbs into a fast, easy butter. The wonderful thing about herb butter is that you can make up a batch and freeze it. It'll keep a

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