I was more than grateful for the first serious autumn rains last week. They arrived just as I was wearily contemplating the prospect of endless drought and an eternity of dragging hoses around this large garden.
Earth-softening rains prepare the soil nicely for planting the hardy spring-flowering bulbs displayed so colourfully in garden centres. By choosing from among early, mid-season and late bulbs, it is possible to create an extended spring flowerbulb display that lasts February through early June. A sampler:
- Early (February-March). Snowdrops, crocus, dwarf irises, winter aconite (Eranthis), glory of the snow (Chionodoxa), daffodils, Anemone blanda, early tulips (Kaufmanniana, Greigii, Fosteriana).
- Mid-season (April). Hyacinths, grape hyacinths (Muscari), Narcissus, Single and Double Early, Triumph and Darwin Hybrid tulips.
- Late (May, early June). Flowering onions (Allium), Dutch iris, Single and Double Late, Lily-flowered, Fringed, Parrot and Viridiflora (green) tulips.
Thanksgiving. There is much more to be grateful for this Thanksgiving weekend. Tomato yields have been almost overwhelming in most of our gardens. At my house they've been souped, sauced, dried, made into herbed and baked open-faced sandwiches, and used in uncooked toppings for hot spaghetti.
A friend described to me a luscious tomato appetizer she encountered at a family dinner. I've made it several times since. Roma tomatoes are particularly pretty, but not necessary. Slice the tomatoes lengthwise onto parchment paper in a baking dish. Sprinkle with a little coarse sale, sugar, black pepper, thyme and olive oil. Bake for a couple hours in a low oven and serve with small pieces of toast to lay the tomato slices on.
Apple trees have produced staggering crops. One gardening day with Daphne, my twice-monthly, intrepid horticultural companion, I used some of the Discovery apples to make an Italian mascarpone custard cobbler for our tea break. Since then, she has made it several times, varying the fruits and toppings to rave reviews from dinner guests.
To make the dish, arrange sliced fruits or/and berries in a shallow, buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with one teaspoon sugar and spoon over top a mixture of four tablespoons butter creamed with one-half cup sugar, one egg, one teaspoon vanilla, two-thirds cup mascarpone and two tablespoons flour. Top with slivered almonds or pecans and dust with cinnamon. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until just set.
I am grateful for the many unexpected kindnesses of friends and acquaintances over the course of the summer and early autumn. Most recently, a genial couple from the Victoria Chrysanthemum Society appeared at my door with an enormous bouquet of show quality chrysanthemums. The arrangement lasted well enough to form the centrepiece of a living room pumpkin and squash display for a pot luck gathering in my home the following week. Thank you so much, Jack and Elsie.
As you gather together this coming weekend to celebrate all that is good in your lives, may the beauty and bounty of this good earth feature prominently in your thanksgiving.
GARDEN EVENTS
Flower arrangers. The Victoria Flower Arrangers Guild will meet on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. in the Garth Homer Centre, 813 Darwin Ave. in Saanich. The meeting will feature elections and the Autumn in-House 60th Anniversary Show. Visitors are welcome at no charge. More information at 250-655-1524.
Qualicum meeting. The Qualicum Beach Garden Club will meet on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. in the Q.B. Civic Centre. Chanchal Cabrera will explore the topic Wild Weeds as Food and Medicine. Chanchal is a certified Master Gardener and horticultural therapist.
Autumn herbs. Glendale Gardens, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich, is presenting The Autumn Herb Garden on Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to noon. Lynda Dowling will cover harvesting and preparing herbs for storage, blending herbs for teas and cooking, preparing a herb garden for winter, and propagation. Cost to HCP members is $30, others $40. For more information or to register call 250-479-6162. www.hcp.bc.ca.
Landscape design. Glendale Gardens is offering a seven-session course on Residential Landscape Design Principles and Procedures on Mondays, Oct. 19 to Nov. 23, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Slide-lecture presentations, class exercises and a field trip will cover solutions to common problems, strategies for awkward sites, principles of plant placement and more. Students will receive helpful plant lists.
