Curious....How many gardening chefs here?

I love to garden almost as much as I love to cook! We live on the east side of the Oregon Coast Mt. range, right at 1000ft, so I have just gotten my garden started. Still having some frosty mornings so nothing in the ground just yet, root crops will go in this week. Dontcha just love the smell of freshly tilled earth? I can almost taste that first tomato, always eaten on the spot!

[layjo]

I have a garden in the works! I work on it for about an hour in the morning, before I head off to work. I spend more time on my on my days off. I like going out early in the morning; the only thing is, I hate the mosquitos on humid days. But I enjoy learning how to grow and take care of whatever I plant. Pretty soon I'll have to wear my shades for the brighter days to come.

[ April 23, 2001: Message edited by: Layjo ]

[foodnfoto]

I too, love to grow a kitchen garden eventhough my space is small. I grow tomatoes, herbs and maybe a chili plant of some variety-I thought I'd try anaheims this year.
Regarding the mosquito problem, I can relate; the Health Dept. of NY is predicting a high incidence of West Nile-like virus this year. I have had success with growing lemongrass plants as a natural mosquito deterrant. Not 100% effective, but pretty darn good. I plan to add another this year.

[Pooh]

Herbs, baby, herbs!
I've put on my shades too!

[cape chef]

I guess you can say I enjoy it too.
My mallow,hooly hocks,papover,veronicas foxgloves,lupina,clamatis,wysteria,rudabeckia,cent aurea,plox,campanula,lavender,colombines,gooseneck s,liatris and on and on are all popping up nicely.Papa..I just planted and acer..a cut leaf japanese lace maple to the left of my arbor were my cottage garden starts It is truley one of my passions.
It also helps when your mother inlaw is an horticulturast
cc

[cape chef]

I just reliezed that thats about half of what I got going,how am I going to find the time
cc

[Papa]

Dear Cape Chef:

These Japanese Acers are my passion. They look great in full sun, framed by conifers over a bed of heather.

Your garden sounds wonderful!

[cape chef]

papa that sounds so nice.

What type of conifer do you plant around your acer?
evergreen? larch or dawn redwood they drop there needles in the fall. which heather do you grow?
annual like mexican or perrianals
one of the best feelings is the feel of dry evergreen needles underfoot
cc

[momoreg]

I planted easy vegetables this year; hopefully I can learn a little bit and grow something more challenging next year.

[Papa]

Dear Friends:

I still keep my herbs and olive trees in the greenhouse. The weather has been very unpredictable with wide swings. I think that it will be another ten days before I take them out. I cannot wait!

I am finishing up with the ornamental garden. These year I planted some conifers amongst the dogwood and the acers and some yeloow thuya for ground cover. I also added some new climbing very aromatic roses and several hydreangeas (hortensias).

This weekend the trout season opened up. There is a small lake in a park about 500 feet from our office where I take my walk at lunch time. I cannot wait to go do some fly fishing.

[Papa]

Dear Cape Chef:

The last time I designed something like that I used the following:

Acers Japonicum:

Acer Palmatum (focal point-center).

Acer Pseudoplatanus "Brillantissimum" behind and to the right of the Acer Palamatum.

Conifers:

Taxus Baccata "Fastigiata Aurea" in the front and to the right of the Acer Palmatum.

Picea Pungens "Globosa" trimmed like a globe at all times to the right of the Taxus Baccata.

A Juniperus Scopulorum "Skyrocket" to the left of the Acers.

A Pinus Mungo-Mungo in front of the Juniperus.

Heather:

I filled the area between the trees (up to the trunk) with summer and winter flowering ground cover heather. Two tall winter flowering heathers filled the view behind the Acers, so that there is color in the background when the Acers have lost their leaves.

That was one of my best creations, I believe.