This hardy floriferous, reblooming lilac has become one of our favorite plants at our farm and nursery. The compact size, it only grows to 4 feet tall and as wide, allows Bloomerang to be added to almost any flowering shrub border, perennial garden bed, or we have even planted it in a whiskey barrel to create a flowering centerpiece on the patio.

Bloomerang starts out early in the spring producing very fragrant, lilac flowers that almost completely cover a mature plant. Come summer the glossy green, compact foliage is attractive and tidy. As the weather starts to cool in late summer , Bloomerang once again starts producing fragrant floral spikes that last for several months.

Gardening Zones: 3 - 9
Mature Size: 4 feet wide x 4 feet high
Wildlife: Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and is deer resistant

Shop online for Bloomerang Reblooming Lilac plants

Make this quick dinner recipe using fresh or canned salmon. Kids love this quick dinner recipe! Serve with lemon wedges or place several salmon patties on a bed of wilted fresh greens and drizzle with a oil and vinegar salad dressing. Cook the salmon patties in smaller cakes and serve as an appetizer.

1 (14.75 ounce) can salmon
3 tablespoons butter
8 scallions finely chopped
2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Drain the salmon, reserving 3/4 cup of the liquid. Flake the salmon meat into a glass bowl.
In a medium bowl, combine the scallions with the reserved salmon liquid, 1/3 of the bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, mustard and salmon. Mix until well blended, then shape into six patties. Coat patties in remaining cracker crumbs.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook salmon patties until browned, then carefully turn and brown on the other side.

Frighteningly beautiful, Bela Lugosi Daylily produces smoky purple-black six inch flowers with shocking lime-green throat. Hemerocallis Society's Honorable Mention 1998, Award of Merit 2001. A Designer Daylily introduction that deserves a spot in your garden! Bela Lugosi is rabbit resistant, and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies into your garden.

Quick facts About Bela Lugosi Daylily:

Bloom time: July, August and September
Size: Grows to 34 inches tall and 30 inches wide
Gardening Zones: Thrives in USDA zones 3-9, heat and humidity tolerant
Grows Best In: Like all Daylilies, plant in full sun and well-drained soil.

Shop for Bela Lugosi Designer Daylily online...

New! This hardy, floriferous Aubrieta, also know as Rock Cress, fires up the garden in early spring with electric blue flowers that have high contrast lemon yellow eyes. The Axcent Series is a new long blooming collection of Aubrieta that produce more vibrant flowers, that do not fade in the sun. Growing tips for Aubrieta:

• Plant in well-drained soils with moderate fertility. If the soil is too wet, Rock Cress will have trouble getting established, and may fizzle out after the first year.
  
• These tough perennial plants like it hot! For best results provide at least seven hours of direct sun.
  
• Shear back after they are finished blooming to promote new growth and clean-up spent blooms. Deer resistant!
• Plant on top of walls, in rock gardens, border edgings, in container or adjacent to walkways. 

Shop online for Aubrieta Axcent Blue with Eye plants..

Stunning, blood-red flowers cover the tight, mat forming bright green foliage of this new Dianthus! This carefree Maiden Pinks blooms in a true red which can be difficult to find in the garden. At only 6 inches tall and 8 inches wide, plant Vampire along walkways, in container gardens, or as an edging plant in the mixed perennial border.

A soft ferny ground cover or lawn substitute with enchanting deep mauve, silver, and green coloring. A favorite at our farm and nursery, we like to plant Platt's Black along walkways where the soft foliage can drape over stonework to soften edges, in container gardens, and around the base of shrubs in the woodland garden setting.

Leptinella Platt's Black grows to only 1 inch tall and spreads out to about 10 inches in diameter. A tough little ground cover that will tolerate moderate foot traffic, and grows well in sun to a part sun exposure. Hardy for gardening zones 5 - 10. Shop for Leptinella Platt's Black online.

Marionberry plants are sometimes referred to as the 'Cabernet of Blackberries' for their rich, complex flavor. Marionberries are a cross between blackberries and raspberries, resulting in a jet-black berry that is firm to the touch yet sweet with a slightly acidic top note. Over 90% of all Marionberries are grown in Oregon, where the hardy plants thrive in the rich soil and abundant rain. Marionberries are medium to large in size and conical in shape. Ideal for fresh eating just off the vine, or for use in home canning, freezing, pies, ice cream flavoring, jams, and jellies.

Marionberries are almost impossible to find, unless you pick-up a freshly picked basket at a farm stand in Oregon, the best way to enjoy Marionberries is to grow your own. Easy to grow, plant 2-3 Marionberries to ensure an ample crop that you enjoy all summer long.  Shop for Marionberry plants at Farm Fresh Living online plant nursery.

Quinault strawberry plants produce delicious, medium-sized bright red berries that are ideal for fresh eating or can be used to make jams and jellies. Quinault Strawberry plant, Fragaria 'Quinault', is a everbearing strawberry that produces sweet, tasty fruit that can be eaten in 4 to 5 weeks after planting. Quinault is hardy for zones 4-8 and is an everbearing variety that produces berries on unrooted runners. An ideal strawberry for potted or container gardens, and also makes an excellent ground cover or border planting along walks or paths.

Tip: Pinch off blooms for first two months on ever-bearing strawberries to promote larger harvest.

Shop for pesticide-free Strawberry Plants at Farm Fresh Living

Growing fresh, organic salad greens inside is easy and takes less space and time that you might think. To keep a continuous supply of fresh greens going, plant a new container every 2-3 weeks and rotate depending on the amount you use. We like to use cut and grow again mixes such as mild mesclun, spicy mesclun, or green salad bowl mix. Items required are several 12-inch plastic or pottery bowls with drainage holes, seeds, organic seedling mix, and plastic wrap.

1. Fill container with seedling mix; water until soil is wet and let drain.
2. Sprinkle a thin layer of seeds onto soil; cover with 1/4 inch of seedling mix and water using a mister until soil is wet.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a sunny location.
4. Label the container with the date and the seed variety used.
5. Check daily and keep moist. Once seedling sprout, uncover and continue to water as needed.
   
6. Harvest lettuce or greens when they have grown to 3 - 5 inches tall by cutting with scissors. 

 

Fast salad to make that is ideal for lunch or dinner. Mix all ingredients in a large salad bowl and then toss with dressing. Double or triple as needed for serving sizes. Serve at once on chilled plates.

3 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup canned or fresh corn
1/4 red onion, cut in thin strips
1/2 cup Roma tomatoes, cut in quarters
2 tablespoons Cilantro-Avocado Dressing


Creamy Cilantro-Avocado Dressing

Puree in a blender until smooth:
1 tablespoon Organic Fajita Seasoning blend re, 1 ripe avocado, 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt, 2 chopped scallions, 1 quartered garlic clove, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon each sugar
salt and pepper to taste