One of My Favorites from the Greenhouse in Miami / Costa Farms

Last January I was a guest at the TPIE show in Fort Lauderdale Florida with Costa Farms.   I was able to meet many of the tropical growers at this show put on by the Floria Nursery Growers and Landscape Association at the TPIE.  I share more about this show and with high recommendations that  you check it out next January.  Here are my shares on BGgarden.com  as well as a link to my photo collection.

Who wouldn’t want this beauty in their home or garden?

This yellow bloom seems to hold it’s color better then most flowers do.

This was the very first Tropic Escape Hibiscus that caught my eye in the Trial Gardens at Costa Farms last January. I just love the ruffles, mauve color and the SIZE!

I think this bloom could ‘rock out ‘ any home or garden. What do you think of that color?

This is where the Hibiscus is grown …. acres of greenhouse in Miami Florida. I’m thinking this maybe what heaven looks like… what do you think?

Here is a great video by Costa Farms on Tropic Escape Hibiscus. We invite you to join in the conversation tonight on #gardenchat taking place on Twitter tonight.  Please visit the #gardenchat blog for more information about the giveaway going on tonight as well.

Hope you get out in the garden with some tropicals!

With a mission to bring back Sunday Supper Around the Family Table in every home how can you not tweet about that?  The Family Table can be anywhere as long as the main ingredient is Love. This is Isabel Foodies goal each week as she organizes and supports other foodies who share a #SundaySupper recipe.  I’m honored to be a part of this group and hope to share not only a recipe each week but inspiration on how you can grow what you are bringing to the table for your family to enjoy together.  This week on #SundaySupper many of the participants have chosen a favorite recipe from Cristina Ferrare’s Big Bowl of Love Cookbook to share on their blog post as well as tweet about it.   To find out more information about Christina’s book click here or you can follow her on Twitter at @CristinaCooks.

I do not have Cristina Ferrares’ book on my kitchen shelve but like most great recipes I’ve found them on the web.  I particularly liked Cristina’s tips on salad dressings located on her blog site.  Today for my #SundaySupper here in my Ohio garden I’m using her LIME & CUMIN VINAIGRETTE.

Growing My Own Salads Year-Round

For me and my family #SundaySupper is harvesting something that is growing in our garden and bringing it to the table.  Quick, Easy and Fresh is what I enjoy most about growing your own  recipes and this maybe why I love Cristina’s Lime Cumin Vinaigrette.  “Salad dressings should never over power your salad. You want salad dressing to add a clean light taste to  your earthy greens that are not overly creamy, garlicky or oily. It defeats the  whole purpose of a fresh salad.  It’s important to mix your salad and eat it right away” says Cristina Ferrare on Salad Dressings.   Fresh and eating right away is never a problem when you grow your own this time of year.  I need something fast and easy to put on the table with my busy schedule of growing the harvest!

My #SundaySupper Salad with @CristinaCooks Lime Cumin Vinaigrette

Today I’m  using fresh lettuce and cilantro from my greenhouse and the last of the greenhouse tomatoes.  It’s  that time of year where all my containers filled with veggies and blooms are being moved out into the garden now that we are past danger of frost in gardening zone 5b.   The salad dressing can be found on Cristina Ferrare site.  I’ve actually used this dressing on Talipia Fish being prepared on the grill as a lite marinate.  The recipe is super easy and pictured below off of Cristina’s site.  I invite you to give it a try and let me know what you think by tweeting on #SundaySupper on Twitter.

Click on The Image to Check out Cristina’s Fabulous Recipes

I hope you will join us on Twitter today by following and sharing family recipes to bring to the table on #SundaySupper .

Do You Like the Smell of Tomato Leaves?

Nothing beats the joy you will feel when you plant a little tiny seed and in a few short warm weeks it becomes this amazing new plant. In the top photo is a new variety of tomato that my brother in law gave me. It is expect to grow over 12 feet tall.

Abe Lincoln Over Load

I kind of went a little over board when planting this Abe Lincoln variety. My plans are to transplant a few of these and share with a few of my friends. When the heat kicks in the tomato starter will grow like mad so you want to be sure there is only one plant per pot.

Tomatoes I recommend for newbies to tomato growing

* Try the tiny tom variety that allows you to grow yummy salad ready tomatoes right on your table in a container.
* For the grower with more space why not try the amazing heirloom Brandywine.
* Flavor and personality are two of the qualities the Japanese plum will provide your garden to table adventure in growing.

I hope to keep you posted on my progress in the veggie garden and share more tips along the way. Please tell me what you think about growing tomatoes or if you have any questions about growing tomatoes I can help you with. I look forward to hearing from you.

I’m ecstatic to share that my first recipe using this new grilling pan I found at a local grocery store was a success.  I have been looking for a product that would help me with my addiction for using foil to cook many of my favorite dishes on the grill.  This pan with lid is the best and it really works and what could be better then having moist food from the grill without using foil?!

Click on the Image for Recipe

Crank the Heat Up to 420*F\

Yummy Side Dish Done in Minutes!

My next adventure is trying to prepare meat in this Pan…… any tips or suggestions?

* I took these images with my cell phone after a very busy day in the garden and while preparing a quick meal with my family.

Raised Beds Getting Ready to be Planted in the Greenhouse Landscape Project

This time of year you will find me doing a little bit of EVERYTHING in the garden. The warmer temperatures that we don’t normally have in my Ohio garden has made it a blooming fest for species that don’t usually bloom together. I love the color going on in the landscape, gardens and greenhouse but I dread that thought of what will be blooming in late June when it is all blooming NOW?!
Last night before #gardenchat I did a quick walk through of my garden streaming it live on the #gardenwalk hashtag. I hope you will take a walk with me by watching this video and give me some suggestions on what you think my garden is need of or any chores I should be doing this time of year.

Quick #gardenwalk in my BGgarden!

From The Video

Volunteer Petunias in Window Box and Multi Season Perennials Blooming in May

In the video featured in this blog post I talked about the perennials that are all blooming early.  I don’t usually have foxglove blooming the same time as my iris located under the bunny barn window boxes.  I’m excited to see the petunias that are blooming from last year.  I had no idea that annual would reseed itself.

I’m going to turn the soil in the raised bed featured in this image and add some fresh bunny composting before planting my herbs and annual border in with this chive plant.  I will be sure to share more images as they grow on my blog this summer.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog today and I will for sure share more of the image I took this week on my blog.   If you have any questions about starting a garden or landscaping like I have featured in my blog please leave me a comment today.  I’m not an expert grower, I just want to make my surroundings pretty and grow some veggies for my family to enjoy!

Tonight on the Twitter base chat forum #gardenchat we welcome Jayme Jenkins and Niki sharing ‘Cocktails In The Garden’. You are gonna love tonight’s topic being hosted by two the the most informative #gartening experts using social media.   You can find out more information about tonight’s topic on the #gardenchat website.

Don’t miss out on the giveaway thanks to our friends at Subaru USA: A great giveaway from our friends at @subaru_life – a one-year subscription to Organic Gardening Magazine!  @ogmag @subaru_usa  More information about this giveaway on the #gardenchat blog.

Not sure how to participate? I added this how to video to the #gardenchat network back in the Fall of 2012. I need to update the video with some of the new apps that are now available to use Twitter but this will give you an idea on how easy it is to join in the conversation with 1,00O’s of others using Twitter during this event each Monday.

If you have any questions or suggestions I hope you will contact me via my blog so we can connect on #gardenchat!