Growing Rhododendron and Berries Togethor

Our yard came with 2 overgrown and 1

chopped off rhododendron.

Over the last few years we've been able to trim

the overgrown rhodies back and allowed

the chopped off one to regrow.

Rhododendrons while beautiful are overused

in the landscape around here, I mean they

are everywhere!!!!

The rhododendrons live along the fence and are

only partly behind the hoop house.

Another view of them from across the yard.
That plastic is waiting to be made into another mini hoophouse.

The orange plastic fencing gets moved around the 

gardens to keep the pets off that area.

Can you see all that growth underneath the rhodies?

Upon a closer look there is a an elderberry at the front, it

gets cut down every year after it flowers. Next to that

is the native blackberry in full bloom and next to that

a sedum that needed to go somewhere.

Why are the berries/Rubus ursinus growing underneath the rhodie?
Firstly this is the native blackberry, a very desirable berry

and secondly the plant grows in the understory every time 

I see it growing anywhere on it's own.

I've noticed over the years of picking wild brambles

the best ones, the healthiest ones are growing in filtered

shade under trees and shrubs.

This berry came up underneath the rhodie on it's own,

it's just taken a few years for me to clean the area up.

Rhododendron flowers are stunning.

This is the little rhodie that was chopped down years

before I moved in, it is flowering nicely.
It won't be allowed to get any larger, I need the space and

in front if my potatoes.

A Visitor

Crow as we will call our visitor was back there eating bugs-

I watched as Crow lunged and chomped before I thought

to get the camera.

Crow was sitting on one of the chairs and as I went to take

the photo the dogs ran out the door scaring Crow away.

Caught Crow in flight - pretty cool huh!

Happy Friday

Eat the Flowers

Not all flowers are edible and not

all edible flowers taste good.

How about a vegetable flower

that is edible and delicious!

Sounds too good to be true, I know
and these flowers will only taste
good to you if you even mildly like
broccoli and related plants.

If you bit the flower from the stem end
you get a pop of sweetness and you
barely notice the broccoli taste.
If you eat the flower from the petal end
you get more of the taste of broccoli.

The kale in this bed was planted last fall and we ate
on it all winter long and it was delicious.
But now it's all flowers and seedpods and I wondered
if I could eat the flowers - of course I can.
Another blogger recently mentioned eating these flowers
and I was reminded that I'd read years ago that
people were eating these flowers.
So why wasn't I
eating them!

The difference between these 2 photos is a couple of weeks.

The flowers have really popped in that time.

You can't tell from this photo, there are 2 kinds of kale

along with brussel sprout flowers and radish flowers.

All are edible and all are delicious.

We were eating the flower buds dressed in olive oil, 

rice wine vinegar and s & p.

The pollinators are loving these flowers.
In this photo you can see the seedpods are starting to form,

I nibbled on those in the garden and they were pretty good-

I might try them stir fried.

A couple of extra photos just for fun.

Apparently eating kale flowers is already being touted
in Portland! I had no idea they are gourmet! ha

I can't help but wonder what the health benefits are
from eating the flowers and seedpods?
When I go into the garden now I eat these
by the handful, I feel like I should be super healthy!

FLOWERS FINALLY!!!!! Oh Okay Well Flower Buds Finally

I am so impatient, this little shrub

was planted oh maybe 3 or 4 years ago.

It just now has flower buds, not flowers

exactly but I am so EXCITED.

In my impatience for flowers I took

photos to document that there are finally

going to be flowers.

Years ago I read about this shrub, I mean

years and years ago and ever since 

I've wanted one and now I have one

and it takes years to flower.

When the flowers open I will take

more photos and I will tell you

if it actually smells delicious.

I would imagine by now your impatient

to know what it is?!?!

Caroline allspice, Strawberry shrub, Common sweetshrub

Calycanthus floridus

It's not very big, it really doesn't grow much in a year. 

I am extremely impatient for these flowers to open.

It's Golden

Golden Chain Tree ~ Laburnum

The tree is pretty good sized but right now these are the only 

flowers actually blooming on the tree.

A highly poisonous tree that is valued in wood working -

since I'd like to cut it to the ground, but I won't

but if I did I would try my hand at making 

something with it. 

Growing Peas

The title should say trying to grow peas.

Considering it is already May 13th I'd like

to be eating peas already. This bed was

originally planted in early April with pre-sprouted

peas and I'd say maybe 6 of them grew.
I replanted peas toward the end of April and

half of them sprouted, not a fast turn around on

the peas. I've grown peas before, they grew fine.

Why aren't these peas growing and taking off? 

The soil is fertile....

Inoculant, I think that's what it will

take to grow peas next year. 

Incoulants, if I were to explain you might

be left scratching your head - I just know

they are are a bacteria that helps the 

seed/plant grow equaling higher sprouting

of the seeds and higher yield. 

You can read about them here.

These plants will be pulled soon

for a different crop, while I am disappointed

that there might not be any sugar snap peas

this year I know that next year will be different.