Ah perennials, those lovely little plants that only require one season of labor and then provide for a lifetime. I really love perennials, don’t you? Here’s a quick photo tour of what’s growing on the farm.
Several of the rhubarb stalks are ready to pick. I do believe a rhubarb crisp is in my immediate future.
I love mint. It requires very little effort, followed by a whole lot of reward. One little plant can become a fragrant field in a matter of years and is virtually impossible to eradicate. This is not so great if you’ve planted it in the middle of your garden, but otherwise fabulous. Mint is also easy to use. Simply cut the stalks, hang the bundles in a dark place to dry, and you have the makings for mint tea all winter.
Here’s a family favorite, strawberries. Perhaps in a week or two a strawberry-rhubarb pie will grace our dining table.
We’ve also been enjoying our daily dose of asparagus (seen in the feature image) which is undeniably my family’s favorite vegetable, even my son guards his plate when there’s asparagus on it.
What are your favorite perennials?
Most of our perrenials are flowers or shrubs. I have enjoyed the daffodils already, and the hostas & lillies are already popping up–a little early for our area, but I just enjoy seeing the new plants every year. The vinca is flowering and the sweet woodruff will be flowering soon. Fun!
Lovely! I think all of our daffodils are already gone! Can you believe it? It’s been such a strange year.
I admire your positive attitude and celebration of Perennials Nicole, but after hours spent on our side beds this year thinning out the thyme and tarragon plants which try each year to take over the whole area, I can’t quit match your enthusiasm :o) Although those same plants provide wonderful flavor most of the year to all kinds of broths, even when I have to scoop under the snow to snip them. I will also long remember yesterdays trip around the yard with Jason’s little guy James (5) in tow to help me forage for herbs for the pasta salad. The snipping of the chives and parsley seemed normal enough to him, but when I suggested the violet blossoms for garnish he was uncertain until he sampled one and said, “Grandma, I never knew that you could eat violets!” and then was delighted to help gather more for our salad. I cannot relate how much I enjoy such times with our grandsons!
What a great activity to enjoy with your grandsons! I love this story and I’ll bet that those times with you will be memories that they treasure forever. I didn’t know you could eat violets either! I’ll have to find some to try :)
I can’t believe how far everything is on your farm already. The weather has been dismal here, though our rhubarb is coming on nicely, too. Rhubarb crisp?? Chives, rosemary and mint are all looking good. Blueberries, currants and gooseberries are in bloom I think, but the strawberries have a long way to go, and the raspberries are only shoots about a foot high so far. Everything is soggy here though, we have had so much rain, and there is more to come. Not pleasant gardening weather :-( I have a couple of freesia pots in the greenhouse, and they are flowering, the greenhouse smells absolutely gorgeous when I go in there now, I could spend all day in there :-)
MMM, rosemary and berries are some of my favorites. We tried planting blueberry plants our first year here but they didn’t take too well. We do have a lot of wild blackberries. Rhubarb crisp is amazing and super easy. Chop up and soak 2-4 cups of rhubarb in sugar or honey for an hour (depending on how much you want). Top it with blended flour, butter, oatmeal, and cinnamon. Bake about a half an hour. YUM! It’s even better with a bit of ice cream.