North American Natural Antibiotics... Plant Some!

Until the advent of chemical antibiotics, Nature provided all the ingredients to insure survival and health for the inhabitants of the planet. Here in North America our own Native Americans survived severely harsh conditions with an intricate knowledge of healthful foods. The Plains Indians ate as they nomadically traveled and the Apache alone had over 200 items in their yearly diet. Much of what they "found" along their path was both nutritional and medicinal.

An example of one of their naturally occurring health boosters are the Rose Hips found on wild bushes from Texas to North Dakota. Rose hips have long been a valuable source of Vitamin C, which easily boosts the immune system. The hips are the berries formed on the rose following flowering and contain as much ascorbic acid as an orange. In fact the portion of the orange containing the most health benefits is the bitter white inside the rind that most people discard. During WWII the federal government recommended that citizens add rose hips to their stews as a vegetable and recommended brewing it as a tea for the health benefits.

Another valuable immune boosting plant is the Echinacea. Results of archaeological digs indicate that Native Americans have used this marvelous plant for over 400 years. It was used to treat everything including infections, wounds, scarlet fever, blood poisoning, and diphtheria. Considered a valuable cure-all for hundreds of years, its popularity declined with the advent of antibiotics. Today Echinacea is used to reduce the symptoms and duration of the common cold or flu, as well as the ensuing symptoms which accompany them... sore throat, cough and fever.

For several years now the medical community has issued alarms that antibiotics no longer work; our systems are saturated with them. It is not necessary to actually take an antibiotic to ingest substantial amounts of them either. They arrive in our bodies from consuming milk and meat from cattle that are overly medicated, eggs from chickens that receive a daily dose, and so forth.

I consider this medical warning a strong indication that we best seek natural cures that have been around for eons. Nature contains an arsenal of plants and herbs growing right outside our doors in fields and gardens everywhere. This medicine was put here for us to use and insured the health of our ancestors for hundreds of years... plan to grow some this summer.

Wild About Wildflowers

Last year at this time we felt as though we lived in a desert but without the cool evenings. This year feels like New England… one has to love Oklahoma weather! With the recent rains the wildflowers have continued their spectacular show and any drive will offer the sight of our beautiful naturalized countryside. Fossil records indicate that flowers appeared quite suddenly about 90 million years ago and today they are the most abundant and diverse plants on the earth. Originally plants were generated from spore not seed so they were able to reproduce without the aid of pollination. However with the emergence of seeds plants needed either wind, birds, or bees to propagate. From this necessity arose the showy flower forms we see today as they sought to allure pollinators with their color, scent, and beauty. As gardens evolved, flowers were genetically modified and became altogether different from their wild ancestors who grew freely, unattended and yet thrived. However after several centuries of excitement over the ability to alter flowers, gardeners became concerned the original native plants might be completely lost. In the early 1900’s garden designer Gertrude Jeckyll (1843-1932) began a campaign to preserve the beautiful ‘flowering incidents’ occurring in woodland settings. In the 1970’s Lady Bird Johnson (1912-2007) recognized that urban expansion could possibly cause extinction of many wildflowers and placed their preservation on the national agenda. In 1982 Mrs. Johnson and actress Helen Hayes created the National Wildflower Research Center in Austin Texas to collect, identify, and preserve native plants of America. In her honor the center was renamed the Lady Bird Johnson Texas Wildflower Center and will celebrate the 100th anniversary of her birth this year.

Following the former first lady’s lead, Wildflower Societies sprang up in every state and the status of wildflowers was finally changed from noxious weed to treasured gem. Stretches of hiway are now adopted by dedicated volunteers and across the nation their beautification efforts are evident. Oklahoma’s Native Plant Society, formed in 1986, states their purpose is ‘to encourage the study, protection, propagation, appreciation and use of Oklahoma's native plants‘. With the society’s encouragement the Indian Blanket Flower was chosen as our state wildflower that year. A darling red flower with bright yellow on the tips of the petals, it has an evolving center that changes from green to deep red as it matures. It may be seen on every hillside, in every bar ditch, beside every Oklahoma road... beautifully blooming to brighten our day.

The Hydrangea

Sunday was the epitome of perfection for Mother‘s Day with gentle breezes and mild temperatures. Friday and Saturday’s downpours were an added bonus; the rains and cloud cover this spring are truly a blessing! Someone noted the peonies usually provide a bouquet on Mother’s Day, however this year they bloomed weeks ago and the Hydrangea show is early as well. A staple in your grandmother’s garden, the hydrangea planted then may still exist as they have a celebrated long life. Hydrangeas are a most unusual species in that the color of the flowers may be dramatically changed by altering the acidity of the soil in early spring before they bloom. For blue blooms, add aluminum sulphate to the soil while for vivid pink blooms add lime. They prefer the coolness of shade which is why they appear to thrive on the north side of a home… and they like their feet damp. They are native to North and South America, and Japan, with the Japanese taking credit for their arrival in China. So popular is this species in Japan that it has a cult following that lauds the mystery of the flower color change with ‘nanahenge’, which means seven transformations. This feature has given the flower symbolic meaning and is said to represent a fickle and changing heart. It is because of this characteristic the hydrangea was shunned by the warrior class in the feudal period as changing colors represented shifting loyalties. Many Japanese make pilgrimages to temples where the shrub is still tenderly cultivated today. Historically in the Americas the root of this marvelous shrub has been used as a mild diuretic and to prevent and remove gallbladder and kidney stones. It is reputed to relieve rheumatism, backache, paralysis, and scurvy. The Cherokee Indians used it for urinary retention and bronchitis. The scraped bark was pounded and applied to wounds, burns, sore muscles, and chewed for stomach problems and heart trouble. And not only does the hydrangea bloom faithfully from May until frost, the flowers may be dried to create a bouquet for winter cheer. Pick when the blooms begin to fade naturally as the moisture will have begun to recede by then. Fussing is unnecessary; simply arrange in a vase and watch as they dry to interesting shades of blue with the pinks becoming a dusty burgundy. *Flowers appear on the woody growth from the previous year so do not cut back after flowering!

Through the eyes of a child...

We found a catepillar! This gorgeous spring everyone who has ever laid claim to the outdoors should beg or borrow a small child to introduce to the wonders of Nature. Perhaps it is the newness of their eyes, the sharpness of their hearing, or their fresh sense of smell… whatever the reason, watching a child explore springtime is a joyful experience. Tiny barefoot feet touching grass for the first time…crinkled, curling toes, unsure what this soft wondrous oddity may be, is always followed by a giggle. And the distinct aroma of early mowed grass is memorable for a lifetime and should be noted with a youngster in tow.

The phletoria of insects to watch once Spring arrives is beyond measure. From beetles to ants, perhaps because a child is low to the ground, no insect escapes their careful observation. The roly-poly, so detested by gardeners, is fascinating with its ability to close into a tight ball only to reopen in a moment, scurrying along on numerous gray legs. Fluttering butterflies are also truly miraculous to the open mind of a child. So special is this winged insect that Native American tribes have a lore and even a dance to celebrate the butterfly. It is said that they were a gift by the Creator to mankind to bring us joy and that prayers may be carried to heaven by butterflies. At Native Pow Wows girls dance to the drumbeat, their feet caressing Mother Earth as their brightly colored shawls gently flutter as they imitate the swaying, dipping motions of butterflies in flight. This seems the year of the butterfly as we seem to have an abnormal abundance of them on everything that is flowering. Even Mud is marvelous!

The scent of Springtime is unmistakable and it seems the early flowers are the sweetest. The lilac, currants and flowering fruit trees are followed by the flower garden. With each distinct scent a child will be amazed and impressed… and Julia smells and says ‘Ummmmm‘! An early introduction to growing vegetables from seeds will plant the seeds of a pursuit into the wonders of healthy living through gardening. Children are amazed that food actually comes from the ground and is not at all dirty, but rather delicious. Nature is a remarkable gift and introducing a child to the treasure trove outside the door is a lasting pleasure… take a walk with a child and enjoy as they discover the wonders! Mr. Frog is truly surprised!

The Rose

Photo: A Hybrid Tea Rose from my garden~ Throughout history, mankind has had a love affair with roses and they are perhaps one of the oldest flowering plants. Roses have been found in fossils dating 70 million years ago, indicating that they were growing where the dinosaurs tread. They were in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, and their image appears on Egyptian tombs. Roses were a significant part of Chinese medicine and by the Middle Ages they were used medicinally by Monks throughout Europe as well. The name of the theater where Shakespeare produced his plays was ‘The Rose’ (1567) and he often makes reference to them in this works. Apparently the rose is a rock star! Hybrid Tea Roses with their sturdy stems were discovered in a garden patch in 1864 and by 1879 were introduced by Henry Bennet as a new breed of rose. Tea Roses are familiar to everyone… they are used in flower arrangements and prized for their color and scent with large petals that slowly open to reveal perfection. The most popular rose of the 20th century was the Peace Rose developed by Francis Meilland in 1935. It remained unnamed until the April 29, 1945 fall of Berlin which was considered the end of WWII… thus the name. Although entirely worth the efforts, the lovely the Tea Rose is fussy and prone to diseases which require applications of chemicals to produce healthy flowers and foliage. Recently the extraordinary work of Mr. William Radler changed the rose world. Radler bought his first rose for 49 cents when he was nine and by age 17 had won prestigious awards at Milwaukee’s Rose show. In the seventies he began research to create a new species of disease resistant, ever blooming roses and twenty two years later his Knockout Rose was made available to an eager public. Knock Out roses are easy to grow and require no special care. And although the blooms are not as spectacular as a single Tea, they appear in abundance with a bloom cycle that will continue until first frost. They are winter hardy, heat tolerant, and grow to be the size of a shrub. Roses are available everywhere however I recommend buying one that has been sheltered from the horrific winds which have burned so many nursery plants this year. Whether a Hybrid Tea or a Knockout, a rose would make a perfect Mother’s Day gift… especially if it is planted for her.

Natural Fertilizer and Rustic Decor

Henny Penny wants to nest in the wheelbarrow! She has good taste!

With the blessed rains the garden seems to have recovered from the drought making this quite possibly the most magnificent spring in memory. The recent thunderstorms have washed the countryside clean and at last the dust has disappeared. And an unusual oddity has occurred this year… the leaves on everything from the trees to the flowers are incredibly large and dense with many doubling in size. In seeking an answer to this puzzle the difference this year seems to be the amount of lightning our storms have produced.


The air we breathe is composed of 78% nitrogen and approximately 20% oxygen. Nitrogen is an essential element plants need to produce chlorophyll (the green) which in turn aids in the process of photosynthesis. Without becoming too scientific, photosynthesis, which means “putting together with light”, is the process of taking water from the ground through roots and carbon dioxide from the air and mixing them together with the addition of sunlight to create glucose, which is food for foliage development and overall growth. Nitrogen, the main ingredient in fertilizers, is not in a usable form for most plants unless it is altered by lightning.


The intense heat and electric charges produced by lightning cause the nitrogen molecules in the air to cling to the oxygen molecules and from this marriage comes nitrogen oxides. The nitrogen oxides will be collected by the rain drops or fall independently bringing a form of nitrogen that can now be used by the plants. With the lightning the plants have received a supercharged dose of available nitrogen, causing them to become brighter, healthier, and greener. We are indeed fortunate to have thunderstorms this spring.


There is a trend in gardening circles that includes a whimsical and nostalgic recycling of old farm items…. the more worn and rusted the better. It is officially ‘shabby chic’ for the garden and everything from wash tubs, discarded wheelbarrows, metal milk containers, minnow buckets, watering cans and weathered lawn chairs are set about the garden to display a dazzling array of sparkling plants.


A visual composition usually contains an uneven number of items… from three to five. The contrast of the old married to the new is a striking celebration of sorts for by reclaiming items our grandparents long ago cast off we are connecting to our heritage in a special way. Many city dwellers must go to shops and purchase such items, those with a rural background need only go to an old barn and dig around to find such a treasure. Happy hunting!

Earth Day and Arbor Day

All of us who garden are acutely aware of our environment. As we dig in the soil, we connect with the magical realm of Mother Earth, the results of our work are the rewards bestowed upon us. This April, we celebrate efforts made by others to conserve our precious planet.


National Arbor Day is celebrated each year on April 22nd, the birthday of its founder Sterling J. Morris, the publisher of a Nebraska newspaper. The plains of Nebraska were bare and almost treeless when he began community efforts to replant trees and by 1885 Arbor Day was declared a state holiday which is now embraced by all states. Latin for tree is Arbor and each year the Arbor Foundation gives away thousands of trees.


And there is a wonderful pleasure in watching a tiny seedling grow until it becomes a magnificent tree. Many Native American tribes planted a tree with the birth of a child and watched as both the tree and child matured. We adopted that custom when our children were little and it is truly wonderful to see the height and breadth of the trees we planted on the first birthdays of our now grown children.


We have Rachael Carson to thank for bringing to light the hazards of chemical toxicity. As a marine biologist she noted the unprecedented loss of plant and animal life and her research concluded it was the result of chemical poisonings. Following WWII America had embarked upon a path of chemical use when the effects of it had not yet been explored. DDT, which killed all insects good or bad, was at first considered a miracle. With it the mosquito became a thing of the past as neighborhoods full of children were regularly fogged. Finally banned in 1972 and considered one of the most hazardous chemical carcinogens ever created, one wonders what people were thinking.


Ms. Carson lived only a few years past publication of her monumental work ‘Silent Spring’, written fifty years ago, but her legacy of research alerted a grateful nation. The title alone was an ominous prediction of a world without the buzzing of bees, the song of birds, the croaking of frogs, the splash of fish.


Following her was Senator Gaylord Nelson, who first initiated the concept of ‘Earth Day’. By the early 1960’s America’s love affair with chemicals had begun to take a terrible toll as the environmental degradation became clearly evident so in 1962 Senator Nelson presented his concerns to President Kennedy. In spite of conclusive evidence the environment would not be on the political agenda for almost a decade and it arrived on the political stage through grassroots efforts by college students. Held on April 20, 1970 the first Earth Day was the impetus for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency later that year. The mission of the EPA is to protect human health and the environment. Last weekend Earth Day was celebrated by over 500 million people in 175 countries. Short of planting a tree, we should at least hug one!

Perhaps a bad plan?

Spring Is Here

Spring Is Here, a set on Flickr.

Fairy Rings

Suddenly, almost overnight, fairy rings have begun to appear on lawns and golf courses. They are a naturally occurring phenomenon of fungus growth that is seeking food underground and consist of a large circle of either dead or dark green grass, sometimes with toadstools. They are more prevalent following a dry year, which is exactly what we experienced in 2011.

Obviously before science, mankind arrived at bizarre superstitious explanations for everything that was out of the ordinary, and Fairy Rings were no exception. Occupying a prominent place in European folklore, they were also called elf or pixie circles and were said to be the location of gateways into elfin kingdoms where fairie folk gathered to celebrate spring. The ring will disappear without trace within five days, but it was said if an observer waits for an elf to return to the ring, one may capture it.

In German tradition, fairy rings were believed to be the gathering place of witches on Walpurgis Night and the fact that St. Walpurgis was a deeply religious nun who brought Christianity to the Germans seems have no bearing on the fact her night is called ‘witch’s night’. Traditionally on April 30th, witches would gather to dance all night leaving the ring behind to mark their celebration. In the region of what is now Central Europe, folklore believed that fairy rings dealt with magical flying dragons; when a dragon had created such a circle, only toadstools would be able to grow there for seven years.

According to European folklore entering one was extremely bad luck as they were guarded by huge toads who could place a curse upon mortals. One could soon lose sight in one of their eyes while young girls touching dew inside a fairy ring would develop skin problems. There were warnings against children entering the ring as fairies could kidnap them or follow them home and wait until the child was sleeping before slipping a changeling into their place. *A changeling was the child of a fairy, elf, or toad and no one spoke of what happened to the human child who disappeared. Maurice Sendak addresses this in his award winning book Dear Mili.

Science today advises all above is utter nonsense and that the dark green is simply the presence of additional nitrogen. And some fungi may also produce chemicals which act as hormones which affect plant growth, causing the rapid luxuriant growth. Regardless... I think children should avoid Fairy Rings at all cost.

Plant Your Easter Lily in the Garden

Thousands of Easter lilies symbolizing the Resurrection were part of Sunday’s celebrations and most will be relegated to the rubbish bin, discarded as useless. However since the flowering lily springs from a bulb these lilies may be easily integrated into the garden and provide beauty for many years to come.

Lilies usually bloom in summer but were ‘forced’ to bloom early for Easter so do not expect any more flowering until next year… the bulb needs to rest. *Forcing is a process to make the bulbs bloom prematurely; they believe it is the ‘right time’ to bloom months ahead of their natural schedule.

The lily enjoys sun on her head but a coolness about her feet, so pick a sunny place in the garden and tuck the bulb amongst other guests or put several stones at the base. Also driving winds or extreme heat may adversely affect the lily so pick a site with some afternoon shelter and dappled shade.

As you pull your lily from the pot, you may notice the extreme root growth that has occurred from being in greenhouse conditions. If the roots are tightly bound in a circular pattern, the lily was grown in too small a pot and is ‘root bound’. The roots must be loosened and spread out to allow the poor thing to grow without strangling itself. Gently loosen the roots and it will not harm the bulb if some break or are cut a bit.

Roots must be loosened

Dig a hole that is twice the width of the root ball and five or six inches deeper. Work some potting soil into it and then plant your lily, spreading the newly loosened roots down and out. Often there will be three bulbs in a standard Easter lily pot so carefully divide them and plan on planting them six or seven inches apart. Fill the hole with soil, and water while working your hands in the mush. Jiggle and wiggle the plant while looking for air bubbles to surface and when no more appear, there are no hidden pockets to cause rot. Once the water level has receded, lightly water once again and add a bit of soil if it seems to have sunken at all.

Cut off the wilting flowers, but wait to cut back the foliage until it appears yellow; the foliage will nourish the bulb and help store energy for flowers next year. The unforced flowers will appear on time... in the early summer when the lily normally blooms. Your lily will live for many years, reminding you of the joyous occasion when it was introduced as a guest at an Easter gathering.

Tulips~

The Tulips are blooming! The joyful tulip will arrive at the garden party with the first blush of Spring, promising the garden season has indeed arrived. Tulip bulbs are readily available and easily affordable nowadays, but history proves that was not always the case.

The Tulip originated in Asia Minor where the Ottomans developed cultivars which concentrated on long, thin, wispy flowers of different colors. This lovely flower was first brought to the Vienna Court in the 1500's and presented to the King as a gift from exploration.

As the majestic Tulip began her travels around Europe, she was greeted with wild excitement in every nation. Originally, only members of the royal family were allowed access to certain bulbs; lower classes were forbidden to possess them. Naturally, the result was a deep desire akin to lust to own a Tulip bulb. Fierce competition, intrigue, and smuggling of the bulbs emerged, resulting in a rage referred to as "Tulipomania". By 1634-1637, the situation had become so intense that the governments of both England and Holland were forced to pass legislation to regulate trade in the tulip market.

At the height of the mania, interest was so widespread that individuals invested in tulip bulbs as they now invest in stocks of oil or other ventures. Many fortunes and vast land holdings were lost over Tulip bulbs; one shipping magnate gave a fleet of ten ships for 10 bulbs! By the mid 1700's the bulbs were still expensive, but available to an elite public willing to pay the price for them. The Ambassador from Holland proudly presented 7 bulbs to Martha Washington following her request and they were planted in a place of honor in her original gardens at Mt. Vernon.

Descendants of the Dutch bulbs will not mature properly or flower a second year without a cold winter so expect to plant each year in warmer zones. However since time and science have provided an affordable array of spectacular colors and form, Tulips are still a magnificent addition to the garden. Choose Common or frilly, parrot or scented; all are worth the effort to plant… if only for one season.

The tulip is perfect as a cutting flower for spring arrangements.

I cut everything one year with the threat of a late freeze... I gave flowers to everyone I knew!

The Garden Then and Now...

Thirty years of gardening and working hard can result in an amazing transformation...

Here is the 'yard' we moved to in 1975... same view.

Happy weekend in the garden everyone!

http://www.gardening4us.com/2011/05/our-move-to-farm-part-1

Spring At Royal Oaks

Spring At Royal Oaks, a set on Flickr.