The Lost Ladybug Project Submissions Update!

Just wanted to update the submissions I sent to the Lost Ladybug Project.  The information will not be posted on my page because the database doesn't include Europe and ladybugs eggs can not be identified for certain.  So here are the results. The yellow one is a Propylea quatuordecimpunctata and the other is Harmonia axyridis which is quite common to find worldwide.  I have one more photo to submit.  I will add it to this post tomorrow.  We have the ickies and stickies back again, but it is July!  Hope you had a great day!  We'll talk again tomorrow.

Maybe Too Blurry for Submission!  It is A Harmonia axyridis!

More Submissions for the Lost Ladybug Project!

As I have told you in the past, I am a contributor to the Lost Ladybug Project spearheaded by Cornell University.  Here is a link to my page of photos of ladybugs I have submitted over the years.  The native ladybugs are disappearing.  They were once common and now they are rare.  The Lost Ladybug Project's mission is trying to track whatever species you can find and plot out where they are and to try and keep the native ladybug from coming even more rare than it already is.

I was excited on my latest trip to England that I found two different ladybugs than we see here in the Pittsburgh area.  I have submitted my findings to the LLP and hopefully next week or so, I will have some results.  The first was found in the kitchen garden of Hampton Court Palace, Surrey, England on some lemon balm.  The second photo was taken at Fenton House, Hampstead, London, England on some mugwort.  The third photo was taken this morning in our garden in the raspberry patch while The Herbal Husband was watering.  He spotted the ladybug laying eggs on the underside of the leaf.  Of course, I was out doing errands and he didn't have his camera on him and no, he doesn't have a smartphone!  So when I came back he told me what happened and I went back and got a good shot of the eggs.  Need to remember to ask him spots or no spots on the ladybug.

The Hampton Court Palace Ladybug--Propylea quatuordecimpunctata

The Fenton House Ladybug--Harmonia axyridis

The Local Ladybug Eggs

So please stay tuned and I hope to have an update shortly for you.  It is a beautiful sunny day here in the 'Burgh with low humidity.  Hope you have had a fabulous day.  More tomorrow!

Composer in the Garden!

You could call my friend Lynn Purse, Composer in the Garden which is the name of her blog.  I like to call her the Queen of Color or a Rock Star of Color and Design.  You get the idea.  Her main profession is an Associate Professor of Music Technology at Duquesne University.  She taught my favorite class at Phipps Conservatory a number of years ago on Color in the Garden!  Some of it has rubbed off, Lynn!  I have learned about color combinations and color echoes from Lynn.  We reconnected during those class years because we were in the same class at a local woman's college.  We aren't together nearly enough!  Her garden was featured in the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Town and Country Tour just two weeks ago!  Drat!  Had I known at the time, Bonnie and I would have really gone on the tour.  We had just come back from our road trip and I wimped out at the last minute.  Although it was 90 degrees that day.  So it wasn't an ideal day.  Lynn said that she had 500 gardeners go through her garden.  It was probably because of her description A Garden in the Woods.  It was a beautiful sunny day and so there was a lot of contrast.  Not as ideal day for photos.  I will get another chance later in the week with Bonnie.  So here for your enjoyment and delight is A Garden in the Woods.

A Lovely Herb Circle Before You Enter the Main Garden

This Gate Beckons You to Come in and Enjoy!

The Stone Steps Into the Garden!

A Look Back with Plants on Either Side of the Steps!

Two Wonderful Decks with Opportunities to View the Garden From Above!

Some of Lynn's Color Combos and Lots of Daylilies!

Hydrangea 'Annabelle' at the Back of the Garden

A Stunning View from the Top Deck!

There are Lots of Shady Places to Sit and Relax

Containers with Wonderful Choices of Variegated and Shade Loving Plants

A Bit of Whimsy!

A Seating Area for Dining Alfresco

Some Hostas and Ferns Leading into the Woods!

The Path into the Woods for Angel, the Poodle

A Selfie with Lynn!

Lynn's garden is based on concentric circles as are knot gardens.  When she and Bill bought the house it had been empty for about one year and the deer had taken up residence under their decks.  Soo she waited about one additional year so that she could track the movement of the deer and then they bought deer fencing and installed it.  They installed additional black chicken wire at the bottom of the fence when they discovered rabbits had gotten under the netting into the garden.  With a few additional exceptions, it has worked beautifully.   Bonnie and I will be in the garden earlier on Thursday.  So I will post additional closeups and hopefully the contrast will be better.  Any way it was good to spend time in a Garden in the Woods and with my friend, Lynn.  Hope you had a great day.  It was beautiful here and I picked another batch of raspberries for jam tomorrow!  Almost two boxes of jam already!  Amazing!  Talk to you tomorrow!  

Having A Spectacular Thyme Season!

Just as a huge dark cloud is hanging overhead, I decided to blog from my phone in the garden!  Yikes!  It has been a spectacular season for thyme in my herb garden.  The red flowered thyme on the patio is lovely.  The lime upright in the right corner is beautiful as well.  The rose scented thyme has come off the rock wall and is comfortable in front of St. Fiacre.  What herb is doing well in your herb garden? 

We are getting ready to go to Miss C's graduation party.  So proud of her.  On her way to Penn State in the fall in landscape architecture.  Maybe we had something to do with that?  Will correct the size of the photo later if necessary.  Hope you are having a great Saturday.  We will meet back here tomorrow.

Very Lush Thyme This Year!

Doing a Bit of Herb Plunking Again!

Back left is lemon bee balm, 'Angel's perfume' scented geranium, clary sage, next is 'French Fringed' lavender, 'Coconut Punch' dianthus, 'Hummelo' betony and 'Blue Mound' rue

As you may know by now, I am an herbal plunker and an herb collector.  I do admit it.  I love the latest and greatest of herbs and so maybe in the end that's the answer.  I just love most herbs and feel the need to purchase them all!  I have tried for many years to come up with a good plan once they are purchased, herbally speaking.  But I buy so many herbs that we just fit them in where we can.  Sometimes we have great successes and other times not so much.  We will see how these perform together.  I just wanted to be able to see them and enjoy them!  So hopefully before the end of the season I will talk about what I purchased and see how each performed in the garden even planting this late.  I usually have everything I want planted by the end of May.  So this is a bit later than usual.  England is to blame!

The ickies and stickies persist in the 'Burgh!  I have been busy picking raspberries and make jam.  I have 16 jars already with another batch set up today to make tomorrow.  I think we are headed to another 100 jar season at this rate.  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you tomorrow.

Pennsylvania Herbal Road Trip Came to An End with More Herbs and A Sweet Remembrances Afternoon Tea!

So as I talked about the first day, we did start day three of our herbal adventure at the Herbal Springs Farmstead at Ephrata.  We were both lamenting the fact that there were more herbs to purchase there that were calling our names!  So we stopped by and met Rhoda's son, Dave because Rhoda was helping her daughter who was moving paint the new place!  We will see you again Rhoda!

Then we thought about going to the Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum to see their gardens and our friend, Shelley, after we came back said that is one place we need to go to next time!  So one of the stops on the Rosemary House bus trip was to Cloverleaf Herb Farm in Mt. Joy.  Kathy and John Musser (newly retired to the business) own and operate Cloverleaf in their backyard.  I was impressed with the neat and orderly appearance of every bed.  She has a lovely gift shop and even though it was later in the season, she still had interesting varieties of herbs and old-fashioned flowers.  One of the big events they attend every year in early May is the Herb & Garden Faire at Landis Valley Museum in Lancaster, PA.  Bonnie, we may have to do this next year.  I remember going to one early on and thought it was great.  They have approximately 80 vendors now and I bet it is not to be missed!

Entrance to the Gift Shop and Herbs and Flowers Under the Pergola!

Lots of Herbal Goodies in the Gift Shop!

A Lovely Knot Garden

The Thyme Bed Was Fabulous!

Kathy and John Musser Enjoying Their Lives!

Then one of the main reasons to go to central Pennsylvania was so we could stop and see the Reppert sisters at Rosemary House and have afternoon tea with Nancy at Sweet Remembrances.  Bonnie and I enjoy going to both places have been there many times and always enjoy our visits.

Lovely Herbs and Flowers to Walk Through and Stop to Enjoy!

A Whimsical Arbor of Broken Teapots!

A Remembrance Plaque for The Repperts!

Bonnie and I Getting Ready for Our Tea!

Old Country Roses Pattern

My First Pot from the Bottomless Tea Collection Was Assam!

A Summer Berry Salad Dressed with a Raspberry Vinaigrette!

The Sandwiches Were Egg Salad, Chicken Salad, Olive and Cream Cheese and A Zucchini Muffin with Relish!

Cream Scones Warm Out of the Oven (Oh, Boy!) and a Selection of Fruit!

Dessert Was Raspberry Cheesecake, Coconut Cake with Lemon Curd and Mexican Wedding Cakes!

I always enjoy taking a stroll through Rosemary House's herb and flower garden.  So full of life and charm.  Miss the birdhouse wall on the garage in the back of the property.  They had to replace the siding with vinyl and David said no more nails!  I love that they remember their parents with a plaque and I always stop to say a little prayer for both of them.  I was lucky to meet Bertha and Byron and have learned so much from Bertha and I am still learning.  Byron was a favorite on the bus trips because he always had such corny wonderful jokes and was a diehard Penn State fan.  I got a big bag of my favorite chai, Rosemary's chai and another favorite, Roastmary!  So glad that Susanna and David are carrying on with Rosemary House and Nancy has Sweet Remembrances.

So let's talk about Nancy's fabulous teas.  She does a SereniTea every Wednesday and the first Saturday of the month for any number of people by reservation between 11AM and 2 PM.  She also does fabulous themed teas to coincide with the Rosemary House schedule of events.   I call Nancy, "She who plays with her food"!  She does it so well.  She always starts with a lovely salad of seasonal fruit and greens with a delicious dressing.  Then comes the first of many pots of tea if you like.  I had three different flavors!  Then comes the tea tray and Nancy comes to go over the selections she has made for the day.  BTW, she always asks about food preferences when you make your reservation so you are sure to have just the food you can eat.  Bonnie's and my favorite part is that the scones come out of the oven warm and are so flaky and light!  I caught Bonnie picking up the flakes of the scones with her fingers so she wouldn't miss anything!  We never go away hungry from Sweet Remembrances.  In fact this time we both took dessert home.  The Herbal Husband enjoyed mine immensely!  I don't think Bonnie shared!  We are already trying to find a way to get back for another tea and maybe a class at Rosemary House in the fall.

We are really icky and sticky here in the 'Burgh!  The temperature is in the high 80's but feels like 90's!  So I hope you have enjoyed this latest PA/NJ herbal road trip.  Will get back to some herb garden news or maybe a post about my latest English trip.  Stay tuned.  Hope you had a great day!  Talk to you tomorrow!  

Off to the Jersey Shore! Oh Wait! No! It Was Off to the Jersey Herb Farm, An English Tearoom and Willowwood!!

So day two of the Pennsylvania road trip was actually extending the road trip into New Jersey!  One of my favorite and one of the best herb farms in the east is Well Sweep Herb Farm.  The Hyde family are collectors of plants specifically herbs.  It is like a wonderful place for the herb gardeners/collectors like Bonnie and I.  I am always at Well Sweep for their Christmas shop in November.  So Louise Hyde, grand dame of Well Sweep was surprised to see me in June!  I like to keep her guessing.  If you are looking for unusual herbs, Well Sweep is the place for you.  They have both a print and digital catalog and they do do mail order.  I have mail ordered in the last several years and it is like a wonderful Christmas surprise in May.  Very enjoyable, herbally speaking.

Look How Happy I am to be at Well Sweep!

They Have Beautiful Display Gardens with Everything Identified!

So Many Herb Varieties, So Little Time!

A Really Lovely Knot Garden!

Still Early in the Garden Season, But Already Looking Good!

We just had the best time going from bed to bed seeing all of the varieties of herbs that they offered!  It was a fabulous visit and of course, we came away with lots of plants!  Then it was off to one of my favorite tearooms in Chester, New Jersey called Sally Lunn's Tearoom & Restaurant.  I love their afternoon tea any time of day.  Sandwiches of egg, cucumber and cream cheese and salmon, fruit and a big oversized scone with clotted cream and jam.  Bonnie had one of the many specials of the day, lobster sliders and salad.  Everything was fresh made and delicious!  To top it off big glasses of iced tea because it was too hot for hot tea!  Always enjoy my visit to Sally Lunn's!

On Perry Street in Chester is My Favorite, Sally Lunn's!

My Afternoon Tea!

Bonnie's Lobster Sliders and Salad!

So I really don't have time usually to explore the Chester, NJ area because I have to rush back to pick up The Herbal Husband after his top show.  So I Googled before Bonnie and I started this adventure for gardens in the area and found the Willowwood Arboretum just 9 miles away from the tearoom.  Started in 1908 by two brothers, Harry and Robert Tubbs and Harry's adopted son, Dr. Benjamin Blackburn developed the land into Willowwood which has become New Jersey's most comprehensive and continuously operating arboretum.  A little Chanticleer like but different with a lot of land to explore.  Glad we got to see a small portion of this beautiful arboretum.  For dinner we went to Texas Roadhouse where I had the salmon.  It was delish!  

Has a Very Country Feel!

Lovely Cottage Garden!

A Beautiful House!

More Garden Space!

The Roserie!

My Salmon Dinner at the Texas Roadhouse!

 So ended the second day of our herbal road trip and I would say it was a very fun and herbally expansive day!  We have the ickies and stickies and now thunderstorms.  I am picking raspberries like crazy and making jam!  It is a very productive year already!  Hope you had a great day!  Talk to you tomorrow.