I have loved to cook for more than half my life. Then we bought a second lot with our property so we could have a garden. From there it only seemed right to start a great garden recipe site to go with our garden site.

My recipe site is just a newbie blog and I have a lot to work out but there are some recipes up there. It will get better with time, just like some meals are better the next day, well ours will be better every day.

We don’t grow meat in our garden, it’s strictly fruits and veggies but I don’t plan on leaving my recipe blog as vegetarian, we love meat a little too much to leave out all those recipes just because they have meat included.

I may keep a vegetarian section but my recipe site will be filled with all kinds of recipes.

What I plan to do is link through to specific cateories for recipes but I am really not sure exactly how I’m going to do it so perhaps until I figure it out I will just link to single recipes.

If your garden needs updating, you might want to consider installing a timber decking area. Decking is a lovely alternative to a hard, concrete or paved patio.Also, a timber deck creates a transition between the interior and exterior in a way that a concrete or paved patio just can’t. Your garden decking doesn’t have to be the same as your neighbour’s because there are different types of decking and different ways of building the deck.

No matter what sort of wooden decking you choose, a good timber treatment will mean that the wood will fare better in bad weather. Treated timber often looks better than untreated and it is less likely to suffer from woodworm and other problems that can affect the wood. You’ll probably be surprised by the durability and toughess of hard and solid woods. Treated and sealed timber is more weatherproof and stays looking at its best for longer.

Many people choose the attractive, warm tone of redwood as their material of choice for garden decking. Like many other timbers redwood comes in a number of different grades. Which grade you choose will determine how durable the wood is and how long it will retain its original appearance. When you are choosing redwood you need to bear in mind that color can vary from a very lightly toned red to a rich red brown color. When shopping for wood you need to know that decking comes in different grades and some grades may require a different type of timber treatment to others. Wood that is meant for decking is graded as follows: construction common, construction heart, clear heart and B grade.

You should always remember that a good deck needs a really strong foundation – if you’re going to install the deck yourself rather than employ a professional, you need to remember this. Most decks are designed to stand up to a lot of weight, which is why they need a strong foundation underneath. If you have the confidence and experience to build a large structure like a decking area, you’ll find that your local DIY store or garden centre will stock all of the materials you need. If you aren’t so confident, there are any professional firms who can build the deck for you.

Some people prefer their decking attached to their home so that the whole thing looks more of a piece, whereas others may prefer to have a free standing deck in the middle of the lawn. A main consideration is the regular maintenance that wil be required after the deck has been built. You should use wood preservatives on your deck as this helps to protect if from the weather, as well as keep it looking good. Some people choose to have their deck made from composite wood but it does not have the same warm looks or natural feel that a regular hardwood deck would have.

Well the sky in the east is just starting to light up with gorgeous shades of red, orange and yellow, just beautiful. It reminds me of why I like it here so much. I will get a few more things done in my home office before I go out for my early morning walk. I kind of like to get out before all the kids are on the side walks heading for school, so it’s early before 8am or I will leave it until just after 9.

I like living in Moncton, New Brunswick and can’t think of any better place to live. Nature is just so close you only have to look out your window to see the beauty. Well okay, right now it’s mid November and it’s cold and wet plus all the leaves are gone from the trees and my flowers are all sleeping now. We need a blanket of snow to take away that dead and gloomy look.

Looking Out My Office Window This Morning

It is easier to see all the birds in our shrubs and bushes, normally they are all hidden in amongst all the leaves. Now I can see them munching on all the nice berries our shrubs have. That will keep them coming around for most of the winter.

I am planning to increase the size of our garden again this coming spring.

Last year I planned to grow many more things than we did because I got a little more on the go than I had expected. This coming year we will have things planned out far in advance so we can do more with less confusion.

We had planned on having sunflowers growing and I didn’t even think about it until I saw others who had 3 foot sunflower plants already. I will do better this time around.

We have more birds and butterflies this past gardening season and we plan on having even more by planting the right flowers.

One of the things I like about Moncton is that it’s not a big city and there are plenty of properties that have great gardens so I spend a lot of time walking and taking pictures.

I can leave the house and head in any direction and I will find homes with something that catches my interest. This time of year we just pasted pumpkin viewing on the front porch and then as soon as that was over I started seeing Christmas decorations showing up on those same porches.

Having enough knowledge about the common plant names is the key in order for you to establish a good windowsill herb garden. Many botanical shops deal with seeds and full-grown plants using their common plant names, thus you need to be able to match these names with their scientific names. There are a lot of ways to do this. You can use plant encyclopedias and databases, because they can give you images of plants along with the list of all their names. If you have kept any of the seed packets when you bought your plants, you will observe that naming the scientific name goes hand in hand with the common plant name.

In most cases, a common plant name is the latin version of the name translated into english. Common plant names for herbs are the following: Cudweed, Duckweed, Dove, Ammania, Beggarticks, Annual, Buttercup, Conzya, Crimson Monkeyflower, among others. For the flowering types, we have the Amazon lily, baby’s breath, African lily, Alpine thistle, bells of Ireland, tulips, roses, gerber daisy, clover, Amaryllis, among others.

If you are living in a region where poisonous plants thrive and grow, being able to know their common plant names will be able to prevent any confusion if ever you or somebody you know (especially your loved ones) will be exposed to them. Various names for poisonous plants include yew, poison ivy, pokeweed, english ivy, poison hemlock, poison oak, belladonna, alder buckthorn, foxglove, monk’s hood and poison sumac.

If you have been poisoned by these kinds of plants, look for medical attention immediately. Remember that plants that are toxic shouldn’t be kept inside your home, unless you have taken the needed precautions to prevent any kind of injury. Also, some herbs can become poisonous if they are not used appropriately, therefore a lot of references list useful herbs such as garlic, cinnamons and chives as poisons for improper usage.

Despite this, knowing the common names of your plants alone isn’t really enough to make sure that you can keep them in your windowsill herb garden. You still have to make some research about your plants and ensure that you live in the proper climate for your plants too. Doing this will guarantee that your plant will live a long and healthy life. In order for you to get more helpful information, you can also watch programs that give herb garden tips on TV, as these can be helpful as well in taking care of your plants.

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My mom was a gourmet cook and also had a green thumb. It seems she always had fresh herbs right outside our kitchen to use in her latest test recipe.  I have discovered that growing an herb garden really isn’t that difficult.  In fact, it doesn’t matter if you live in an apartment or have a large yard.  The type of soil you have doesn’t matter either and growing an herb garden can be done anytime of the year.

Growing an herb garden can be started with seedlings, indoors in early spring.  When the weather warms up your plants will be ready to put in the ground outside.  Start the herb seeds in 4 inch containers in a sunny location or in a greenhouse, if you have one.  You can use a variety of containers such as flats or trays instead of the individual pots.  If you plan to use old containers thoroughly clean them with one part bleach to nine parts water this will protect your herbs from any disease organisms.

If you choose a larger container, then several herbs of the same kind or different herbs could be grown together.  For the best flavor from fresh herbs, flower heads need to be removed.  When choosing herbs, there are annuals, which grow only one year, and perrinials, which return each year.  Some of the favorite choices include basil, oregano, and parsley.  If you want to grow an herb garden outside, you could choose larger plants that include lavender and rosemary, among others.  Then, for perennials, you might think of herbs such as chives, mint, sage, etc.  Along with pinching off flower heads, if herb plants get leggy, the stems would also need to be clipped back.

If you have poor soil such as heavy clay you may want to consider growing an herb garden in a raised bed.  Raised bed planter boxes can be made easily and filled with a rich soil mixture. These boxes provide great drainage that most all herbs require.  Place the planter boxes in an area that receives plenty of sun, possibly even a spot near the kitchen for easy access.  These planters are also great for planting and growing summer veggies or spring and
summer flowers for cutting.

As you can see, methods on how to grow an herb garden is actually relatively easy.  Therefore, if you love the flavors of mint, oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, chives, sage, tarragon, lavender, rosemary, and other herbs, this would be a great option.  Without doubt, cooking with fresh herbs creates a wonderful flavor that does not come from dried herbs.

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