Rogers Gardens....a favorite!

About Rogers Gardens: Sitting upon seven acres across from Fashion Island, Roger’s Gardens has grown to be known as ‘America’s Most Beautiful Home and Garden Center’. Presented in a garden like setting, our Nursery offers one of the most extensive varieties of Plants, Outdoor Living, Home Decor, Landscape, Holiday, Pottery and Fountains. As ‘America’s Most Beautiful Home and Garden Center’, Roger’s Gardens has taken quiet pride in being the recipient of many awards including the AmeriChristmas award and the Los Angeles Arboretum award. www.Rogersgardens.com

Who doesn't love to walk around Rogers Gardens admiring the plants, listening to the peaceful music and experiencing the environment! If you haven't been there, it is a must do. This time of year bring a cup o' joe and good company!

Looks like Rogers is having some events coming up! Check one or two out! I know I sure will!

Sat March 26 9am - Cook Simply with Zov: Recipes from Earth to Plate - Demo and Book Signing
Come for a morning of culinary inspiration focused on garden fresh cooking as well known local Chef Zov Karamardian demonstrates a few featured recipes from her newest cookbook, “Simply Zov”. Attendees will be invited to taste samples, learn new recipes and hear the stories behind these delectable flavors and their journey from Earth to Plate.

Sun March 27 10am - Exotic Plants with Mike Craib
Join Mike Craib, member of the board of directors for both the California Horticultural Society and Pacific Horticultural Society, as he discusses exotic plants from the southern hemisphere. Mike will be covering plants from many of the southern hemispheres Mediterranean climates including Australia, Chile and South Africa.

Sat April 2 9am - My Edible Garden in April
Our monthly discussion of everything edible: vegetables, herbs, fruits, berries and more. Steve Hampson, edible gardener extraordinaire, will lead a lively and interactive discussion about what, where and when to plant, prune, feed harvest; with lots of audience participation.

Sat April 9 9am - French Style Kitchen Gardens
Join Cristin Fusano as she shares her expertise on gardening and growing vegetables, herbs, berries and citrus to create French Style Kitchen Gardens. Whether you have a tiny balcony, or an acre, Cristin will give you the information you need for great garden success.

Sun April 10 10am - Proteas, Leucadendrons & Leucospermums with Chris Chaney
Learn about the amazing family of Protea plants with Chris Chaney, an authority on the topic. Come meet Chris and learn about Proteas, Leucospermums, Leucadendrons, and other proteas for California gardens. This underused family of plants are quickly becoming one of the hottest categories for local gardeners.

*all images are from www.Rogersgardens.com

http://www.rogersgardens.com/seminars_listview.asp

Oldies but Goodies

I love art work and I found these old seed packets on my favorite blog www.studiogblog.com, it really was fun to look to at.


F.C. Heinemann, General Seed Catalogue no. 206, 1898, Front Cover


C.E. Allen, Plant and Seed Guide, 1898, Front Cover


Livingston's Seed Store, 11th Annual Seed Catalogue, 1898, Front Cover
http://smithsonianlibraries.si.edu/smithsonianlibraries/2009/05/national-asparagus-month-is-in-may.html

Eat What?

While browsing the internet looking for some inspirational ideas about gardens and cool and innovative ideas for your garden...I found this...an "Eathouse"! Over at www.soiledandseeded.com they have this shed that they have turned into a house where you can pick your fresh produce and bring it home to eat! I am not sure if customers choose what they want and pick it themselves, but either way this is a really cool idea! Great to see more ideas out there. Imagine turning an 'eathouse' into a butterfly and creature garden for kiddos to walk though and to explore...Now that would be fun!! :)






Happy Eating!!

LA GARDEN SHOW

It is that time already!!


Interested in reducing your carbon footprint in the garden? Thinking about watering less, but worried you’ll have to sacrifice flowering plants, fruit trees and all of your lawn? Want to add California native plants and other drought tolerant plants, but clueless about their care?


You’re not alone. Thousands of Southern California home gardeners are seeking advice and information as they rethink their traditional approach to gardening. Visit the LA Garden Show and be inspired to be an eco-friendly gardener.


Green is no longer just a color in the garden. It’s about saving water and energy, changing the way we garden, growing more of our own food and creating beautiful landscapes with less thirsty plants.


~ See garden displays designed by renowned landscape designers

~ Learn eco-gardening ideas from horticultural experts and designers

~ Shop at The Marketplace for California natives plants and garden accessories

~ Enjoy garden tours, gardening activities for kids and cool off at the beer garden

My sister and I went a couple years back and it was SO much fun. We had never been before and were unprepared on what to expect.

So here is what we learned:

~ Bring a wagon - carrying your "stuff" to the car is a pain - you park about 1/4 mile away.

~ Bring some cold water - at least 3 bottles

~ Bring some snacks - who wants to sit and eat when there are plants to see!!

~ Bring extra money

~ Wear a hat

~ Wear sunscreen

It was a lot of fun and there is allot to see!!! Landscaping ideas, cheap plants, and cheap pots plus meeting a bunch of people who know more then you!

Where:Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden301 N. Baldwin Ave.Arcadia, CA. 91007
Dates:Fri. April 30, Sat. May 1, and Sun. May 2
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 8:00 a.m. entry for Arboretum members.
To become a member click here or call 626.821.3233
Admission:$3.00 to $8.00, Free for Arboretum members
Parking:Free with shuttle. Preferred parking $10


http://lagardenshow.com/

Romanesco Broccoli

Roma' What??

Romanesco broccoli, or Roman cauliflower, is an edible flower of the species Brassica oleracea, and a variant form of cauliflower. Romanesco broccoli resembles a cauliflower, but is of a light green color and the inflorescence (the bud) has an approximate self-similar character, with the branched meristems making a logarithmic spiral. In this sense the broccoli's shape approximates a natural fractal; each bud is composed of a series of smaller buds, all arranged in yet another logarithmic spiral. This self-similar pattern continues at several smaller levels.
The vegetable is rich in vitamin C, fiber, and carotenoids.

(from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanesco_broccoli)

Ok, Now the fun stuff! What is this beautiful thing!?! It sure is pretty!! And you can eat it! A friend of mine introduced me to this crazy edible plant and I decided to post here, because I had never heard of it before and I am assuming neither have you! :)

Got Romanesco?
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/10/seriously-italian-broccoli-romanesco-recipes.html

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipes/rachael-ray-30-minute-meals/Romanesco-Broccoli-and-Rigatoni

How to grow

http://www.suite101.com/content/growing-and-cooking-broccoli-romanesco-a177835

Well good luck on your adventure of trying this alien cousin of the cauliflower! I will let you know how mine go! Thank you Colleen for the blog idea! When you cooking me dinner?? :)

Love the Succulents

As I was reading (one of) my favorite blog http://studiog.greayer.com/ AKA Studio G, I came across this website for succulents. Succulents have to be a favorite of mine…they are easy to care for, take low, low water and have the most unusually pretty shapes and colors. On http://succulentlovedesigns.bigcartel.com/ her designs are creative and really beautiful. Also, her personal site is a good read plus it cemented the fact that my blog is pretty much chump change compared to most blogs online. UGH……I have WAY more work to do!!!

Cheers!!

Harvest What??

All this rain has me thinking about the importance of rain-water harvesting! I mean I know we are in a water crisis here in CA and I know about the ways we can reduce our personal water usage…(see ricky rain drop posting)....but harvesting rain water??? Sounds so complicated don’t you think? Sounds like those “weird” tree hugger types do this??? So, off into the galaxy far, far away (the Internet) I went to find out about harvesting rain water and to really understand how to do it. I mean….how hard could it REALLY be??

Upon reading I found it was not quite THAT difficult….it will take come cash up front to have the system installed and set up, but after that from what I read it pretty much pays for itself monetarily PLUS knowing you are doing something good for Mother Earth seems pretty awesome too!!

Trust me there are a bunch of different types of systems out there….they go from simple to pretty much speaking a different language to me.

I strongly suggest reading about it and at least understanding it more then you already do. It was fascinating to read about the “forward thinking” some of these companies have and just the down right great ideas they have! Have fun reading and your comments/suggestions are always appreciated. Have a great day!!

Some Helpful Websites:

http://www.harvesth2o.com/

http://www.rain-barrel.net/

http://www.rainxchange.com/

http://www.rain-barrel.net/rainwater-calculator.html - find out how much H20 you can harvest with this online calculator.