garden inn

On this Halloween Eve, discover the world of "goth gardening." Goth gardens combine dark aesthetics with nature, blending beauty and decay. They embrace themes of life and death, encouraging creativity through unique designs, dramatic colors, and unconventional plants for year-round interest.

In 2024 Garden Notes , I told you I would share more about the peppers. In my previous post , I shared about growing peppers vertically in GreenStalk planters, as well as growing and fermenting jalapeno peppers and Hungarian Hot Wax peppers. I also shared about overwintering peppers for the first time. And guess what? We overwintered a cayenne pepper plant too! A cayenne plant lived in the greenhouse over the winter, produced more this year, and now we will see about overwintering it for another season. These pictures were from last year’s cayenne pepper harvest. We harvested most of the cayenne pepper plants and hung them to dry, and saved one cayenne plant for overwintering. Jeff loved using the whole, dried cayenne peppers when making fermented pickles, usually one per jar. It gave the pickles a spicy kick. I am a fan of hot peppers. I love ferments with habanero peppers, and I really love fermented jalapenos, but the pepper I consume most often is cayenne, in the form o...

I wonder how many times I have used the term “Vertical Gardening” on this blog over the years? Many, many times. I’ve shared favorite ways we’ve found to create trellises, and grow things vertically in our garden to make the most of our space. Even cucumbers and winter squash can be found growing upwards in our yard. The last few years we also started growing strawberries, lettuce, and herbs vertically, thanks to our favorite GreenStalk planters. And now we can add peppers to that list! I shared that we grew peppers vertically in our GreenStalk planter for the first time in last year’s garden. (2023.) We grew peppers in our GreenStalk vertical planter again this year, and I wanted to share pictures with you. (Jeff took bamboo and twine to create support for the pepper plants, which can get quite large.) If you haven’t heard about GreenStalk planters yet, more on that below. Before, we had grown peppers in raised beds in the garden, and also in pots in the greenhouse. What we l...

Leave the leaves is a National Wildlfe Federation initiative that promotes many benefits from soil health to wildlife habitat conservation.

I’ve been wanting to share this recipe with you. It’s simple to make, and has been a big hit with our friends when I bring it to potlucks. Quinoa, Veggies, Herbs… delicious! I tend to make this recipe in the late summer or early fall when there is an abundance of fresh vegetables in the garden. The great thing about this recipe is that you can adapt it, and add whatever fresh veggies and herbs you happen to have on hand. Start with quinoa. I cook the quinoa differently with this recipe than I do when I make Quinoa Hot Cereal. When I make the hot cereal, I cook the quinoa on the stovetop and don’t mind if the quinoa gets overcooked and a bit mushy, because it’s going to taste amazing that way. When making this recipe, I prefer to bake the quinoa. I mentioned in the post about Quinoa Hot Cereal that I usually soak grains before cooking them, but not with quinoa. No need to soak it first. But I do like to plan ahead and bake the quinoa for this recipe the day before so it can fully ...

When I was little, I remember my aunt kindly teasing me because with every song that would come on the radio I would exclaim “Oh my gosh, I LOVE this song! This is my favorite song!” Or something along those lines. She asked how many “favorite” songs I could possibly have? With each song, I would feel the music in my body and be fully immersed in appreciating it. I would so fully be enjoying the music, that each song felt like my favorite in that moment. Or at least, in the midst of my joy, I would declare each one a favorite. When it comes to flowers, I have a lot of favorites too. I love them all. With each new flower that emerges, I feel a love that brims over, and that is the flower that gets all my adoration in that moment. Each flower is a favorite in a different way. I love the bright yellow of a daffodil on a rainy spring day. I love the glowing white trillium flowers on the forest floor. I love the gentle scent of roses, and how soft the petals are. I love the way daisie...

There are many educational opportunities for gardeners during the month of October as we move further into the fall season!

Brugmansia, known for its dramatic blooms and intoxicating fragrance, captivates gardeners while posing risks due to its toxic properties and rich folklore surrounding its beauty and dangers.

I thought I would share a behind the scenes peek of some of the harvest pictures I took in the garden over the summer. You know what? Most days the harvests were gathered in all sorts of colanders and containers, then brought inside to process. Most days I did not take the time to arrange the harvests beautifully and take pictures first. That’s the nice thing about having a blog though, it inspires me to slow down just a bit, and take the time to create a beautiful picture to share with you all. The other side of that is people can easily get a skewed idea of what our life really looks like. I tell people that blogs have a way of making things look glamorous sometimes. I tell them that our life is not glamorous. I mention shoveling out goat houses, hauling firewood out in the cold, and things of that nature, but still… when someone comes here to see this blog, they are seeing beauty. Beautiful flowers… beautiful nature… beautiful garden harvests. I share beautiful pictures with...

My mom had a milestone birthday this year, and the way she wanted to celebrate was with a family trip. My mom, sister, and grandma came to visit in September, and we savored our time together. The thing about having family spread all over, and not living near one another, is that the time together feels so precious. Over the years, the gratitude I have felt for spending time with family has deepened. I am so grateful for that time we got in September. On the last night of their visit, we sat around the fire at the rental my mom had booked. The moon was shining bright that night, and I decided to grab my camera and take a few pictures. I didn’t expect any to turn out clear, I just wanted to capture a memory of that night. It was a nice surprise when some of the pictures actually turned out really neat. The days were full and we did a lot while they were here, yet it felt like it ended too quickly. I could have sat and listened to my grandma’s stories forever, I didn’t want that t...

Melinda Heigel shares her successful experience using mustard plants like 'Red Giant' and 'Miz America' in fall container gardening, highlighting their ornamental value, hardiness, and culinary potential.

The Accidental Cottage Garden remains vibrant despite heavy rainfall, showcasing resilient blooms like zinnias and gaillardia. October calls for essential gardening tasks such as planting spring bulbs, composting leaves, and preparing equipment, emphasizing ongoing garden care and seasonal changes.