Shadow

This post 'Shadows' was oroginally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius-Lindhe in the blog Tyras Trädgård/ Tyras Garden

Red Hot Chili Pepper - Harvest in my potager - Begonia in the greenhouse

Today's flowers - Begonia

Fototriss - 'Three of a kind' and this weeks theme is SHADOW

Without the shadows playing over the objects, the photos are dead. Shadows is just as important as the light in a picture. Its the cooperation between shadow and light that is absolutely essential for a good result. Its an art to be able to see when to catch the moment.


Veckans tema är skugga. Det skall bli kul att se allas tolkningar. Det är roligast om man först gör sitt eget inlägg och sedan reser runt bland alla bloggare och ser era tolkningar. Kul ämne tycker jag.


Ha en trevlig söndag! / Tyra 

September in my Potager

This post 'September in my Potager' was oroginally uploade by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in th blog Tyras Trädgård/Tyra's Garden

I have the privilege to have both Vanessa and Echinacea in my September garden, two very beautiful and highly appreciated visitors. Nice combo, don't you think? I just love this time of the year in my potager. It is still warm and kind of quiet and calm, I have this melancholy feeling but… nevertheless it feels actually rather pleasant.

From dewy lanes at morning
The grapes' sweet odors rise;
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather,
And autumn's best of cheer.

The golden-rod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.

The gentian's bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusty pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.

The sedges flaunt their harvest,
In every meadow nook;
And asters by the brook-side
Make asters in the brook,

But none of all this beauty
Which floods the earth and air
Is unto me the secret
Which makes September fair.

T'is a thing which I remember;
To name it thrills me yet:
One day of one September
I never can forget.

- Helen Hunt Jackson, September

Blue Podded Pea - Blauwschokkers

This post 'Blue Podded Pea - Blauwschokkers' was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden/ Tyras Trädgård

Peas ready to harvest in my jardin potager.

 Pisum sativum Blue Podded Pea 'Blauwschokkers'

 Isn't it just sweet, my sweet sugarsnap pea!

 It isn't just a pretty pea to look at it is so sweet and delicious too.

This pea is a Dutch heirloom pea and it is from organic seed as well. Both an heirloom and organic, two criteria I really appreciate. This is the first time that I grow this pea and I wonder if it turn green if I cook it? I would think so. Although I don't think any of my blue podded peas will ever reach the kitchen. They are too tasty, I think they all will end up in the gardener's stomach as a snack.

Don't be a stranger my friend! -Write something!

Peas  Love  & Understanding ;-)

The Grand Final of May - A Firework in Purple

This post 'The Grand Final of May - A Firework in Purple' was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

MAY - My favourite month of the year has now come to an end. I'm saddened by the thought, but to cheer me up my garden celebrate with a grand final - A firework in purple. Lilacs Syringa vulgaris, Alium, Pansy Violets Viola ×wittrockiana all in purple. The month of May has been really good this year, the weather has been mild and beautiful. If I should complain about something - it has been dry, extremely dry and that means that it takes a lot of time to do the watering each morning. Watering is something I wish someone above could help me with, but naaa, not this month.

Decorative Aliums in my potager, they actually do look like a firework. I grow a lot of Chives Allium schoenoprasum  as well in my potager and those flowers are so pretty and delicious! Have you tasted them?

Another pretty and edible flower is the pansy.

This is a small variety of Viola ×wittrockiana. I bought them in April and they are still looking amazingly good. 

You can imagine the marvellous fragrance in the evenings! I often take a late evening walk around they garden, my daily hunt for slugs and snails that are trespassing. I believe in biodiversity but I must admit I do have a war with the Spanish slug*

Good bye dear May!

Tomorrow we say Hello to the first month of summer.

Don't be a stranger my friend - Do write something!

*"The Spanish slug, scientific name Arion vulgaris, more commonly known in English-speaking countries under the incorrectly applied Latin name, Arion lusitanicus, is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Arionidae, the roundback slugs." wikipedia

Potage from my Potager - Soupe Parmentier

This post about Soupe Parmentier - Potato and leek soup was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius-Lindhe in the blog

Tyra's Garden.

Swedish? Vill du läsa på svenska finns ett liknande inlägg i KÖKSTRÄDGÅRDEN

A soup with a tale…

This Potato and leek soup is a is a hot variation of the famous Vichyssoise and then it is called
"Soupe Parmentier"

This delicious hot winter soup got its name from the Frenchman called Antoine Auguste Parmentier, who had been fed the so-called poisonous potato root in a German prison-of-war camp, returned to France to find his countrymen starving. He set up potato soup kitchens throughout Paris to help the poor. Finally, Louis XVI recognized his work by saying, "France will thank you some day for having found bread for the poor." Seven Year War (1756-1763) tale source

On this picture above, there is an other story, the tale of the soup Vichyssoise. A cold potato and leek soup just perfect on a hot summers day.

November harvest from the potager. Small but lovely.

Potage Parmentier

2-3 tablespoon of butter for sautéing the leeks in
3 cups leeks, white and tender green parts
4 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
8 cups of a nice stock of choice
1 tablespoon salt
6 tablespoons of cream
Chopped parsley or chives to garnish with.

Simmer the potatoes, leeks, and salt in the stock until all are very tender, about 30 minutes. Puree the mixture until smooth add cream and seasoning.

Recette Française - Potage Parmentier

~ ~ ~

HARVEST MONDAY

It is Harvest Monday at Daphne´s place

The harvest is getting smaller and smaller indeed but today I did harvest some chilies (3 sorts) some herbs and the leeks for the soup.

Let's go under-cover...

I just want to show you what's cookin' under the the fabric cover, I got a few cloches to protect my mixed lettuce leaves and under the cover I still have some Arugula , parsley, thyme, onions etc.

Don't be a stranger my friend.

Do write something, I would just love to hear from you./ Tyra

Antipasto from my Potager

Antipasto dal giardino – a simple appetizer straight from my potager.

Sometimes, quite often actually I take a little walk in the kitchen garden and pick a little of everything that is ripe and that feels just right for the occasion. Here I have an eggplant that I've glanced at for some time now, it together with some nice tomatoes are perfect for my little ‘antipasti dal giardino’.

I divide the tomatoes and aubergine into fairly large pieces/thick slices, put them all onto an oven tin pan. Pour over some nice olive oil and cook them in the oven and cook them until they are really well cooked. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on the top and cook au gratin for another minute or two just to give the cheese some color.

Serve the vegetables together with a tasty Italian dressing, perhaps add some walnuts or other nuts or seeds and last but not at least a well-made country bread with character.

Today is a big DAY here in Sweden it is Election Day and this time it is going to be sooo exciting. I went to vote early this morning and I plan to get to bed very late, Champagne or 'funeral feast'? That is the question, we will see what will happen later tonight.

Swedish?

 - Vill du hellre ha det på svenska så kika in till KÖKTRÄDGÅRDEN där tar vi allt helt på svenska.

I Bought the Crown Jewels

Chia - Crown Jewels

What little did I know?…

and when I entered the world of Chia.

I have just received a few seed packets from Baker Creek Heirlooms Seeds for my potager. I always want to know a little about the plant I’m going to grow, consequently I looked up my Chia - Crown Jewels and entered a new world, most fascinating. I landed in American history, health, ancient food and future ‘super’ food. Amazing, do you know... I’ve bought a miracle! Perhaps that is why they are called just Crown Jewels or it could be because the flower in its simplicity yet beauty look like a small crown with precious blue-purple stones in it.

Wikipedia Salvia columbariae



Chia - Crown Jewels

(Salvia columbariae ) A different Salvia species with a long history, this heirloom Salvia was grown as a staple food crop by Native Americans years ago. It has a high nutrition value. In cultivation, it needs good drainage, sun and dry weather to grow to its fullest potential. Called Chia in Mexico and other Central American countries, it is also a special ornamental plant with decorative grey-green leaves and pretty colourful light purplish blue flowers.

Chia as Health Food

Chia seeds are now a popular natural health product. William Anderson writes about it

- The Ancient Food of the Future Chia Seed. Do read this most fascinating article.

“Another unique quality if the Chia seed is its high oil content, and the richest vegetables source for the essential omega-3 fatty acid. It has approximately three to ten times the oil concentrations of most grains and one and a half to two times the protein concentrations of other grains. Read more ”

This amazing picture is from EOL Encyclopedia of Life.

The beautiful seeds of Salvia columbariae.

Interesting? Want to try it out?

Chia Seeds - The RAW Food World
Chia Seeds - My SEEDS

Here you can buy Chia seeds and a lot of other interesting food.




Anthropology – about Chia Salvia columbariae


NCBI* Writes about the Chia seeds, how it has been used as food and continues to be used as such, how you can still buy the seeds in stores. Read the interesting story about the Chumash messenger who ran 30 km or perhaps more in a day to deliver messages between the villages. Consuming Chia seeds to maintain the energy right through the run. Read more about the Chumash and Chia “ How the plant was used to ‘wake the dead’ is unknown. However, it may have been the root that was used. Probably the people who were treated with this plant had suffered from strokes or heart attacks and appeared to be nearly dead.” NCBI

Books about Chia (Salvia columbariae)

- Rediscovering a Forgotten Crop of the Aztecs

- Revival of an Ancient Wonder Food

- Chia For Health

Another book that awoke my curiosity as I browsed the net was this +300 pages book

The New Book of SALVIAS, hm...I would love to read it.

Common Sage Salvia officinalis in my potager.

That's All Folks!

It is Blooming Friday at Katarinas place

I wish you all a great weekend/ Tyra

*NCBI - National Center for Biotechnology Information

How to Make a Moisturizing Herbal Balm - Lemon Verbena

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I found this video and I thought it could be a nice gift for Christmas. It looks rather fun to make it too, I'm gonna have a go.

How to make a lovely moisurizing herbal balm with Lemon Verbena, Aloysia triphylla.

Video: How to Make a Moisturizing Herbal Balm - Vegetable Gardener

- I wish they could have better music...I think it is a bit annoying.

Lemon verbena, Citronverbena in Swedish and you say Ning meng mao biao cao - if you speak like one billion 365 thousand others do (mandarin) :-) Picture from Wikipedia.

You could use other plants from your herbal garden. I have plenty of Lavendula augustifolia and Calendula officinalis in my potager so I'm going to try to use some of those plants (dry herbs). Some time hm...long time ago I made bath salt and Rose water and Lavender splashes - Making Scents

Good luck with the cooking!

Blooming Friday - White Dahlia in my Potager

White Dahlia in my Potager

It is now the last of 'Blooming Friday' of the month of November, ah...I'm so glad this month is finally over I'm not a huge fan of November it is sooo dark. Soon we enter Advent and that is wonderful period these four week before Christmas, so much happens. We can all light our Advent candels and feast on our Advent treats.

This is the blooming potager in July almost more flowers then vegetables, no just joking it is just that the flowers are taller. Find more interesting participants at our host Katarina

Now to something completely different it is about a new group on Facebook, it is called 'KÖKSTRÄDGÅRDEN' The Vegetable Garden and you are all very welcome but it is in Swedish so I guess it narrows down the members to us Scandinavians. Now I'll change to Swedish for those who prefere that.

Ny grupp på FACEBOOK! Är du intresserad av att odla din egen mat? Då är det här gruppen för dej. Skriv bara 'Köksträdgården' i Sök rutan när du är inloggad på Facebook så hittar du oss.

Välkommen in i köksträdgården!

"Från frö till tallrik. Intresserad av att odla din mat? Som medlem i 'Köksträdgården' kan du läsa och skriva om att odla din mat. Dela med dej om dina erfarenheter och din kunskap.Du kan gärna lägga in egna bilder och vara med att kommentera andras bilder ifrån köksträdgården."

I wish you all a wonderful first Sunday of Advent!

Happy Thanksgiving

Ready at last - Harvesting Mulching Material

This post 'Harvesting Mulching Material' was originally uploaded by Tyra in the blog Tyra's Garden ..

...

Sunday evening - I'm so content because I'm ready at last. Yesterday we had a marvellous day with sunshine and quite warm weather for the season.

At the moment I’m reading a very interesting book about the No-Work garden a Swedish book by Ingrid Olausson and it is based on a meeting and interview with a most fascinating lady Ruth Stout the author of No-Work Garden Book, it is an old book from 1971, I got a Xerox copied copy from my dear neighbour ‘Nuttan’ this is her nickname she is not at all nutty as a matter of fact she is a really smart lady. A lot in the book is about mulching and for that we need hay, straw and leaves and that I still had plenty of in my garden. Well…boots on and out to gather all that absolutely free mulching material…one and a half day later I’m done. Hard work for a No-Work garden ;-)

The kitchen garden is now tucked in, ready for the winter.

Borago officinalis - A Medicinal Herb in the Kitchen Garden

I always appreciate if you leave a comment/ TYRA

~~~

Soothing remedy for coughs and colds

This post 'Once up on a Thyme' was originally uploaded by Tyra in the blog Tyra's Garden

Once up on a Thyme...

...I walked on a path lined with of thymes and sensed the marvellous amoratic leaves and I fell in love...
I just adore the fragrance and taste of this herb. It is a favourite both in the potager as well as in the kitchen. I even make a cough medicine with Thymus vulgaris in it, see recipe for Tyra's remedy intended for coughs and colds below but first some pictures.

Wooly Thyme Thymus pseudolanuginosus

Woolly thyme —the wooliest of all thymes, forms a thick ground-covering mat of tiny, densely hairy grayish green leaves. The foliage has subtle fragrance and is not the best thyme for culinary use nor for my remedy. In June-July the pretty tiny pink tubular flowers appears. Plants grow to only about 5 cm or so in height. Woolly thyme thrives in dry, well-drained neutral to alkaline soil in full sun. Walks, rock gardens, stone walls, and pond borders (if dry) are all excellent habitats from the creeping of the lovely Thymus pseudolanuginosus. This thyme spills gracefully over stone walls and can be grown between stone pavers. To propagate, divide the plants in spring or autumn, or sow seed in early spring.

Thymus vulgaris Garden Thyme,

Thymus x citriodorus Lemon Thyme

and Orange fragrant Thyme Thymus fragantissiumus

are in my belief the best for culinary use. For medical use take the Thymus vulgaris.

Now for the recipe...

Tyra's soothing remedy for coughs and colds

Make a strong infusion of thyme, elderberry flowers and sage (let it cool) add lemon and a generous amount of honey and for adults 1/3 part of gin or congac. Drink small amount of this mixture several times per day, it is really soothing.

For a cold it is beneficent to add fresh ginger, chili and/or garlic as well.


~~~

Susie on Gotland says "Here on Gotland the wild thyme growns in the meadows by the sea and it's so nice to go there late in the summer evenings as the sun set - and so on top of that sense the smell of crushed thyme. Wonderful! Oh, how I long for next year!"

En fin kommentar från Susie på min svenska blogg, jag tyckte det lät så skönt.

"Här växer ju timjanen vild på strandängarna och det är så skönt att gå där sent på sensommarkvällarna i solnedgången - och så ovanpå det få känna doften av krossad timjan. Underbart! Oj, vad jag längtar till nästa år!! "

Take care - LOLove/ Tyra

Don't be a stranger do write something...

Garden Bloggers' Blooms Day - Potager & Greenhouse

This post 'Garden Bloggers' Blooms Day - Potager & Greenhouse' was originally uploaded by Tyra in the blog Tyra's Garden

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October started out with harsh winds and some tough cold days with frost at night. It is slowing down in the garden, the harvest is thinning out although I still find some late 'treasures' in the potager. It's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day once again and thanks to Carol of May Dreams Gardens, we get to see all the lovely in gardens around the world and what is 'in floribus' just now, fascinating isn't it.

John Davies

One of the last roses...I think, you never know

Auricula

This Auricula is generally a spring flower, but this Primula auricula one just wanted to get some fresh autumn air.


Geramiums in the greenhouse


The Cichorium has been 'in floribus' in my potager since June



Gerbera in the greenhouse, I think a wonderful splash of colour ...


Kaprifol

This Honeysuckle is a cutting I took from the mother plant in July and it spreads a wonderful fragance in the greenhouse at the moment.



Here comes the sun tadadada... (I'm singing the Beatles song) Calendula officinalis is another 'sun' in the potager, self sown, I like that, here in good company with the parsley.

and the last picture is of my monk in the potager 'Franciscus cupani'



That's all folks!



TYRA

Don't be a stranger - do write something

My Potager on Last day of July

This post 'My Potager on the Last day of July' was originally uploaded by Tyra in the blog Tyra's Garden

Well...Last day of July! I find it a bit sad, A kind of melancholy feeling came over me this morning when I took my usual round in the garden. I'm sad that the summer of 2009 is coming to an end and yet I love this time of the year. Love the dark, warm evenings when you can sit outside and enjoy the calmness of the evening. The water in the sea is also kind of warm (20C) and one can take a late evening swim and float aroun for a bit looking at the stars.

Then last but not least it is harvest time. Here are a few pictures from this morning and they are my contribution to this weeks Blooming Friday, you find more participants here at Katarina.

Dahlia x hostensis ' Tomas Edison' among all my veggies, it is huge this year.

Dahlia x hortensis 'Tomas Edison' named after the great inventor Tomas Alva Edison, you know the one with the light bulb. My Tomas really spreads light in my potager just like a bulb :-)

I wish you all a great blooming weekend!

LOLove/TYRA