Now, there’s not a way I know of to save lettuce, but basil-yes!

When I’ve got basil ready to go, I pick it all and rinse it off in the sink under cold water. Since my herbs are grown in containers on a covered porch, and I don’t use pesticides or chemicals, I only rinse.

After rinsing and shaking off, I place a couple leaves into the bottom of ice cube trays. Think about how you cook. Do you like to use a lot of basil? If you do, you might want to pack your cubes a little fuller. I vary how many leaves I put in each because we vary how much basil we use dish to dish.

Then, fill with water, press the leaves down as best you can and pop in the freezer. These will last you a long time and you’ll always have fresh basil for cooking, even in the dead of winter.

This is just one way to extend the home garden goodness, what are some tricks you use to extend the life of your harvest?

Everything you’re about to see is being grown in containers on one of two porch gardens. If you think you can’t grow your own stuff in small spaces, let this prove you wrong!

Down below is some Chamomile. It grows super easily and germinates from seed in just a day or two. I started this about 2 weeks ago and it’s already pretty substantial. I use this in tea that I dry myself. (I also make tea from mint and roses that I grow.)

And below you’ll see some of my lettuce. One side of the planter gets more sun than the other, and you’ll see that difference in the following two photos.

This lettuce is called Black Seeded Simpson.

And one of the newest additions to my garden is the Luffa. Now, I started this from seed and I am about ready to move it down to the ground. This is not a container plant, but I wanted to share it with you nonetheless. The luffa produces those body sponges you can buy at the store….yes those things! This becomes a large vine and grows shiny green gourd-like vegetables. Come autumn, you peel the green skin off, rinse out all the seeds and voila! Luffa! A neat plant for sure.

Mint is down below. Makes excellent sun tea and dried, loose leaf tea too.

And below is an heirloom variety of Morning Glory. This is called President Tyler and you’ll see the bloom is all wrapped up. I took this photo in the afternoon (they bloom in the mornings). Isn’t it lovely?

And down below are my tomato plants! We have 4 varieties on our porches this year and they are thriving in our containers.

What you’re seeing down below is the very first ripening tomato of the season! This guy should be ready later this week for munching.

Below are my Romano tomatoes. I started those from seed about 3 weeks ago. Starting tomatoes in late June produces a faster-growing plant. The other plants you saw above I started in February and they grow much more slowly due to cooler temperatures and less intense sun.

So, there’s where I am with my garden this year. I’m on my second round of lettuce (harvested the first batch in early June) and my second round of basil, arugula, and sage (not pictured).

Container gardening is easy. Here’s some simple tips for you if you’re interested in trying it out.

If you get full sun, at least 4-6 hours a day, on a porch or windowsill, here are my no-fail recommendations for you:

• lettuce (Black Seeded Simpson)
• tomato (Romano or Cherry)
• basil

These are three easy-to-use vegetables and herbs and great plants to start out with.

Come late summer, we’ll be planting onions, parsnips and more autumn-loving veggies.

Expect another update in a month or two!

To me, orchids are haunting flowers. Lovely, no doubt, and they are captivating in a spooky way. I’m not sure why they freak me out a bit—perhaps it’s the soft, nearly-perfect curvature of the flowers. The smoothness of the petals. The simplicity of the flower atop a thin, thin thread of a stem. I don’t know what it is about them, but they definitely do not have the same vibe as, let’s say, a rose or a peony.

Are you?

And taking photos of them is so rewarding. You just can’t go wrong taking pictures of plants. They are so pleasing to the eye.

Plants that flower are so captivating. Look the the little blossoms above– they only have two petals!

That’s something I wouldn’t have noticed had I not gotten in for a close-up.

These three photos are from a bonsai tree. Well, bush, I guess.

The entire thing was in bloom.

Such beautiful, delicate blooms. If you notice, you’ll see splotches of pink freckles towards the center of the bloom and the similar striking pink shade at the tip of the stamen.

Mother nature, you sure are a talented interior designer. ;)

Just above, you’ll see a bird of paradise flower. Also known as the most recent yoga pose I’ve just begun to master.

What a crazy flower.

Down below, you’ll see a plumeria bloom— look at the similarities in the intensity of the colors. I love finding similarities between different species.

And look at these sweet, sweet blooms.

You know, I’m more someone that lusts after leaves moreso than flowers, mostly because many plants that grow well here in Cincinnati, Ohio only flower for a short time. But after looking at these guys, it inspires me to add more than just morning glories to my landscape.

Lucky for me I’ve managed to find someone to marry me already and I’ve managed to find a couple dear friends who I know won’t cast me away. ;)

Just kidding.

Well, sort of. What’s a girl like me to do?

Anyway, May 2 (the day of Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon) was a joy for non-marathon runners. It was delightfully overcast and brought a near-constant rain. It was as if the whole of Cincinnati could be the backdrop in a Jane Austen novel.

So, perhaps, a combination of the romantic-esque weather (at least that I convinced myself of in my natural inclination to err on the positive side of things) and an empty house, I ventured to pull my tillandsia out from their respective perches around my urban cottage.

Thus, photos of them in a springtime Ohio rain.

Boy, where did that popular girl in high school I once was go? Seems I fooled them all. ;)

It’s not exactly the most fun you can have in the garden.

After an entire winter, man, at the very least I’ve got to gear myself up for this. I really don’t enjoy the spring clean up. Turning soil, picking out rocks and clumps and other debris, opening the garden chest–slowly–making sure no little critter is inside—it’s nowhere near as fun as filling a basket with brightly colored veggies.

Here is a little garden box back in March. Now, it's overflowing with vegetation and growth!

The end of winter is like that though. Nothing is green yet, everything is thawing so it’s all wet. And it’s a cold wetness, which is worse. I think it stinks, literally, too. It takes until at least April before the dirt and outdoors as a whole start to smell earthy and sweet, not stale and cramped as it does in February.
Well, like other years previous to this one, I did this important task. I adjusted pots, wiped things down, picked through forgotten objects and pulled out my seed starting supplies.
I brought several trays inside and some peat pots too. I laid them out in straight rows, filled them with seed starter mix and got them soaking with water. My husband installed some shelves in front of our kitchen window this year to allow for a few more seed starting trays and more direct sunlight to warm the soil. Once I finished with the seeds, I filled the shelves with our teapots, french press, cookbooks and pasta jars.

I also pulled out a new notebook for this year– it is making for a lovely garden journal. I laid all my seed packets out from last year, took stock of what was left and drafted a garden layout. After doing that, I determined exactly how many plants of each vegetable or herb I’d need and what I’d like to give away as extras, and to whom. Then, I began fillingn specifics in my garden journal followed by labeling my seed tray. Now, in early June, I use the journal to take notes, to record which plants are doing well and which one’s art. I’m writing down all the little things I always forget about.

Each year, getting started is sometimes the worst part. But, it usually will just take an afternoon and if you left things fairly tidy the year before—well, it should all be worth it.

And now, friends, it is June. Today, I spent time willing unruly tomato plants back into cages and untangling peas from each other. The gardens are flourishing. The plants are producing. My beagles are tearing off leaves.

How are your green spaces faring?

I thought I’d share as you bear with me while I prepare for a big ol’ update to Simplicity Embellished.

The white and black guy sports a torn wing and a crinkle in a lower span as well, but isn’t he lovely?

The one below is my favorite. This little one was just sitting on the banister (it is sadly possible that he was nearing the end of his life) and I was able to get in very close. I feel like he’s thinking of something in this photo. I feel like there’s a lot more going on under those wings than above, and I feel like I’m seeing some intimate moment that I’m not supposed to.

I can’t help but think when I look at these butterflies, that without the wings, I would be terrified. If a bug that large came at me, well, it would not result in me leaning in for a closer shot.

The orange fellow below was a delight. I felt like we were making eye contact.

This is a dreamy shot too. You can see the fur, the spines on the leg and the twitch of the antenna. If you look close, you’ll see he’s got what looks like a little pig nose.

This reminds me of some very nice paper I own. Look at those wings. If I didn’t see that it was a butterfly, I would assume that it was some beautiful card stock worked into a beautiful, flowing stack.

And the finale.

Where else do you see orange like that other than on a jack-o-lantern or tiger lily? Not too often, I suppose. Orange is lovely.

What are you supposed to do when you find a baby bird? Is it true that you shouldn’t touch them?

Basically, there are two types of baby birds.
1. True baby birds (no real feathers yet, still pink)
2. Fledgling (have real feathers; hops but doesn’t fly)

If you find a true baby bird, it probably fell out of the nest or got blown out. You should pick it up, warm it in your hands and put it back into the nest.

If you find a fledgling, don’t put it back in the nest. It might have taken the leap to fly too soon, but it should be able to fly in a couple of days. If you look around, you’ll probably see the mother somewhere nearby. As a fledgling, life is dangerous. Many get killed at this stage of life because they aren’t full adults yet and they have a lot to learn about living in the wild. Just have faith that mother nature will take care of the little guy.

Anyway, I went over to my friend’s house and we noticed that it was probably a fledgling, but it definitely wasn’t ready to leave the nest yet. We picked it up to make sure it was warm and we were relieved tontine out it was. We saw the mother nearby (and the cat) so we left it in a safer spot behind some fencing.

Hopefully little bird learned to fly!

My stricta, in particular, has been the most amazing to watch. First, a single pink bud appeared. That single bud turned into a stalk of pink petals with white pearl-like objects tucked inside each petal. Those pearly little things eventually turned pink and started expanding into the purple mini-flowers you see below. This plant has been in bloom for about three weeks now.

And that about sums up why I am essentially obsessed with these epiphytes. They bloom, don’t require any soil and can live anywhere in my home.

I’m going to tell you a little bit about my favorite houseplant in this post, in hopes that it will become yours too. ;)

I realize that most people look for the following in houseplants:
1. Flowers
2. Foliage
3. Free

The air plant has all three. Except, I imagine, most people want houseplants with large, green leaves that are soft to the touch with a vibrant, glossy shine. Something like the golden pothos or even a rubber tree. Maybe a philodendron, too. Those are all great plant options, but, none are quite as versatile as the tillandsia.

The tillandsia is a bromeliad. A pineapple is a bromeliad. Spanish moss is a bromeliad. A bromeliad is a type of plant. That’s really all you need to know there.

A tillandsia is an epiphyte. That means it doesn’t need soil. It gathers all that it needs from sunlight, water and air.

What I love most about air plants is that I can place them wherever I wish. In a dish, a pot, a bowl–or hanging from some fishing line.

Tillandsia’s reproduce pretty quickly too. Depending on the type of air plant, in less than 12 months, one plant can easily become four, five, six or even seven. That’s what I meant when I said they were free–you just snap off the ‘pups’ from the ‘mother’ when you’d like another plant, or you can leave them together as a clump.

I was fortunate enough to find some beautiful antiques and pretty things at our local thrift store and my tillandsias look beautiful filling them up.

The tillandsia below is in bloom. Each plant only blooms once. After it blooms, it begins to produce pups. The mother plant will either die away in a few months or a few years. What a remarkable and captivating life cycle.

So, this is my little introduction to air plants. I hope you’ll consider them as an addition to you home. The one’s above I ordered online from Air Plant City in Florida. Catherine Essigman is the owner and she will communicate directly with you about any questions you may have.

Aside from this, common houseplants actually purify the air. They can filter out things like formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and benzene from the air. NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America did a two-year study on this and found they improve the air quality of your home.

And, you probably don’t know this but formaldehyde is found in virtually all indoor environments. Yucky, huh?

Here is my list of go-to houseplants. These are all easy to care for, appropriate for apartment dwellers (or just back bedrooms) and affordable.

MY BEST-BET HOUSEPLANTS

CROTON
This is probably one of the most rewarding houseplants I’ve ever had. They change color, are easy to care for and have a nice aesthetic appeal. The Croton is actually capable of flowering but mine never has.

SPIDER PLANT
These are pretty common in offices because they do pretty well in fluorescent light, are easy to care for and you can pretty much just forget about them. I think a decorative container is pretty important with these guys because there’s not much variation within the plant itself. At least, not like the Croton, for example.

GERBERA DAISY
For you flower fans, the Gerbera is an outstanding choice. The Gerbera was also ranked as one of the 10 plants most effective in cleaning the air. They’re happy, come in lots of colors. Plus, they make a great gift.

GOLDEN POTHOS
Doesn’t the name sound nice? This is one of 10 plants most effective in cleaning the air (OK, all of the plants in my list except the Croton and Tillandsia were in the top 10).

PHILODENDRON
A wonderful, beautiful plant. You can train this to grow any way you want. It’s a great office plant and also wonderful in the home. I had one when I still worked in a corporate setting and the longest tendril was more than five feet long. They are also really easy to break into multiple plants (say, if you want to give your friend one to start).

ENGLISH IVY
This is a classic houseplant. Many love it because of what you can do when you pop it into topiary form. I think the most common form is in a ball topiary. I usually spot these for sale at grocery stores around the holidays.

And my favorite houseplant of all time?

TILLANDSIA (AIR PLANT)
This is the ultimate in easy to care for. It requires no soil. In fact, you can hang them from fishing wire from all sorts of places; ceilings, shower rods, curtains. They are cheap, they are awesome. There are dozens and dozens of varieties. Some are green, some are purple, some flower…..they are incredible.

Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn – What to do and when?

I live in Cincinnati, Ohio and so I bring most of my houseplants out on the front porch in mid-spring; certainly after the last frost. I put them out on the front porch because it gets less sun than the back porch which gets full, afternoon sun.

I’ll leave them outside until we get to the hottest part of summer and then I’ll bring them inside to keep them from baking. I keep them in the warmest room of the house though, because I feel like the switch to cold air can harm some of the plants. (The Croton has been known to suddently drop leaves after a blast of cold air.) When September rolls around, I’ll put most of them outside again. Then, inside again in mid-October.

For me, I like to keep the air conditioning off as much as possible and the windows open. Having houseplants inside make the most difference for me in winter. And, I think good houseplant ownership is giving them a touch of the outdoors to invigorate them for the upcoming warmer months. Plants build a lot of strength (and sometimes, size) after a month or so outside in the sunlight and rain. It will make winter a lot easier for them.

Depending on where you are in the world, your habits will vary. Basically, do what you think is best for your plants.

Dead Houseplants

Are you afraid to kill a houseplant?

Don’t be. Don’t let that be the reason you don’t get one. It’s silly and you know what? If you start out with the right ones, you’ll greatly reduce your chance of killing them.

Start out with a philodendron. They are easy to care for and there’s a ton of info online. You can forget about them, under water, over water….beat them up and they’ll be OK.

Then, I’d get a Croton or Golden Pothos. Go for whatever calls you. I think this list is full of pretty safe bets.

I picked this little guy up for $6 the other day. Look how beautiful it is!

This is a Desert Rose Sorbet.

It’s a succulent (read = easy to care for) and turns redder the more sun it gets. If you just keep it inside, it will turn green. The Desert Rose likes to be kept dry (yay for under-waterers) and likes to be in bright indirect sunglight (perfect for a bright bathroom or kitchen).

Do you have a houseplant you love? Share it with us!

Over the weekend, I was able to carve out a few hours to ‘edit’ our front and back decks.

By edit, I mean transition them for the oncoming cooler weather. I pulled out dead plants and turned the soil in all of our garden pots, moved deck furniture around, thoroughly swept and brought out some blankets, pillows and rugs. I also moved our planters around a bit to accommodate for the changing path of the sun.

This is an old dresser that's found new life as an outdoor garden storage unit.

I went over to my Mom and Dad’s house on Sunday too and did some minor tending to a few garden spaces there and I yanked out a nice handful of mint. You’ll see in one of the photos my job at transplanting it into a deck pot. It’s in a bit of shock right now from the transition, but I’m confident it will pull through. I also planted some leftover grass seeds in one of my 3 foot long, rectangular garden pots—-I can envision my beagles appreciating that in a few weeks.

Oh mint, it always seems to grow and grow and grow! I bummed some of this off my Mom and I think it will survive my transplant.

And as for the garden chest in the first photo, well, that houses all of my gardening tools. I think it’s so lovely, weathered and worn. It makes me happy to see it perched out there on the back deck. It’s much better than one of those moulded plastic outdoor shelving units you can purchase nowadays.

Happy late-summer gardening to you all!

On a cool Sunday in August, I spent several hours cooking and baking in the kitchen. It was nice.

I made some thumbprint cookies with a dollop of jam in the center, and encrusted in almonds.

I also made some soup. It’s good for you because it has a blend of 23 beans, quinoa, peas, carrots, seasonings and chicken that I marinated for about an hour beforehand.

Want the recipe? Leave me a comment and let me know.

I spotted these in the neighboor’s yard and wanted to share them with you.

It’s the little things, ya know?