More Garden Junque: Bountiful Buckets and Yummy Blueberry, Kale and Quinoa Salad

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Jean Roman

Spring rains have been faithful and all the gardens are looking lush and beautiful. The hosta’s, bleeding hearts and other cool loving plants are thriving while the roses and hydrangea’s are wondering when warmer days will arrive. As I meander along the garden paths, the sweet scent of my Miss. Kim lilacs wafts up across my face… it’s dimply heavenly. Ahhh, spring in the gardens!

Lets move on to another of my favorite garden junque items- old buckets! Whether they be galvanized, tin, old canners or enamel ware, they add charm and delight to any garden space.

I love the thrill of stumbling upon a stash at a yard sale or thrift shop. An exhilarating feeling rushes over me and I think, “I better grab those before someone else sees them!” You garden junquer’s know what I’m talking about.

Three pots with geraniums atop my patios buffet

Purple geraniums look stunning in these mini buckets lining my buffet in the patio! I strewed the pots down to the posts of my buffet and then just place the potted geranium inside… no worries on them tipping or blowing off in heavy winds!

Here are some photo’s from my garden’s and how I’ve used them… hope you’re inspired!

Buckets on the side of my potting shed

A lovely trio adorns the side of my potting shed. Filled with Apple Bloosom geraniums say welcome to all those that come up our lane.

Another trio of buckets resting in my outdoor back entry.

These happy hostas planted directly into old buckets greet those as they enter through the outdoor back entry. Hostas typically do very well potted. I always take them out in the fall and replant into one of my garden beds, water and mulch until next year.

Buckets on my porch

I typically always have buckets filled with geraniums and petunia’s scattered on my front porch. Such a happy and relaxing place to rest after a long day in the gardens…

White enamel ware bucket

I am in love with enamel ware anything, but I hit the jackpot with finding two of these at a sale. Planted with double impatiens is so charming. This pot sets on top of one of my front porch tables.

Pretty pot!

One of my favorite things is to take a lush hanging basket and plant it directly into my larger pails! I planted these petunia in my fave pail and simply placed it in the seat hole of one of my garden chairs. Instant wow as I like to say!

Here is another yummy recipe to help you along with the kale that’s coming out of your gardens… along with some super yummy blueberries! Enjoy

Blueberry, Kale, And Quinoa Salad

Ingredients
2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled (prepared according to package directions)
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 1/2 cup shredded kale
3/4 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground pepper

Instructions
1. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, blueberries, kale, feta, and almonds. Mix until well combined.
2. Add olive oil and lemon juice and toss to fully coat.
3. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Happy Day!
Be sure to check out For Dragonflies Facebook for more ideas, photos and recipes!
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Jean

More Garden Junque: Charming Chairs

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Jean Roman

I’ve been busy in the gardens, fields and green houses with all the duties that our farms market and CSA demands of me. But now I can happily and thankfully say that what needed to be done is done! What a splendid feeling that is! My gardens have that full, lush look that cool spring days and frequent rains allow… summers heat hasn’t yet exasperated them… or me.

I left all of you off with garden junque topics, so without further adieu, lets move on to one of my favorites… garden chairs.

Putting an established hanging basket in a pot, nestled in the seat of a chair!

I love to have instant WOW in my garden’s with my larger pots. What I do is purchase large established hanging baskets and then plant them in my patio pots… I think they call that ‘instant gardener gratification’! Here I planted one in a really cool old galvanized milk pail and then set it in the seat hole of the chair.

Here I simply placed a planter with a potted geranium on top of a freshly painted chair.

A simple iron chair resting in the garden

You don’t always have to add a potted plant to a chair. Here I’ve used an ornate iron folding chair and simply placed it in the midst of the soon to be blooming Russian sage.

Here is a rooster planter that I put another potted geranium and set in the midst of my front garden.

Here are some idea’s I’ve discovered along the way! Enjoy friends!

Well, I hope this gives you lots of inspiration to get in your gardens… enjoy friends!
Be sure to stop by Dragonflies Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/For-Dragonflies-And-Me/550000798362651?ref=stream if you haven’t and give a Like & Share!

See you soon!
Jean

More Garden Junque: Delightful Doors and Yummy Spinach Pie

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Jean Roman

The sun’s warmth is shining brightly and it is a delight to my soul. I took a stroll through the gardens yesterday to find my tulips, daffodils and grape hyacinths are up. Day lilies tips are bright green and the lilacs are budded out… the roses and other shrubs are showing signs of life… spring has finally arrived here at The Garden Gate Farm… and I am so happy!

We’ve been looking at one of my favorite topics lately- garden junque. Today lets look at some ideas on what we can do with doors. Be sure to go to For Dragonflies And Me’s Facebook page… https://www.facebook.com/pages/For-Dragonflies-And-Me/550000798362651 for links to my other articles at The Detroit News, The Good Life blog and several others.

Old doors are a delightful find to the cottage gardener looking to create a whimsical feel in a garden space… maybe a new ‘garden room’ or a back drop to a patio. What about using one at a picket fence for a gate? The idea’s are endless only with your imagination.

Here are some ideas on how-to use old doors inside as well as outside… after all, our gardens should be a reflection of our home’s interior inside.
Indoor Idea’s:

Now that’s a privacy wall!

I took the regular door off my office and replaced it with a really neat old door I picked up at an antique shop. I had wanted to do this for some time, but was waiting for just the right thing. Of course I had an idea in my mind of exactly what I wanted and wouldn’t settle for less!

This is my office door that I found at an antique shop!

Make a head board out of doors to your bed! Trim the bottom off of two or three doors till you are satisfied with the height and have a one of kind head board that your friends will wish they were dreaming beside.

Outdoor Idea’s:

Place a door on the side of a building and add a decorative touch to it. For example: a basket with flowers, a star or even a wooden garden angel. This door has an interesting ‘potted plant statue’ displayed in front of it!

Very cute idea!

If you need to surround your garden with fencing to keep pesky animals out, here is a great way to use an old door for the entrance to it!

What a great entrace into this garden!

Use an old door as a table top in a patio area.

Here I took a french door and placed it on the back of my potting shed. It adds a cute element, especially when I put a living wreath hanging on it.

This is a shot of the back of my potting shed.

A wooden door can be used to create a back wall for a potting table.

Here is an old door that I simply leaned on the side of my front arbor… just because. I added a sign that welcomes all my family and friends!

My front arbor

Doors can add a lot of charm to any space… like I always say, make it say it’s yours!

With spring comes greens… lots of yummy greens that we can eat fresh or cooked in other yummy ways. Here’s a really easy recipe to test on your family! Enjoy friends!
Yummy Spinach Pie

6 cups baby spinach, trimmed
1/4 cup sweet onion chopped
2 eggs , beaten
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Colby jack cheese
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. salad dressing
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. celery salt

1. Rinse spinach; chop and place in a large saucepan over medium- high heat; Cook covered for about 3-5 minutes, or until wilted; Drain, pressing out as much of the liquid as possible.
2. Combine remaining ingredients; fold into spinach.
3. Spoon mixture in a well greased 9″ pie plate; bake at 375 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Life is good, then you garden!
Jean
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