Rose Cottage

   This winter has been lovely for my Bo Jo Hua Chrysanthemum tea plants!  I first saw them several years back, at my friend Melissa's Van Hevlingen Herb booth at the Farmers Market. She had two varieties, which bloom in the late fall like other Mums.  Bo Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum morifolium) doesn't set reliable seed, so is only available as plants - and I got one to try in my garden! When I moved across town, I brought it with me.  Bo Jo Hua and ginkgo on the drying rack Married to a botanist for 20 years, I've enjoyed herbal tea or tissues since the 70s, and growing up,  drank green and black tea with my mama. I grow many culinary herbs, and have tended a small Edible Landscaping  tea garden  for two years.   I found several blog posts about tea chrysanthemum, which support the liver, eye health, and are good for the heart, type 2 diabetes and easing headaches!  (Sage Garden Theory)  on a Growing Tradition, Thomas recounted his ...

 Our last Edible Landscaping event was a Garden Fair in the spring, where we passed out over 3000 seedlings to eager gardeners, young and old! I loved watching Master Gardeners, who had a booth at our fair, perusing the offerings for unusual plants! Edible Landscaping Volunteers tend 28 box gardens along Alpine Street, on the North side of McMinnville (zone 8b)  The garden boxes all look great, and there's plenty of produce available to anyone for harvest! It's fun to stroll from 6th to 13th street with your bag or basket, and see what's available! You can sample things you haven't grown, see their habit,  and consider what to grow in your own garden! Saturday, we offered fresh pressed apple cider, free produce and seeds our fall Harvest festival! I stopped to snip some herbs from the Tea Garden box I tend, and my friend Miranda snapped this picture! Nadya at the Tea Garden Board members collected produce from venders at the Thursday Farmers market, Kramers Nursery do...

 Rose cottage is finished (mostly!) And Percy and I are moved in! It's a process! The storage unit is still full, and I'm working on bringing over the bits and bobs I had at my daughter's the last 6 months! Kitchen corner We plan on replacing the stove (too large for the space!) with a cooktop and air fryer.  We already ordered an electric teakettle - loving this cheery teal!  Electric teakettle and Red Hat 🍵  The Concrete countertops are so attractive and easy to clean! Jorge wanted to add these to his crew skill set, and we were happy to give them a try!  My Feng Shui consultant Gwynne recommended bringing in warmer colors - orange and yellow towels and fruit to help offset the grey. I found some peach and yellow pots for plants on the windowsill,  and took Amanda Gibby Peters' suggestion of frequent bringing in of fresh flowers - i added daffodils to this bouquet from Incahoots .  The Oxford all wood bed is all set up - with linen sheets and comfor...