Weeding the Relaxing Herbs Spot

It was a cool, little cloudy day while I drove towards Windsor VT, then the temperature started to heat up. I saw that some lupines have started to bloom!

The Healing Garden project looks weedy and I was ready to use my "garden weapons" to pull out all the weeds of my  spot and even the one of my neighbor, same work done at the entrance. 

Now it looks like this.

Some weeds ,like the grass seen in this picture, needed to dig deep into the soil to get rid the weeds off. In the picture we can see after I pulled out some roots (white) with the cape cod weeder tool. Note that the roots have some nods where some new weed grass will appear. The ending of the root is sharp and ready to spread out! Apparently, it is a Bermudagrass, which is a sod forming perennial that spreads by stolons, rhizomes and seed. Roots are produced at the nodes after new leaves or tillers are produced during the growing season and after new shoots are produced in the spring. Mature roots are yellow to brown while new roots are white [see above picture].  Mature roots deteriorate throughout the growing season and new roots are produced continuously. Root production and dieback has been reported to be particularly high in the spring at the onset of shoot production. 

 The lavender is growing healthy, it seems that its pH is around or above 7. 

I left the garden after working two hours and half, I was sweating a lot! But pleased to see how the garden has a good looking. 

The Flower Design School in Vermont

One of the best experiences during the last week of May 2011 was studying Flower Design at the VT Academy of Flower Design, located in Waterbury, VT nearby the Ben and Jerry's ice cream factory.  

  

Instructor Ned Davis has such talent, creativity and the willingness to help students. In 1987, Ned was the first florist in Vermont to become a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD). In 1989, he represented the Northeastern United States as one of four designers competing in the Design America competition where he was a runner up for the event.

Instructor Ned Davis, preparing a green arrangement.

I plan to continue my professional education in the Vermont Academy of Flower Design!

Part of What I Did in the Basic Floral Design 1 & 2

Bouquet for brides, using pink color.

Bouquet for brides using monochromatic color.

Testing in front a mirror what it looks like.

Arrangement with greens.

Arrangement with a pin frog. Victorian style.

For funerals. Easel spray design. 

Causa Limeña - Peruvian plate

Meal to share for the last day of class. Thank you to Ned for making possible my dream.

Circulo de Flores para Mamá Lidia

Una forma de mitigar mi nostalgia, el dolor de mi luto es crear cosas que pudieran satisfacer a mi mamita Lidia y expandir mi interior de manera positiva. Por eso pinte esta piedra para ponerla al frente de su jardin, "Jardin Lidia", gracias a la generosidad de mi jefa Rev. Virginia Fryer de Lebanon United Methodist Church quien me ha permitido tal deseo. 

El area empieza a despejarse de nieve, pero tarda en ablandar la tierra que se pone dura por el descenso brutal de la temperatura de invierno. 

 Al igual que en el Jardin Comunitario Canillas en Lebanon, NH, dedique unas setenta bulbas en el jardín de la iglesia Metodista. Entre ellas plante al final del otoño noviembre 2010 unos tulipanes, muscari (flores azules), Aliums entre otras bulbas que crecen en la primavera que empieza en marzo. Guardandose dichas bulbas bajo nieve a una temperatura invernal que oscilo entre -15ºC y -28ºC. Arriba se aprecia el 'despertar' de las flores.

La primavera va llegando es abril, Domingo de Pascua, el Jardin Lidia va mostrando los primeros signos verdes. 

 Dias mas tarde, el panorama va cambiando asi!

 En mayo segundo domingo, Dia de La Madre, los tulipanes rojos formando un circulo, y van desplazando su belleza. 

 La misma fecha, en mayo, la vista desde otro ángulo

 Fotografia tomada en mayo 20, y el esplendor es acogedor. 

 ... como cada atardecer y dia a dia, el deleite es infinito. 

 Ahora aparecen mas colores, tulipanes rosa, morados casi negros, muscaris azules, 

 Casi enlistados.

 Asi quedo el jardincito en memoria de Lidia mi mamita, con sus flores rojas como aparece en su chaqueta.

Lidia Velásquez Aquise

Los 3 Tulipanes Rojos

A fines de octubre del 2010 plante tres bulbas de tulipanes rojos, en el jardín comunitario “Canillas” al cual Michael y yo pertenecemos, fue en honor de mi mami quien en esa fecha, ella estaba en cuidados paliativos en casa de mi hermana Flor Angela aun padeciendo de dolor. Yo a tan larga distancia y después de haber viajado consecutivamente desde EEUU, New Hampshire hasta Arequipa, Peru, no me quedaba más que la resignación de  hacer algo que me recordara a ella, mi mamita Lidia.  

 La foto fue tomada en abril del 2011 y luego de que la nieve se derriteria despues del largo invierno, empezaron los primeros signos de vida, los tulipanes rodeados de ajos!

 Aquí aparecen los primeros capullos. Elegí el color rojo porque es el favorito de mi mami. Tuve esperanzas de su recuperación.

En los primeros días de mayo del 2011, los tulipanes rojos se expandieron maravillosamente al igual que la plantacion de ajos. Me gusta combinar el arte en el sembrado del jardin de verduras.
 

El domingo 8 de mayo corte los tulipanes del jardín y los puse en un florero en un altar, en su memoria, porque el 21 de noviembre del 2010 dejo de existir y sus dolencias se fueron con ella. 

 Cuanto extraño a mi reina, mi mami Lidia!!! 

What Was Done in the Fall

Very proud of my fall 2010 garlic crop. I added three tulips in memory of my beloved mother. Now is May, all the garlic and tulips emerged vigorously. The texture of the tulip leaves match with the garlic ones. 

How much I have enjoyed looking the pepper seeds growing. Here is the hot pepper mix that I started indoors. 

 I close look the the three red tulips

Back Again to Ascutney Project

Ascutney Hospital, Windsor, VT

On Saturday, May 7, when the rain season has stared during the past weeks, we were fortunate that this particular day was cool, pleasant without rain. We started our meeting with Master Gardener Christine Barney and herbalist Sylvia Newberry. It was about an garden orientation organizational, educational interlude, planning the spring garden cleanup.

The table display showed interesting garden books that we can use them as a source to understand the wild life of flowers and herbs. Also there was a bunch of seedling herbs that Sylvia Newberry has stared indoor.

A sign to follow for the Master Gardeners

• Gotu Kola. A tropical plant that grows in India. It has been used as a medicinal herb for thousand years, China and Indonesia specially to heal wounds.
• Spilanthes is commonly called the toothache plant * and with good reason. The leaves and flower heads, particularly the young buds, contain a natural analgesic which numbs the tongue and gums when chewed, thus relieving the pain of toothache.

• Rosemery. Widely used as a spice when cooking, especially in Mediterranean dishes. It is also used for its fragrance in soaps and other cosmetics. Traditionally, rosemary has been used medicinally to improve memory, relieve muscle pain and spasm, stimulate hair growth, and support the circulatory and nervous systems. Sylvia said is we can keep the herb indoors during winter time in a clay pot. 
• Elderberry. Also known as the American Elder, is a small tree that grows to around 10 feet and is native to North America. The tree has been called "the medicine chest of the common people".
  The flowers, leaves, berries, bark and roots have all been used in traditional folk medicine for hundreds of years. The fruits have been used to make wine, and when cooked, can be used in pies and jams. The berries contain more vitamin C than any other herb except rosehips and black currant.
  The herb also has a rich background of superstitions. In the Middle Ages, legend says that the tree was home to witches, and that cutting down one would bring on the wrath of those living in the branches.
  The Russians and the English believe that the trees ward off evil spirits and it was considered good luck to plant a tree near your home. Sicilians think that sticks of the wood can kill serpents and drive away thieves.
  Common use: Topically for infections, inflammations and swelling. As a wash for skin healing and complexion purification. As a tea and cordial to sooth sore throats, speed recovery from cold and flu and relieve respiratory distress. Cooked and used in jams and conserve
• Stevia. Tropical herb. Its natural sweeten is good not only for weight loss and maintenance but also for many health problems (diabetes).-- I asked Sylvia why stevia herb is banned in Germany... she guessed that maybe because the sugar industry doesn't want to have the herb in the business. She was close to the truth. Stevia is a perennial shrub that is native to Paraguay. The Guarani Indians have used it for hundreds of years, mostly to sweeten their herbal mate tea. An Italian botanist “rediscovered” the plant and cultivation soon followed, with the first crop harvested in 1908. When commercial ($$$) possibilities were brought to the attention of the USDA, US sugar producers were no doubt alarmed, just as the sugar industry had felt threatened in Germany when it was introduced there. In 1970 the Japanese learned that stevia could make an ideal sugar substitute. They had already banned or restricted aspartame, along with other harmful food additives. The FDA, however, was getting ready to approve aspartame in the US. -- Stevia it's not banned in Germany, it's just illegal to trade it as sweetener, but it's sold as medicine. 

These were the plants that Sylvia has shown us during the morning, with very valuable information!. 

Chamomile seedling coming back from last year seeds! 

Our tour to the herbal garden continued after the educational interlude. 

This was one interesting day to learn. The time was from 9 to 11 am. Thank you Sylvia and Tina!