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The Giving Garden creates beautiful, natural and edible landscapes to enjoy all four seasons, installed and maintained with minimal impact on the environment.
Author Archives: The Giving Garden
From Seed To Soup. The Evolution Of One Tasty Butternut Squash.
Once the fruits are produced in July, they rapidly mature and are ready to be picked in late August-September. They store extremely well untouched, however; this fall I decided to prepare all my squash ahead of time and store in the freezer so that I could whip up some quick and easy, delicious dishes, like coconut curry butternut squash soup, in a pinch. This soup is nutritious and tasty, and it chases aways the winter duldrums. Continue reading
Whose Woods These Are I Think I Know
Unexpected clouds, a camera on hand, mixed with spontaneity equals an enchanting woodland hike… Continue reading
Posted in Fall, Nature
Tagged american beech, Laurel Heights Trail, native woodlands, nature walks, Robert Frost, Tulip Poplar, woodland
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Falling For Pink
Pink is one of those colors that give people a visceral reaction, either for or against. Although widely accepted in early spring, pink is often overlooked in the fall. Perhaps the stark winter landscape contributes to our hunger for bursts of riotous color early in the year. But what about autumn? Suggesting pink in the fall garden seems a pretty unlikely way to turn people on to pink, but I’d like to plead its case. Continue reading
What Makes A Well Drained Garden? Adding Leeks Of Course.
Potatoes are also easy to grow, but having nowhere to store them, I decided to make soup and freeze it so that we could enjoy it throughout the winter. The first recipe I tried was a savory success. It combined a few homegrown ingredients, leeks and potatoes, as well as some dried chile’s that I had on hand from last years harvest, living up to its nickname of poor man’s soup. Continue reading
Posted in Edibles, Gardening, leek, Plants, potato, Potato-Leek Soup, Recipes, Soups
Tagged freezing soup, leeks, potato-leek soup, potatoes, storing potatoes
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Ode to Coastal Plants
Located at the southernmost tip of New Jersey, Cape May Point is not only a fabulous place to enjoy the ocean, but this tiny beach town is home to tons of wildlife. Home of Cape May Point State Park, a prime destination for viewing birds, butterflies, dragonflies (swarms actually), ghost crabs, painted turtles, and bottlenose dolphin. If you are craving more wildlife, just a small bike trip north of Cape May Point lies The South Cape May Meadows Preserve, a newly restored coastal ecosystem managed by the Nature Conservancy. Both places are well-known to avid birders, but they are a haven for plant lovers as well.
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