Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[R2elk]

Sparked my interest in Purslane. A weed, and I never knew as eatable.

I have tried raw purslane and have not found it to have any flavor or texture that appeals to me. I cannot say how it would be cooked.

Young tender leaves from Lamb's Quarter would make a good addition to a salad. To me it has a lemony flavor when eaten raw.

 

[lazy gardener]

Have enjoyed: dandelion greens and wine, fiddleheads, lambs quarters, cat-nine-tail stalks.

 

[GardenTillers44]

We are partial to ramps (wild leeks), which we hunt along with morels this time of year. They are delicious with eggs, mushrooms and a little venison sausage.

 

[GardenTillers44]

It finally stopped raining late this afternoon and cleared off. It was too late and wet to do much in the garden, so I took a walk in the woods by our home. A beautiful 3/4 moon shone through the trees as the mist gathered in the hollows. The newly arrived Wood Thrushes were sharing their beautiful song in the hemlocks and an Ovenbird serenaded me with its evening calls. A hen turkey that had separated itself from the Toms came down the trail toward me then flew to roost 50 feet up in an ancient White Oak. As twilight descended on the woods, the chipping of the Cardinals gave way to the cheeping of the Spring Peepers and all was right with the world.

 

[igorsMistress]

It finally stopped raining late this afternoon and cleared off. It was too late and wet to do much in the garden, so I took a walk in the woods by our home. A beautiful 3/4 moon shone through the trees as the mist gathered in the hollows. The newly arrived Wood Thrushes were sharing their beautiful song in the hemlocks and an Ovenbird serenaded me with its evening calls. A hen turkey that had separated itself from the Toms came down the trail toward me then flew to roost 50 feet up in an ancient White Oak. As twilight descended on the woods, the chipping of the Cardinals gave way to the cheeping of the Spring Peepers and all was right with the world.

Sounds like a beautiful way to spend the evening! Lucky you.

 

[henless]

My new chicks arrived today. I plan on trying to sneak them under my broody hen tonight after dark.

 

[GardenTillers44]

Snow is almost gone.

View attachment 1356685

Seriously beautiful gardenscape! You could charge admission . I admire your talent and focus! That is definitly not what we looked at when our snow melted...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Seriously beautiful gardenscape! You could charge admission . I admire your talent and focus! That is definitly not what we looked at when our snow melted...

Thank you. I was on our county's garden walk one year, so admission was charged once.

I like formal English gardens so that's my main inspiration. I do have a few less controlled beds. I look forward to sharing my gardens and seeing what others are doing. For a while there I was pretty good at it. These days I'm looking for easier and less weeding, but still enjoy some formality to it all.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@oldhenlikesdogs
Do you have an eye for "foundation" landscape design? Meaning plantings around the house - particularly the front?

I'm about ready to go out and find someone to do a landscaping layout for my front but I want to include as many edibles as I can without making it a lot of work.

We just tore out old yews - partially because they were old and hadn't been pruned back properly for years, and partly because they are poison to animals/livestock and I don't want to keep them even though I like their foliage.

I'm thinking I might use some low-growing Junipers mixed in so that there is at least something green for the winter. Possibly some lingonberry as lower ground cover, but everything needs to be mapped out. It's mostly shade which makes things tricky.

 

[cavemanrich]

@Leahs Mom
Consider Holly as an evergreen. It is slow growing and not all varieties grow very tall. I have 3 bushes, 2 different varieties.