a week of firsts: snakes, magnolias, frenzy

“If you look the right way, you can see the whole world is a garden.” ~Frances Hodgson Burnett~

See also

Magnolias flower before or just as leaves are arriving. They pick their time and sometimes fall foul of the frost. Time and again I try protect the best of these flowering plants that are very hardy other than for the delicate flowers.

Lets get to the root of the problem, we seldom get to see roots in action but they are crucial to most plants and trees.

“Crinum are classic plants: beautiful and possessed of a unique mystique. Known as Heirloom or pass-down plants, they have a long and intriguing history of cultivation around the world.”

Q: The holidays have come and gone, but some of us still have leftover food lingering around, and others are stocking up on post-season grocery sales. We got an HGIC call this week from a gentleman who was wondering how long a fruit cake can be stored. His local supermarket had a great sale on fruit cakes, and he wanted to stock up.

“Nature always wears the colours of the spirit.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Sodium reduction is a national priority for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency is working with national, state, and local partners to gradually reduce sodium consumption, increase blood pressure control, and improve nutrition. Most of the sodium in our diets comes from packaged and restaurant food (not the salt shaker) and is a direct result of food processing. You can reduce salt when cooking at home by replacing salt with Herbs. Cooking vegetables with the right herbs will make an unforgettable difference. Learning how to use herbs will have your family and dinner guests impressed. Here is how to change an ordinary tasting vegetable dish into an extraordinary one with the added flavors of herbs and spices.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov) the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people.

I have a collection of heirloom German flag iris from my mother’s garden along with shared plants from aunts and good friends. The cultivar names are unknown, but the memories of the people who shared them with me abound every time I see the irises bloom.

A Stroll Around Crooked Trail Farm This Week

Daffodils are in bloom all over South Carolina and spring is almost here! Daffodils and Narcissus are the same plant. Narcissus is the scientific name given to the genus of plants commonly called daffodils.