Becky’s Flowers

Posted on October 22, 2013 by | Leave a comment
delivered October 22, 2013

Borage (Borago officinalus)

An herb, borage is a sun-loving annual that reseeds from one year to the next. Once it is established, borage may be returning to your garden every spring. Even though it is an annual, it freely reseeds.

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Find two or three colors on one plant. Photo by Patsy Bell Hobson

Each plant has dozens of blooms continuously all summer and until frost. In my garden, it tends to sprawl and reaches a foot or two in height. I love the periwinkle-blue blooms, a few of the flowers are pink, lavender and, rarely white.

borage bud

The dill and borage grow tall, perfect in the back of the herb garden border. Photo by Patsy Bell Hobson

Borage flowers are Becky’s flowers today, each plant is a bouquet of  colored blooms.

The blooms are edible. Sometimes flowers are served on tea sandwiches, the taste is a mild hint of cucumber flavor. They can garnish a salad or cold soup. Candied borage flowers will decorate cakes or cookies and maybe cup of  sorbet.

borage

Pale blue to a sky blue in color, the sweet 1″ flowers are beautiful served candied and decorating the tea tray.  Photo by Patsy Bell Hobson

In the garden, borage grows well in containers, bed and borders. It is a blooming delight, a little taller than many herbs, it is a good choice growing in the back of the herb bed.

It is believed to have originated in Syria, but borage has naturalized throughout most of Europe and the USA. Because it reseeds easily, you often find it near abandoned farm homes and junk heaps.

Bees love borage, it may increase the amount of honey produced in the nearby hives. Leaves can be added to green salads. Add sprigs to wine, cider or tea. Borage is a good companion plant for strawberries.

*Becky Funke is in a hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. You can stop by her CaringBridge site to leave well wishes and get updates. The girls, her 3 beautiful daughters, keep the site up to date. 

Enjoy! 

 

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Posted in Becky's Flowers, Herb Everything, Herbs in the garden, Herbs in the kitchen, preserving the harvest

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GBBD October 15, 2013

Posted on October 19, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day October 2013

“We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence.

Oct 15  was a rainy day here in Zone 6a, Southeast Missouri.  Not much blooming here. And this post is a bit late. It was raining here on Oct 15.

Lots of things are still growing. Since the rain, we will have to mow again. And then, it’s time leaf drop. I seems like we are a week or two behind.

4oclock pink

4 o’ Clocks read more about the fragrant annual: Becky’s flowers.

These flowers are blooming and producing lots of seed. Since they are heirlooms, the seeds will reproduce looking just like these.  This summer, they out grew their space, taking over the sidewalk. There was only room for folks to walk one at a time. (No walking side by side, hand in hand.) Your job is to stroll along the sidewalk and admire the fragrant flowers. I can never have too many four o’ clocks.

Morning glory

Grandpa Otts Morning Glories are dusted with pollen. The bees were here earlier spilling pollen on the petals. Photos PBH.

I planted three or four varieties of  Mourning Glories. Twice. But it was a long, cool, very wet spring. The only Glories to come up were the self seeded Grandpa Ott’s four o’clocks. As they bloom, they create a blooming privacy fence. On the North side of the patio, the street side, humming birds and bees will continue to delight up to the first frost.

The hibiscus are in continuous bloom.

The hibiscus are in continuous bloom.

Grape-O-Licious

 

Want to join GBBD?  Just post on your blog about what is blooming in your garden on the 15th of the month and leave a comment to tell us what you have waiting for us to see so we can pay you a virtual visit. Then put your name and the url to your post on the Mr. Linky widget on Carols page.

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Posted in GBBD Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, Look for this plant

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Becky’s Flowers (exclusive)

Posted on October 17, 2013 by | Leave a comment

delivered October 17, 2013

Wishbone Flowers, Torenia

Grape-O-Licious

Wishbone Flower (Torenia) has bloomed nonstop since it was planted. Photo: PBH

Becky, these flowers are just for you. I don’t think anyone else has them in the entire State of Kansas. These are flourishing on the patio in a raised bed. I wrote about these sweet flowers on my hub pages. Catalina® Grape-O-Licious Wishbone Flower (Torenia hybrid).

This annual came in a box full of trial plants from Proven Winners in the spring. Everything else went into containers and hanging baskets. But Grape-O-Licous requires part shade.

On the patio, it has full afternoon shade. Our rainy spring saved it from total neglect on my part. It blooms continuosly and has spread into a rich green plant nearly a foot across.  It makes a delightful ground cover, blooming non stop until first frost.catalina-grape-o-licious-torenia-mono

This Torenia hybrid is offered in three color choices: Gilded Grape, Midnight Blue and, Grape-O-Licious. The one pictured here is Catalina® Grape-O-Licious (white with deep purple throat).

 

This flower is special, and that is why it is Becky’s Flower today. Other folks can find it in the independent garden centers and big box stores in the spring of 2014. This one’s for you, dear Becky. 

 

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Posted in Becky's Flowers, My Gardens, Oh Grow Up!

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Becky’s flowers

Posted on October 13, 2013 by | Leave a comment

 Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea)

delivered October 13, 2014*

pink holly hock2

These pink hollyhocks were beautiful and abundant this summer. They are a good cottage garden choice to add height to the garden. Color and height can vary, some of the newer varieties are just two feet tall.

I enthusiastically collected seed, perhaps too much seed. I have enough seed to plant the entire western bank if the Mississippi river for, say, the entire length of our county. Which means, I have plenty of seed to share, if you just want pink hollyhocks, just ask.

Hollyhocks are biennials, and sometimes they will even grow for three years. They will self seed, perhaps giving you a sense  of a  stand of perennial plants.

These days when I look for new flowers, they are often the old-fashioned flowers that would fit right into any Victorian or cottage garden. There is a reason why these heirloom flowers have survived for hundreds of years. They are hardy, easily adaptable, can survive our temperature extremes and require a minimum of water and care.

Pink holly hock seed

I grew them around the outside of the compost been for the same reason grandma grew them around the outhouse. Tall and sturdy, they helped cover a necessary structure that we don’t need to be looking at all the time.

Hollyhock flowers are a  favorite ball gown of garden fairies during moonlight dances. But not to worry, you’ll always find the blooms hung up back in the correct place the next day. (They love pink hollyhocks and mimosa flowers for more formal events)

*Becky Funke is in the hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. You can stop by her CaringBridge site to leave well wishes and get updates. The girls (her 3 beautiful daughters) keep the site up to date. 

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Posted in Becky's Flowers, My Gardens, Oh Grow Up!

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Gone Girl filmed in Cape Girardeau

Posted on October 12, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Read about the huge film crew that accompanies the Gone Girl actors and staff. It’s here, Gone Girl in Striped Pot in the little boutique travel magazine I sometimes write for. There really are some great writers at  Striped Pot. But I digress.

Gone Girl courthouse

Just across the street from The Bar.  photo: pbh

There are a lot of security guards around town. They are protecting the movie sets and all the paraphernalia that travels with a film production. Mostly the guards are well equipped with paperbacks and soft drinks. But at least they won’t shoot you if you stick your finger in the “snow”.  (Although they are very sharp and would never let you get that far in damaging any of the set.) It’s 70 and sunny here in Cape. So seeing the snow covered courthouse lawn just makes me smile.

There are lots of curious onlookers, like me. It is our tiny glimpse into the world of  film making. (the gardener in me is happy for rain todays. The film crew, not so much.) This is a big deal for Cape. Our little town is no more than a river boat stop between St Louis and Memphis.

The book, Gone Girl, is a “page turner.” I even received  the marathon reader badge at Audible for this book. It’s not the kind of book I would not normally read without a recommendation. But, this thriller by Missouri writer Gillian Flynn has put her on my watch list. I’ll be looking for her books from now on.

The movie stars Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Tyler Perry, and Neil Patrick Harris. There is a full cast list here. I went flying to the page to see who was playing other roles in the story.

“Gone Girl” is expected to be released in theaters in late 2014 or early 2015.

 

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Posted in Bed & Breakfasts, Eat Here, Go Away, Ozarks Travel Examiner

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Becky’s Flowers

Posted on October 9, 2013 by | Leave a comment

delivered 10/9, 2913*

Four O Clocks (Mirabilis jalapa)

 

4 o clock broken colorsLightly scented jasmine fragrance.

Four O Clocks have always been a part of my life. Which is to say, they’ve been around for ever. When I was a child they were solid bright pink and yellow. Todays Four O’ Clocks are still beautiful, timely and fragrant.

I bought the seed at Renee’s Garden http://www.reneesgarden.com/ . These “Broken Colors” are producing lots of seed right now. And, with any luck, they will self-seed where they are growing. If not, I’ll plant some of the fallen seed I’ve swept up on the sidewalk.

The seed are easy to see and easy to collect. Their delicious jasmine fragrance will have you looking for reasons to walk by them. As heirlooms, you can expect the new plants to look like the old plants.

Renee’s Garden seed is 40% off of all 2013 seed right now. Buying these seed is a good deal, they will grow for you next spring.  Check out your other favorite seed suppliers, many have seed discounts this month.

* Becky is in a hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest. 

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Posted in Becky's Flowers, My Gardens, Oh Grow Up!, Ozarks Travel Examiner

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Becky’s Flowers

Posted on October 7, 2013 by | Leave a comment

delivered October 7 *

This is a Queen Elizabeth rose. You can’t walk past it without stopping for a deep smell. Maybe two. Because the rose smells as lovely as it looks. So, look at this sweet pink rose, then close your eyes and take a deep breath. It’s the deep, very classic, fragrance of your dreams.

The Queen in full bloom and fragrance.

I rescued this rose from the “last chance table” where all the half dead flowers are. This Queen Elizabeth rose greened right up in a big container on the deck. All it needed was food and water (+ sun).

Roses have a reputation for being difficult to grow. But the industry heard our complaint, “too much work!”  I think the rose industry first heard us when they put their hand in their own pocket and it came out empty. We weren’t buying roses. So now, there are many more low maintenance roses. (For example, Knockout roses.)

Even though tea roses still need more attention than other roses, it’s worth having a couple of these roses in my garden. Because a single pink bud of this Queen Elizabeth in a simple bud vase is as beautiful and a whole bunch of most other roses. The few rose bushes I have are far away from each other, crowded and, well mulched. This doesn’t solve all problems but it does reduce them and decreases disease from spreading.

This charming Queen Elizabeth rose always makes me think that it just may have inspired the phrase, “Stop and smell the roses.” It’s heavenly. Enjoy!

 

* Becky is in a hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest.

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Looking for frost flowers

Posted on October 7, 2013 by | Leave a comment

I wrote about amazing frost flowers in Missouri Gardener.  Just click  Have you ever seen a frost flower?

I suspect they are the work of garden fairies out visiting their friends and family, the woodland fairies.

I suspect they are the work of garden fairies out visiting their friends and family, the woodland fairies.

 

Yellow ironweed (Verbesina alternifolia) and white crownbeard (Verbesina virginica) can create frost flowers. White crownbeard is known as frost beard.

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You have to get up pretty early in the morning to see frost flowers.

They amaze me. When neighbor Bill told me about them, I thought he was pulling my leg. So he went out, armed with a camera along with his deer hunting buddies. He came back with photos to prove they exist. I’ve never seen one. You can only find them in that precarious season between fall and winter.

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Delicate and light, I have friends who said she ate them when she was a kid during the Great Depression.

Scout out the area while you can still identify the green plant known as ironweed (Verbesina alternifolia)

frost flowerIt happens when there is a freeze, but before the ground freezes.

It’s not likely that I will ever see one, as soon as the sun touches them, they vanish.  And, I’m not real sure I want to be out in the Missouri woods during deer hunting season. Deer Season is an event in Southeast Missouri, just about as big as Thanksgiving.

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Becky’s flowers

Posted on October 6, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Flowers delivered 10/3 pbh

Becky is in the hospital that does not allow flowers in the rooms. So, not to be deterred, I’ll send them on Pinterest.

I can add a bit of description or comments here, where there is room.

Grandpa Ott’s Morning Glories.  Ah, a flower for mornings and sometimes a cloudy day. This is a sweet old heirloom.

Morning coffee on the deck is a delight. The hummers love these blooms. What a great way to start the day. Good coffee, dozens of flowers, buzzing hummingbirds.

Morning glories were hard to establish here at Hobson Estates. Once they were well established, there is no getting rid of them. And that’s AOK. A honey bee was the first morning visitor to this Glory. Thats why there is a dusting of golden pollen on the bloom. I have seed, if you would like some, just ask. The seed originally came from Renee’s Garden. She also has several other colors of Morning Glory. 

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Posted in Ozarks Travel Examiner

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It’s Peach (Bellini) Season!

Posted on July 23, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Choose sweet, ripe peaches and crisp, dry champagne

Bellini is this summer's patio drink at the historic Hobson Estate.

Bellini is this summer’s patio drink at the historic Hobson Estate. Photo by Patsy Bell Hobson

In Italy, the Bellini is made with Prosecco, the Italian sparkling wine. Elsewhere, Bellini is a champagne cocktail.

A Bellini requires only two ingredients: champagne (or prosecco) and peaches. Created in the 1930s or 1940s by bartender Giuseppe Cipriani at Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy. He named the drink for his favorite painter, Giovanni Bellini.

Bellinis are 1 part peach puree and 3 parts prosecco.

Directions – Peel, chop, fruit and discard the pit. Puree the freshest, ripest chopped peaches. Start with two small or one large peach. Puree then sweeten to taste with stevia or sugar. I use a homemade peach butter. (made like apple butter or applesauce only with peaches.)

Pour enough peach puree into glass to fill ¼ of the champagne flute. Slowly add champagne. Stir gently. Garnish with a peach slice or mint leaves. Makes two cocktails. Enjoy!

Champagne Cocktails

Sweet peaches and dry champagne. The Bellini is a celebration of summer's best. Photo by PBH.

Sweet peaches and dry champagne. The Bellini is a celebration of summer’s best. Photo by PBH.

When we stopped at Les Bourgeois Vineyards on a sunny, summer afternoon, a glass of bubbly seemed in order.  We had Brut, a cheese plate, and enjoyed the bluff top view of the Missouri River.  We ended up buying several bottles, and bringing home the key bellini ingredient, Les Bourgeois Brut.

I’ll use the Brut from Les Bourgeois Vineyards for Bellinis. At last, I found an affordable version of Missouri-made champagne.

Here is what Les Bourgeois has to say about Brut: “Using primarily Vidal grapes gives the methode traditionale sparkling wine a refreshing aroma with a crisp effervescence and dry finish.” All I know is that it is the best made-in-Missouri version of champagne I’ve ever tasted.

Go to: Les Bourgeois Vineyards – 14020 W. Highway BB – Rocheport, MO 65279 – 1.800.690.1830

More cocktails

Create your own signature cocktails by combining any of summers best berries or stone fruit. Just use the same proportion of fruit to  prosecco. Try strawberries, blueberries, nectarines or plums. Some fruits are sweeter than others, so sweeten fruit purees to taste.

More about peaches

and the recipe for home made  Peach champagne jam

A beautiful cheese plate adds to the celebratory nature of champagne.

A beautiful cheese plate adds to the celebratory nature of champagne at Les Bourgeois Vineyards. Photo by PBH.

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