What will you do on Herb Day?

Herbs are so much a part of daily life. They are used in food, flavoring, medicine, cleaning, and decor. They can bring such simple joy - there's nothing like a whiff of Pineapple Sage or Rosemary to brighten your spirits.

Saturday, May 7th, is Herb Day. The annual celebration takes time to honor these seemingly innocuous little plants that are all around us. And I mean ALL around us! It's a perfect day to take some time and learn more about your favorite herbs, or discover some new ones.

What can you do to celebrate? How about:

1) Walk around your yard! Try a nibble of a dandelion leaf. Pick the smaller, newer leaves. They are more tender less bitter. Take note of the plantain, ground ivy, violets - yep, those are all herbs!

2) Take a cooking class, or improvise a new spin on a favorite recipe by adding some extra herbs. Add some lavender flowers to some yellow cake mix and make Lavender cupcakes. Use a bright, strong tea to enhance a recipe.

3) Read up on this months Herb of the Month (Nasturtium - beautiful AND tasty!) or the Herb of the Year (peppers - hot or sweet).

4) Herbs are great crafting! They can be used in flower arrangements, made into sachets or potpourri, making pomanders, infused into vinegar's or oils - so many options.

5) Get digging and plant some herbs! Whether it's favorites like peppers, tomatoes, or sage, or some new inspirations like rue or Calendula. Many gardens and markets are having sales this year - so stop by and visit and get inspired. Rutgers Gardens is having their big Spring Flower Fair. Everyone there is very knowledgeable and will be glad to help.

Herb Day can be a kick off for into a year long exploration of the amazing herbal world around us. And you can turn your herbal adventures into gifts for Mom, since the next day is Mothers Day!

Let us know what you to celebrate a Happy Herb Day!

Love Scrubs? We Need Your Help!

Do you love sugar scrubs? I sure do. I love the invigorating exfoliation and the fabulous softness of my skin after a shower. Oh - and the fragrance. It just fills the shower and lifts your spirits.

We make a wide range of sugar scrubs and a few salt scrubs. There are even a few we carry seasonally. You can see our current line here. But in the quiet of a chilly February, I look for other things to create. And we've got four new options in the sugar pot now.

Green Tea Sugar Scrub - Honey infused with green tea blends with rich butters and oils and three types of sugars. Refreshing and motivating.
Kelly's Garden Sugar Scrub - Heady jasmine and gardenia, neroli and davana bring you to a beautiful summers garden at twilight
Cococoffee Sugar Scrub - Two test versions - wake up to that perfect morning scent of fresh coffee while enriching your skin with cocoa butter.
Pine Barrens Breeze Sugar and Salt Scrub - Pine infused honey and safflower oil, peppermint infused honey, a touch of Celtic sea salt and your on a walk through the pines.

Now - these scrubs are all in the first draft stage. What we need are a few volunteers to help us out. Would you like to help us test out new scrubs? Go over to our Facebook page. Like our page and leave a comment saying - I'm in!  We'll send you some samples and ask that you send us your feedback when you've had a chance to try them.

Celebrate the Heart of Summer in the Garden....................................... Rutgers Gardens that is

Colorful flowers, butterfly's, shade trees, wine tasting, yoga demonstrations, food, shopping and tours. What a marvelous way to celebrate the heart of the summer season.

We hope you'll join us this Saturday, July 28th at the Rutgers Gardens Annual Open House and Wine Tasting.

Admission is $5 per person. Children under 17 are free, as are Rutgers Garden members. To partake in the wine tasting is an additional $10. 

Personally, I can't wait for the Yoga Demonstration from Inner Light Yoga Center, and the Aromatherapy for Your Senses seminar by Gwenn Fried. The tours are always so informative and there are plenty of experts around to help solve some of your pesky garden problems. 

Cindy and I will be spending time at our booth as well! We'll have lots of Gardeners Salve and Dó Gréine Sunburn Spray on hand, and maybe even a few new surprises.

Mention this Rutgers Garden Blog post and we'll take 10% off your order of $5 or more.

Spring Specials for a Special Spring

This has been a very warm spring - heck a very warm winter! All this lovely weather in the east is putting us in mind of getting out to the garden and celebrate this special spring. Well, we've decided that we want to celebrate as well. To do that, we're offering you some great specials for the month of March.


For the rest of the month of March, there's free shipping! Why not take advantage of that with one of our special offer gift sets.

Gardeners Gift Pack

The greening of the trees and plants calls us out to the garden. There's nothing as soothing as digging down in the dirt or smelling freshly blooming flowers. But it takes it's toll on your skin. This gift pack helps keep your skin at its natural best.

• 1 oz Gardeners Salve - great for those nick's, scratches and work worn hands.
• .75 oz Muscle Rub - Gardening puts your muscles to some extra work. This salve is powered with Arnica and capsicum from hot peppers. Soothes muscles and smells fabulous. Choose from 4 scents.
• 8 oz Dó Gréine Spray - Don't let the spring sun fool you - you can still get burned. This all natural spray ease the pain of burns (sun or otherwise) as well as itchiness and bug bites. Even helps repel some bugs (does not work well for gnats though).
• Sweetest Kisses Lip Balm - Honey makes this lip balm extra soothing and softening for wind and sun damaged lips.

Sale Price: $21.00

(If purchased separately - $23.50)

The gift pack comes in a nice little spring bucket and gets you ready to get out and play in the dirt. Perfect for a nice gift or for yourself. Our newsletter also has a Mela Tae gift set special. You don't get our emailed newsletter? You can sign up for it in the box in the right column here. Or you can see it in our archive here.

Enjoy!

Very Violet Springtime Welcome

Spring seemed to dawdle about this year. A very chilly March and an equally rainy April made it seem like the warmth and fragrance of spring would never get here. And then I saw them. My wild violets were blooming. Spring was really here!

When I see those dainty little purple flowers erupting all over my yard, I know that warm weather and sunny days are on their way. And the moment that sunshine appears - I'm out crawling around on the ground picking as many flowers as I can. Because these harbingers of spring don't last very long, but while they do I'll be picking them!

Both the leaf and the pretty purple flowers have health benefits including being antisepticc, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal. They contain beta-carotene, vitamin C and are musilagenic. They've been used for a myriad of reasons, from acne to mastitis, coughs to urinary tract infections. Plus, it makes you happy just to look at it.

Violets are also considered a symbol of innocence and modesty. Crowns of violets were used by the ancient Greeks to promote sleep and serenity. It's also the state flower of New Jersey!

You may find it difficult to catch the light and lovely fragrance of a violet. They contain a chemical that actual blocks the scent after that first whiff.

I use violets to make pretty purplish blue jelly which has a lightly sweet flavor. I also like to dry violet flowers and include them in powders or save them for tea. Fresh violet leaves and flowers are used in spring salads.

Try making a violet vinegar by collecting several cups of the blossoms and putting them into a large glass jar. Cover with a light white wine vinegar - like rice wine vinegar. Let this steep for several weeks. The longer you can let it sit, the better. After at least 3 weeks, you can start using the vinegar. Strain if you'd like, or use with the flowers. This is very nice on salad or as part of a marinade.

Now that spring is really here, I'm sure it will zip by in a flash. But while it's here - I'll be picking my violets!

A New Spring Cometh

I am well versed in the ways of procrastination, avoidance and denial. But when reality comes and slaps you in the face, I can practice those arts no longer.

Spring is coming.

I do love spring, but my inert laziness has kept me thinking - almost hoping - that it would stay away a little bit longer. This morning, the little yellow crocuses blooming in my yard reminder me that spring is on its way and there's no stopping it. So get ready. And so I shall.


Spring brings forth all the sleeping plants from Mother Nature. Chickweed is already starting to grow in the walkway. Trees and forsythia are pushing out little buds, nurturing them to grow and prepare to flower.It really is a magically renewing time.

So I'm looking around the yard and finalizing the plans that have been ruminating around my mind since the first seed catalog arrived. There's lots to do - cleaning up overgrown plants and shrubs, trimming trees, cleaning out the beds and prepping them for their soon to arrive guests, and collecting the items that have blown across the yard.

I'm looking forward to it.

Christmas Trees, Chai Tea and Seed Catalogues

It was late into the evening. I was curled up on the couch, sipping a lovely cup of Ducky Life's Doreen's Green Classical Chai Tea. The lights on the Christmas tree twinkling like stars while I flipped through my catalog, marking pages and taking notes. The wind howled outside, making the 20 something degrees that it was feel more like single digits.

At one point, the catalog was not enough and I jumped up, startling one of my cats and creating momentary havoc when the cat startled the dog. I went to the computer. I pulled up the website and began clicking and filling up my shopping cart. It was about to start the checkout process when I stopped - frozen by realization.

"What the hell am I doing buying seeds right now?"

Yes indeed. I was shopping for seeds and seedlings for my garden. The candy canes were still hanging and yet I had an over whelming urge to start buying things for my garden.

Tis the season of the seed catalog, and it brings thoughts of lovely spring days digging in the dirt and coaxing little seeds to life. Now, many people have a true aptitude for starting seeds. Alas I'm not one of them. I'll keep trying, but it doesn't seem to be my forte.

Days are growing ever so slightly longer. The catalog's hold many temptations for new and exciting herbs to try: Toothache Plant, which soothes sore teeth and gums; Stinging Nettle, wonderful for hair and a nourishing tonic; Roselle, the form of hibiscus with which you make tea; the list goes on and on.

I will be daring, I will get my seeds and try again. I will make my sojourn to Well Sweep Farm and by an array of young plants to nurture. I will refresh my mints and bee balm from Mountain Valley Growers. But first....

I think I should take down the Christmas tree and finish paying off the holiday bills.

What are you looking forward to planting in your garden?

Season of the Garden Pests! Phooey!

I love my garden. And this time of year, especially with the cooperative rain, it really starts to look lush. The Calendula is full and bright, the fennel is high and fluffy, the roses are still blooming, even as hips start to form on the rugosas, the chamomile is spreading it's cheer... you get the pictures. Many of you gardeners know, just as you look out and smile at the wonder, they appear. The pests - little buggies of all sorts including the evil Japanese Beetle.

Maybe not evil, but destructive for sure. Many of the herbs that get infused into our products come from my yard. I use no pesticides, but when I see these treacherous little herbivores, I'm tempted to head straight for the most lethal thing I can find.

I don't though. Through the years, I've discovered a few tricks that can help eradicated, or at least minimize the damage done by Japanese Beetles and some other garden bugs.


The most success I've had is with almost as simple as soap and water.

You'll need:
a bucket
a gallon sprayer
2 tablespoons of liquid dish detergent
2 tablespoons of neem oil
Optional - 4 tablespoons of neem powder * see optional steps below.

This is a two step process. Fill the bucket about 2/3 of the way with water and fill the sprayer to the line indicated with water. Into each container add 1 tablespoon of the liquid detergent and 1 tablespoon of the neem oil.

When you find any Japanese beetles, pick them off and toss them into the bucket or knock them into the bucket. Although I prefer the "knock them in" method, it can be tricky because the little buggers might fly off. You can also use the sprayer to spray them into the bucket. This helps coat the plants with a light protective coating while knocking the pests into the prepared water.

Don't do this in the heat of the day or it might cause the plants to overheat. It's best to do it early in the day or on an overcast day. I've found that if I do this every couple of days for about two weeks, I protect the plants for the rest of the season. The bad part is that you may hurt some beneficial bugs at the same time. Sadly, I'd rather save my rose plants.

Now, if I can only figure out how to protect my yard from the blasted gopher.

* The option format, to add a little extra punch, is to make a strong tea with the 4 tablespoons of neem powder in about 2 gallons of water. Let the tea steep until completely cooled. Then strain and use the tea in the bucket or sprayer.

Time to be on Skeeter Watch

At last the sun arrives! Here in New Jersey we've seen a rather endless stream of rainy, misty, stormy gray days. At last the sun was shining this weekend and it seems everyone went charging out to the gardens and barbecues. And I was right along with them.

As I was straightening and trimming and weeding, I realized that all of this rain has left many things damp and still puddley. There was some water in the bottom of one of the buckets and a few empty flower pots. A small puddle had also formed on the cover of my wood pile. Before I played in the dirt, I had to clean up the water before those pesky mosquitoes had a chance.

You see, in my youth I worked for the Middlesex County Mosquito Commission. It wasn't my favorite job in my life, but it did teach me a lot.

Those annoying summer bugs are fast and furious breeders. Even the smallest driblets of standing water can become their nurseries. To help keep your summer evening mosquito free, take some time to patrol your yard and empty out any area of standing water. Rain barrels, bird baths, dishes under pots can all be breeding grounds. Empty them out as often as possible.

Look for wet spots on the ground where the water is standing. Fill it in with dirt, splash it out, or spray with lemon dish detergent.

Be creative in looking for the watery areas. The more you dry out, the less likely you'll be attacked.

There are lots of products on the market to spray or fumigate, but those can be rather toxic. For me, it's the water hunt to make mosquitoes unhappy to live here.

Now - let the summer roll on!

Prepping for Victory in the Garden

I was just browsing through one of the myriad gardening magazines that flow into my house this time of year. The warm spell this past weekend really helped push me into the “get out and plant” frame of mind, but I wisely chose to mostly clean and prep the gardens and do the planting over the next few weeks.

See, I’m not a great gardener. Oh, I’m not bad, but by no means am I a pro. But I stay at it, and every year I get better. Most of my garden is herbs and annuals. Herbs are relatively easy – many of them are darn near weeds! (That’s another post). This year, I’m looking to give a wider variety of veggies a try. Like many of us, pennies need to be pinched. What better way to save than growing your own veggies. One $3.00 plant can give you $50 worth of food, with a fresh picked taste that cannot be duplicated by supermarket produce.


Usually, I buy plants. One of my favorite sources online is Mountain Valley Growers. They have a terrific selection and I’ve had great success with their plants. I also buy from local growers, such as Barlow’s or Timothy's. They have wonderful selections and very helpful staff.

Of course there are problems along the way. There are a few types of fungus and mildew I seem to fight every year. My biggest problem is a plump little gopher that seems to enjoy eating the leaves off my plants and my tomatoes. Then there’s Rudy. He’s my dog. He seems to like my tomatoes too.

As a true Jersey girl, my garden will prominently feature tomatoes. We’ll probably get at least 3 kinds – a plum, some kind of beefsteak, and some unusual heirloom.

String beans are always a favorite. We never get to cook them because we always eat them fresh from the plant or nibble of them with dip before dinner. I prefer bush plants, because they are a little easier to grow and maintain. I have enough vines roaming around the yard.

I’ve tried growing peas before. It always seems that something happens to them, but since they are one of my absolute favorite veggies, there will be another attempt this year.

Add to that an assortment of sweet and hot peppers. Peppers love my dirt, and I love peppers. They’ll join some unique type of eggplant and probably some zucchini. I may even attempt some spinach, beets and carrots this year.

Some of these plants I’ve attempted to start from seed. My father, the true green thumb in the family, can get amazing plants from old seeds and have them thrive. I don’t seem to do as well. Little seedlings will come up - then I forget to water them, or they get too cold, or too hot. I’ll figure it out sooner or later. But it’s fun to try.

For many people, getting out into the garden is about getting it right from the start. Everything is planted in perfect rows. Seeds that don’t come up or fail along the way are considered disasters. Those people miss so much. Half of the fun of digging in to dirt and planting your seeds or plants is about learning from your mistakes. I’ve discovered that eggplants grow best in my front garden with my flowers. They thrive there and look pretty too. What good is a garden if you can’t play in it!

What will you be planting this year? Will you try a new challenge or stay with what you know? I’ll keep you posted if you keep me posted.

Remember, Nature is a very patient teacher, if you don’t succeed this year, she’ll always give you another chance next year. Victory will come to the garden – and fresh veggies will be on your table!

Count Down to Herb Day - It's Here!

Herb Day is here! Saturday, October 11 is the 3rd annual Herb Day. Herbs are such an intricate part of our lives, it seems appropriate to take a day a celebrate these diverse, interesting and useful plants.

Most of us use dozens of herbs in our everyday lives without even thinking about it. A little basil in the spaghetti sauce, some thyme on a chicken dish, a little mint in your tea are simple things. We at Celtic Chairde use herbs in a myriad of ways - all of our products contain herbal infusions to enhance their purpose, use and fragrance. Many of these herbs grow in my backyard, so I've learned to use the simplest things in new and exciting ways.

You can celebrate Herb Day and enjoy these everyday treasures in new and exciting ways. Here are a few additional ideas to get you started.

1. Make an herb jelly! Mint jelly is probably the most popular, but you can make jelly from rosemary, lemon balm, garlic, geraniums, fennel, violets - any edible herb! The recipe for Rose Geranium jelly is great. If you don't have Rose Geraniums, use the herb of your choice and see what happens!

2. Collect your favorite herbs and use them as a bouquet in your house. Lemon Balm, Pineapple Sage, Mint, Calendula, Feverfew, Lavender, and Basil add fragrant and interesting accents to any corner.

3. Infuse herbs into sugars and vinegars. Any herb you have in abundance can be infused into a vinegar or sugar that will open up exciting new options in cooking. We've told you the secret to sweet success with Herbal Sugars. For herbal vinegars, look here.

4. Learn about a new herb. If you aren't sure what Calendula is, or if you didn't know that oregano can also be used as an antiseptic, try doing a little research and learn something new! The International Herb Association has some wonderful books about past Herbs of the Year. Or just check you local library, book store, agricultural service or garden center!

5. Have a nice cup of tea! What better way to enjoy a crisp autumn day than with an aromatic, enticing, warm herbal tea. It's easy to create your own, or enjoy one of our favorites - Ducky Life teas.

Happy Herb Day everyone!

Have a Little Honey, Honey, it's National Honey Month!

As you may have gathered from our previous post about honey - which you can find here
- we're a little sweet on honey. What's not to love!? Honey is a natural sweet treat that's nourishing for your outside as well as your inside.

In celebration of National Honey Month, here are two honey based recipes to get you venturing into the wonderful world of honey.

For your outside:

Honey Hair Shine
Honey's softening power will keep your hair soft and shiny.

5 cups of warm water
2 teaspoons of light honey
Optional: a squeeze of lemon juice, strawberry, or a few teaspoons of chamomile tea

Stir the honey into the warm water. Add option of your choice. After shampooing, pour the mixture through your hair. Don't rinse, just dry and style as usual. Not only will your hair be soft and shiny, it will smell wonderful, too!

For your inside:

JP's Glazed Carrots
This is a family favorite - particularly my son's. He started making them with his grandmother when he was about 5 (he's now 25).

Carrots:
2 pounds baby carrots
water to cover

Glaze:
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup pineapple juice
4 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Optional: just a pinch of hot pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce.

Directions

Carrots:
Cook to carrots in the water until just fork tender but still firm. Don't over cook them or they'll be mushy. Drain carrots and return to put.

Glaze:
Set heat to low and add the butter to the carrots, . Add honey, brown sugar, and pineapple juice. Stir until well combined. Turn up the heat to medium when sugar has dissolved. Let simmer in the glaze until the liquid cooks down and thickens (usually about 5 to 7 minutes).

Place into a bowl, toss the option of your choice, if you'd like. The glaze with thicken slightly as it cools. Yum!

For the best in local honey, check out Herbertsville Honey or E&M Gold. They have wonderful information, terrific products, and are great people.

Have a little honey every day and celebrate the sweetness of National Honey Month.

The Joy of Well Sweep Herb Farm

Several times a year, including in the winter, I take a pilgrimage to one of the most interesting and beautiful places in New Jersey. Well Sweep Herb Farm is one of those amazing spots that you can get lost in, and I love getting lost there.

I don't remember quite how I discovered Well Sweep (and yes, it is Well Sweep, named after the water fetching devise for the well). I think it was on the Internet about 3 years ago. In search for a close location where I could look over the herbs I was studying, I came across what sounded like a slice of heaven on earth. Little did I know the education I would get, and the delights I would find.

The real treasure of Well Sweep isn't the multitude and vast selection of herbs and perennial plants, it's the Hyde family that runs the farm. Louise is chief cook and bottle washer, charged with running the events the farm offers throughout the year. Last time I was there she made a wonderful Rose Geranium punch. I'm still trying to duplicate it at home. Cyrus is the herb aficionado. You can always find him in the gardens, and he gladly give advice, history, and lore of the plants you can see that he clearly adores.

Well Sweep and the Hyde family have been honored by the Herb Society of America, the International Herb Association, as well as the New York Botanical Garden. Their plants range from the everyday basil to the exotic frankincense.

If you like herbs, or plants, or gardening, Well Sweep is a stop you must make. It's educational, peaceful, and a true celebration of the wonder of herbs.

Amazing Arnica's Muscle Magic

Arnica, small bright yellow-orange flower, packs a powerful punch. A native of mountainous areas in Europe, Arnica has long been used for various medicinal purposes. But it's true magic is it's bruise, sprain and muscle strain healing properties.

In compresses or ointments, this dazzling summer flower helps speed up healing by improving the local blood flow and increases the reabsorption of internal bleeding. That's some strong power for a little flower.

This amazing healing ability of Arnica is why we use it in our Muscle Rubs. It's a great gift of the garden (which seems only fair since I get so sore working in the garden!)

With this great gift comes a caution. In earlier times, an Arnica tea was used to help with fever, arthritis, pain and a number of other ailments. And, indeed, it can help reduce bruising and speed recovery from injuries. Studies have shown it can be poisonous if not used correctly. So it is best if Arnica is not taken internally unless under the wise guidance of a homeopathic professional. Even externally, be careful. Extensive exposure or overuse can cause contact dermatitis or other skin inflammation for those with allergies.

But with a little common sense, and a little care, this magical remedy of the ancients can be put to use for you today. These profiles at Mountain Rose Herbs can give you more details, as can this article at The Herb Companion.

Fresh From the Farm is the Way to Go

I love summer. I love the hot summer sun, gardening, going to the beach, barbecuing, warm sultry nights, walking in the woods, and - most of all - the lovely, fresh fruits and vegetables found at farms and farm markets.

The gardener in me loves to pick fresh tomatoes off the vine, the never ending supply of zucchini, and bright tasting blackberries nibbled from the the bushes. This year we're trying for cucumbers again - if we can keep that rascally gopher out of the yard. He seems to have a true passion for my cucumbers.

But my very favorite thing is to go to a farm or one of the local farm markets to

gather those sweet fruits and essential vegetables that I don't have the room (or patience) to grow at home.

And New Jersey is still packed with great farms and markets to satisfy any whim or craving. Interestingly, farms are making a come back, thanks in large part to the return to green we all seem to be feeling. Bouts of bacteria tainted produce that's been shipped in have heightened the desire to return to local choices for our produce. It's a nice thing - for the farmers, the economy, and our tables.

Two of my favorite spots are the Rutgers Garden Farm Market on Ryders Lane in East Brunswick. Nestled in a field among the trees, this market offers a wide selection of goods - not just produce either. I picked up some terrific Kielbasi from Stefan's Pure Blends while I was there, although I was too late for the bread from the Village Bakery - he had sold out already. You can bet I'll be there earlier this week! There were some amazing sheep cheeses from Valley Shepherd Creamery. I didn't even know New Jersey had any place that made cheese! It was a wonderful adventure that I look forward to attending again this week.

My other favorite stop for fresh and fabulous is Terhune Orchards. They have an amazing selection of pick-your-own fruits and veggies. Cindy and I always run down for apple picking in September, but there are some outstanding picks early in the season - including blueberries! Not always having time for the thrill of the hunt, their farm market offers a full selection of the farms finest. The staff is always wonderfully helpful and knowledgeable. It's a wonderful place to visit and learn and spend a sunny summer day.

I hope you'll make it a point to go local when you can. Maybe I'll see you at one of the hot farm spots this summer. Feel free to share any of your favorites in the comments section below. Right now, I'm going to go grab a Jersey Fresh Peach and have a healthy, summer munch!

A Rosy Celebration all Month Long - National Rose Month

I must admit, I was never a big fan of roses. Oh, they were pretty enough and they smelled OK. My grandmother had some roses in her garden, as did my mother and father. Most everyone I knew had some kind of rose. But roses always struck me as prissy, fussy flowers, requiring tons of attention and care. I was young, what can I say.

Now, I have 4 rose bushes in my yard that are true joys. I'm still not a true rose gardener, though, because I can't tell you the names of the roses. I can, however, tell you a little about them.

One of the oldest roses in my garden is a lovely, lavender colored hybrid rose. It struggles desperately every year, as I do have a problem with black spot in my yard - and three huge apple trees. Just when I think this little gem is done for, it comes back with some beautifully colored blossoms.

My climbing rose is extraordinarily happy growing up an old clothesline pole. It has tiny peppermint striped flowers that bloom heavily throughout the season. I really need to cut it back this fall, but it just looks so happy! And I always have birds nests in it.

My real pride and joys are my two rugosa rose bushes. They only thing I have to do with them is pick off the Japanese Beatles when those little buggers come around. The smell from these bushes is almost as magical as the wafting scent of my lilac.

These garden delights do not get treated with any chemicals or even fertilizer other than some compost once a year. Occasionally, they'll get a garlic oil and baking soda spray to help fight fungus. I USE my roses for so many things, I want to make sure they are safe and sound.

For example, dried rose petals are used in our So Soft Bath Salts. I also add dried flowers to a mix of cornstarch and rice flower for a lovely scented powder.

Fresh rugosa petals are infused into vinegar and honey to make our Honey and Roses Bath Vinegar. They are also infused into the vinegar of our Do Greiné Sunburn Spray. We use infused rose water in a number of body butters, and Rose scent in Moonlight and Roses Body Butter.

We also make rose hip jam and jelly from those wonderfully plump rugosa rose hips (rose hips are the berries of roses - I don't dead head my roses either, so I can get lots of berries). I mix the rose hips with beach plumbs and wild raspberries for the delightful Jersey Shore Jam. I've even made beads from rose petals! If you go here it give wonderful directions to make the beads - with pictures!

Roses are rich in history and grown around the world. About Flowers has some wonderful trivia facts, although it is on their Valentines Day page. Even if you aren't the biggest fan, take some time to celebrate the national flower of the US - the rose! You can find out more about roses at The American Rose Society or The National Home Gardening Club websites. There you'll find great tips to help with troublesome roses, if you're into that kind of thing ;)

Or find ways to celebrate on your own: Give a rose bush or some cut roses to an elderly neighbor or friend; try making rose petal jelly; research the many legends about roses; send cards to friends with pictures of roses; press some roses to use later for cards or pictures; or visit public gardens or rose gardens; look for the best roses or rose gardens in your neighborhood and tell the owners how lovely their roses are.

Or.... just stop and smell them.

Happy National Rose Month!

Jelly from the Garden

Those who have visited the Celtic Chairde Creations booth at craft fairs know we also carry an eclectic mix of jams and jellies. We love making jellies, but strangely enough - neither Cindy nor I really eat jelly. At least not in the traditional Peanut Butter and sandwich style. We make herb jellies, wine jellies, and tea jellies. Instead, jellies are treats that you add to cookies, cakes, on to cheeses, into salad dressings, as glazes, and other culinary treats. Yep, some interesting jellies are essential to any pantry.

And here's the kicker - they're actually pretty easy to make. The Ball Fresh Preserving Site can give you all the basics. What better way to use up your abundance of mint, lemon balm, fennel, chives, or other herbs than to make it into a jelly at it's peak of flavor.

This easy recipe serves well as a basic herb jelly recipe. I don't add food coloring because - well, I don't like it. True mint jelly is a golden - amber color. You can read the directions in the pectin package for more details on preparing jars.

INGREDIENTS

* 2 cups packed fresh mint leaves and stems
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 2 1/4 cups boiling water
* 3 1/2 cups white sugar
* 1/2 (6 fluid ounce) container liquid pectin

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse off the mint leaves. Crush or dice the mint.
2. Put the water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add mint and cover. Let stand for 10 minutes. Strain thoroughly, and measure out 1 2/3 cups of the mint juice.
3. Place the mint juice back into a saucepan and turn heat on low. Stir in the lemon juice. Mix in the sugar, and turn the heat up to high. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once the mixture is boiling and can’t be stirred down, stir in the pectin. Boil the mixture for a full minute while stirring constantly.
4. Turn off the heat and remove from the stove. Skim any foam off the top using a large metal spoon or skimmer.
5. Ladle mixture to hot sterile jars, and seal. Process jars in a water bath for 10 minutes.
6. Carefully remove jars from water bath and place on a towel to cool. Listen for the pop of the tops to show the seals have been made. Let cool completely and then store in a cool, dry place. Will last up to a year unopened.

Makes 4 half pints.

Now think of the possibilities - mint jelly with lamb, or add a spoon full to a vinaigrette salad dressing, toss a few spoons in with some mixed fruit, add a spoon to a cup of tea - hot or cold! The possibilities are endless!

Let your imagination run wild! Rosemary jelly, garlic jelly, chamomile jelly. Have some fun coming up with your own creations and recipes and enjoy your gardens bounty well into winter the winter months!

Practice Your Tree Hugging....

it's almost Arbor Day!

The environment is very much at the top of many people's minds these days. Just a few days ago we celebrated the 40th Earth Day! People are now watching the amount of waste they create and the amount of fuel that they use with an eye towards keeping our planet healthy and strong.

But before Earth Day, there was Arbor Day. It's a day to celebrate one of natures greatest gifts - trees! This celebration dates back over 100 years. It started in

Nebraska, when J. Sterling Morton and his family moved there from Detroit. They missed their trees, and Morton, through his job as a newspaper editor, started a movement that has changed the landscape of the state.

I love trees. My home is only on a small quarter of an acre, but I have 8 trees on it (and several very large bushes!). I can't imagine a home without a tree to provide shade in the summer, or leaves to play in and compost in the fall. It almost hurts when I drive by construction sites where they've torn up dozens of mature trees just to plant some dinky shrubs around a field of concrete.

Trees are so important to the environment. They provide wood for building, paper, etc. Trees also act as windbreaks, which help lower heating costs. They also provide shade, which helps reduce air conditioning costs. They increase home value, provide homes to birds and wild life, and it said that they help reduce stress by providing a peaceful scene.

Planting trees is important to help fight global warming. Not only do they help prevent soil erosion, they purify the air and water. By taking in CO2 and giving off oxygen, trees play an important role in protecting our planet.

To find out more about Arbor Day, it's history, and the amazing resource that trees are, go to The Arbor Day Foundation website. So, take some time to hug a tree on Arbor Day - or better still, plant one! And let me know which tree is your favorite.

Lovely Lawn tells me it's Spring

For some people, striving for the perfectly manicured lawn is a life long project. They want each little blade the same color and height, densely packed, looking almost imitation. Well, I'm not most people.

One of my favorite signs of spring is all the little surprises my lawn shows me as it begins to wake from it's winter nap. Oh there are little problems; wild mustard, can tend to get to be a problem. But within the problem spots, there are the multitudes of treasures that I find so many uses for.

Wild violets grow in profusion under my apple trees and along the fences. Their foliage is lush, but the real treasure will appear in a week or so as the pretty little purple flowers show their faces. Violets make wonderful tea, a spectacular jelly, and add a lovely hint of fragrance when dried and ground and added to powders.

My next favorite is dandelions. While others cringe and practically go into convulsions when they see these yellow beauties, I delight in knowing we'll have some terrific spring salads with dandelion greens. Plus I use the leave in a skin tonic that helps reduce freckles. The flower can be used to make wine, added to salads, or made into a jelly. One quick way to make dandelion wine is to collect a quart jars worth of the yellow flower petals only. Wash them and pat dry. Put them into the jar and then fill the jar with a pleasant white wine. Make sure the wine covers the petals. Cover and put in a cool, dark place for 3 to 4 weeks, giving it a light shake every couple of days. After a few weeks have past, strain out the petals and you have a mild dandelion wine!

Chickweed, another nightmare for other homeowners, is collected and dried and used in body butters and infusions throughout the year. So is plantain. Moss is just so soft, I love to pet it. Wild strawberry leaves and fruits I use in teas.

The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence - but mine is so much more interesting!

Save the Earth - Make Dirt!

A few weekends ago, I attended the Home Gardeners School sponsored by Rutgers New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station (NJEAS). The day long program was presented by the Office of continuing Professional Education. It was a wonderful, fun, and educational day with a mix of gardening talent – professional to us mere amateurs.

One of my favorite classes was on Backyard Composting. Now, I’m a recycler from way back. When I first got married, newspaper and cans and such had to be carted away to the recycling center. So every couple of weeks, my husband and I would load up the car and schlep all the garbage to the facility. I didn’t mind. I could see how much we were keeping out of the landfills. We still recycle everything we can today. Only now I’m lucky enough to live in a town that has curbside pick up for just about: cans, plastics, cardboard, newspapers and office paper.

When we bought our house, one of the first things we did was start a compost heap. Gardening wasn’t my forte at the time (heck, I’m still learning!), but I did know that compost was great for soil and it helped reduce garbage.

And composting is easy. Here are a few tips and links to get you composting


- So many things from your kitchen and home can be composted: vegetative food scraps, egg shells, lint, hair, shredded newspaper, coffee grinds, etc. There are some things to stay away from: meats, fats, oils, dairy products and poisonous or diseased plants. All makes sense, right?

- Carbon and nitrogen need to be in balance. That means making sure you have a mix of greens and browns. If you’ve just tossed on some kitchen goods, toss on a layer of dried leaves. This will hold in the moisture and keep things in balance.

- Chop up leaves, banana peels, whatever is going in to the compost bin to help speed up the process.

- Compost should be damp, like a rung out sponge. Too dry and the materials won’t deteriorate. Too wet and it stinks.

- Grass clippings are great for compost – but not too much! Even better, “Grasscycle” – just leave short clippings on the lawn. They deteriorate quickly and provide mulch and moisture for the lawn.

It may take a full season for your garbage to turn to rich, warm dirt, but as Alton Brown says, “Your patience will be rewarded.” Once you have some of that gardening gold, it will be a wonderful additive to your soil. To find out more about composting, check the links below and make dirt!

NJEAS Gardening & Landscaping Publications

Composting Basics

Backyard Composting Basics from Garden.com

Lots of Composting Tips & Tricks at HGTV