Kaleidoscope Garden Glass Ball to be Placed in the New Garden Area
July 16, 2021
The history of a much-loved children’s toy takes us back to Great Britain in July of 1817. British patent no. 4136 “for a new Optical Instrument called “The Kaleidoscope” for exhibiting and creating beautiful “Forms and Patterns of great use in all the ornamental Arts” had just been granted to its inventor Sir David Brewster.
The name is derived from the Greek words kalos (“beautiful”) eidos (“form”) and skipein (“to view”). Interestingly, kaleidoscope roughly translates to beautiful form watcher. From the Brewster Society we discovered this lovely explanation of its purpose. “Kaleidoscopes are portals of remembrance that open onto the familiar, yet unexpected. Allowing the eye to marvel, the mind to explore and the heart to leap, the mirrored tubes of magic have developed into a significant new art form.”
When searching for a more illustrious and descriptive name for our underused Forest Garden bed Beverly Allen, Master Gardener Class of 2018, thoughtfully tossed out the idea of a Kaleidoscope Garden. After spending over an hour discussing the possibility of embracing not only the concept but the practical approach to its design and functionality, we agreed that it would be an exciting project. Here is Beverly’s description of how she views our new garden bed through the lens of the natural world.
“The idea of light diffused through the overhanging oak branches brought to mind a kaleidoscope. We realized this was a good opportunity to use color and pattern to engage the mind and senses. It is challenging to find a variety of edible plants that will look and perform well in a setting that transitions from morning sun on the east end to bright afternoon sun on the west end with deep shade in the middle.
Planning a themed garden is captivating. Stay tuned as we consider the possibilities of such plants as tulips, peonies, lilac, elderberry and a surprise herb we are hoping to feature.”
-Beverly Allen
And so, our newly named Kaleidoscope Garden has been introduced. It will remain as is during the heat of July and August. Moving into September and cooler fall temperatures, watch for an explosion of color and patterns to appear within its borders. We hope you will experience its childlike wonder.
If you are a baby boomer like me, this is probably a familiar dish. Chances are you might have received similar pieces as wedding gifts during the late 60’s – 70’s. I certainly did. And for the early part of our marriage, corning ware was used often in my kitchen. But I never gave much thought to the blue floral design embossed on the side until we started growing bachelor’s buttons at Raincatcher’s in the edible landscape cottage garden.
A quick google search led me to a fascinating story dating back to the time of Napoleon. As Queen Louise of Prussia was being pursued by Napoleon’s army, she sought protection for her children by concealing them in a field of cornflowers. In order to distract them and keep them quiet, she made wreaths from the flowers. In 1871, the year of Germany’s unification, Wilhelm, son of Queen Louise, honored his mother when he made the cornflower the symbol of unity. Later, the cornflower became the National flower of Germany.
The name “bachelor’s button” refers to a time when single men with an interest in a specific woman wore them on the lapel of their jacket. If the flower faded too quickly, it was a sign that a woman’s interest in him was not mutual. Additionally, English maidens wore the cornflower as a sign they were eligible for marriage. If the girl concealed the cornflower under her apron, she had her choice of bachelors.
So, why then, did Joseph Baum, an artist at the Charles Brunelle Advertising Agency in Hartford, Connecticut, choose to feature the cornflower as Corning Ware’s trademark design in 1958? That part of the story seems to have been lost but an endearing answer might be found in the flower’s symbolism. Today, the cornflower symbolizes remembrance, anticipation, fertility, wealth, prosperity, love and the future. Could it be that he was suggesting we should use our lovely corning ware dishes for favorite family recipes that would transcend time? If so, I’m thrilled to still have one of those memorable vintage dishes in my kitchen. And, that adorable blue cornflower emblem on the dish has a new and special meaning for me.
Tips for Growing Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus)
*To get the most blooms and sturdier stems, plant in a location that receives full sun. (At Raincatcher’s, our cornflowers get a little afternoon shade.)
*If soil is predominantly clay or is sandy, mix in some organic material. We add compost yearly.
*Place plants at least 7 inches apart. Mature growth height is around 15-30 inches.
*Deadhead plants regularly to prolong their flowering periods. For taller species, staking may be necessary. We’ve had ongoing issues with them falling over so all plants are now supported with bamboo stakes.
*Mulch around plants with bark to keep soil moist and to prevent the root system from getting too much sun.
*Regular watering will keep the plants healthier.
*Cornflowers make excellent cut flowers and attract bees, butterflies and other pollinating and beneficial insects.
*Cornflower seeds are easy to harvest. When the seeds are ripe, the seedpods open up. Once this happens, extract the seeds for next year.
*Enjoy the vibrant blue flowers in salads, raw or cooked. Their sweet to spicy flavor will remind you of cloves.
A bit of trivia:
Bachelor Buttons were the favorite flower of President John Kennedy. His son John John wore one at his wedding to honor his father.
And, it has been reported that the most valuable blue sapphires are called Cornflower blue, having a medium-dark violet-blue tone.
Cornflowers Growing in the Edible Landscape Cottage Garden
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
Volunteers from the Raincatcher’s Garden of Midway Hills gathered in a shady area of the edible landscape Tuesday for an early July 4th ‘Garden Party’ celebration. A refreshing summer rain the night before brought in a light summer breeze that cooled the air as the line formed for lunch. It was the first time in over a year and a half that we had officially been together for any type of event.
Friendly conversations, laughter and happy faces reminded us of how much we enjoy spending time celebrating life’s simple pleasures. The fragrant smell of fresh basil lifted our spirits as we savored some of our favorite picnic foods. Summer’s bounty satisfied all who attended.
Following lunch, volunteers were asked to listen as three short quotes were read which hinted at the ‘presidential-type’ garden theme for 2022. Stay tuned over the next few months for clues.
FYI…Here’s the first clue.
“No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden.”
If you can guess who spoke these words, then you’re getting close to the knowing the theme.
The big reveal will be sometime in December! For now…Happy 4th of July to Everyone!
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
Master Gardeners share information which is one of the perks about becoming a Master Gardener. Beverly wrote this email to me recently and knowing how devastating it is to have your squash plants devoured by pests like the squash vine borer, I wanted to send this on to you.
Ann, it may be too much information in more ways than one but do you think readers would like a follow up on the squash borers? I read advice to slice the affected stem to remove borer larvae and did that for the first time today. Sharon Law Wright and I were picking blackberries and checking on the plants in the north garden today and noticed frass on the kuri squash. The stem had a large opening. We opened it further with sharp secateurs and found the borer easily. One squash plant that I replanted in the Edible Landscape after removing borer damage has survived. We did the same thing with the otherwise healthy kuri squash today.
Beverly Allen, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2018
Today was a refreshing day in the garden. For the first time in over a year and a half, Raincatcher’s hosted a special garden tour. Our guests for the event were members of the Senior Adult Ministry at Park Cities Baptist Church. They came prepared for a warm sunny morning in the garden followed by a boxed lunch under the shade pavilion.
Jon Maxwell, Co-Leader of the garden, welcomed the group with comments about the Master Gardener program, our work at Raincatcher’s and the variety of gardening venues our volunteers manage on over an acre of land.
Next came a very educational and informative visit to the vegetable garden. Beverly Allen and Ruth Klein from our vegetable team highlighted the seasonal crops and different styles of vegetable gardening. The group was especially impressed with the “lasagna method” of preparing garden beds. A quick visit to the blackberry patch gave our guests a chance to pick and taste juicy, fresh blackberries.
Our featured snack during the vegetable garden visit was Tarragon Tomatoes made from freshly harvested Cherokee Carbon tomatoes and French tarragon from the edible landscape.
Next stop was with Abbe Bolich, Dallas County Master Gardener Association President. She inspired the group with suggestions for adding pollinator friendly plants to their home gardens. In celebration of National Pollinator Week (June 21 – 27), a snack of dried apricots topped with goat cheese and drizzled with local honey was happily shared. Fresh spearmint from the garden topped the treat.
The final stop on the tour was to the edible landscape garden with its cool, shady environment. Our guests were amazed to learn about the countless numbers of edible herbs and flowers growing in some of the themed garden beds; the Hügelkultur, Cottage Garden and Mediterranean beds. Freshly baked Lemon Verbena Bread made from our perennial lemon verbena plant left the group smiling and happy.
If you or your group are interested in visiting the garden or would like to schedule a tour, please reply in the comments section of our blog. We are thrilled to be “open” and ready to welcome guests to Raincatcher’s Garden of Midway Hills.
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
“The best cottage gardens look like they planted themselves”.
Raincatcher’s Cottage Garden Beginnings
January 2021 our cottage garden was still in the dream phase. Researching, studying and looking at pictures on the internet filled up most of our time. We had envisioned the look, but a great deal of work lay ahead before this distinctive style could be implemented into our existing Statuary bed. Our goal was to find the perfect blend of colorful edibles transitioning from season to season, much like a butterfly gently flutters among flowers blooming in the garden. We hoped the rhythm of a good design would guide us along the way.
The English invented the cottage garden, probably in the 1400’s when even the humblest plots of land were pressed into service to produce food for families. Every inch of earth counted—with herbs, fruit trees, and flowers (which attracted bees to pollinate crops) jammed close together. Aside from being practical, the effect was charming. And so, we chose two descriptive words to guide us in our adventure…we wanted our garden to be graceful and charming.
While studying Gertrude Jekyll’s philosophy (1843-1932), we learned that she popularized the informal borders associated with country houses in England and picket fences in the U.S. Instead of the fussy formal planting of the Victorian era, she advocated a more natural look with plants arranged by color, height and flowering season.
After a series of discussions with our team of volunteers, ideas were tossed out for consideration as we started the process of ordering seeds for a Spring presentation. Our time spent learning about the cottage garden style was especially beneficial as flowers were specifically chosen for the role they would play. Variety would create interest while selecting plants with the proper form and texture promised a more pleasing landscape design.
Guidelines used to establish a Texas version of our edible modern cottage garden were:
*Expand Boundaries – plant flowers at the edge of garden beds, allowing them to spill over onto paths.
*Consider Climate – select flowers, herbs and vegetables that are known to thrive locally.
*Embellish Gracefully – provide ways to produce focal points and places of interest. Plant shrubs among flowers to add height and structure.
*Lure Pollinators – use “bee and butterfly” friendly plants.
*Edit Sensibly – remove annuals at the proper time and groom perennials to maintain beauty.
*Evaluate and Experiment – cottage gardens evolve, seasonally. Remove plants that failed to flourish. Add new plant material, as needed, for variety.
Edible plants selected for our cottage garden include, but are not limited to, the following:
Spillers-to expand boundaries: having used scented pelargoniums in previous years, we were familiar with their growth habits and characteristics. For this project the varieties we chose were ‘Old Fashioned Rose’ and ‘Mrs. Tabor’s Red’. Tucked in between the pelargoniums we planted nasturtiums ‘Alaskan Mix’ to satisfy our 2021 variegated theme and to promote the spiller effect. The herbaceous evergreen perennial ‘Pink Chintz’ creeping thyme with its ground-hugging habit of growth brings a delicate texture to the perimeter of the garden.
Thrivers-previously used plant material proven to flourish in our Zone 8 climate: herbs in this category are the familiar basil varieties ‘Cardinal’ and ‘Red Rosie’. Onion chives were planted around the perimeter over two years ago and continue to thrive. Summer Phlox ‘Party Girl’ is a new addition with vintage appeal. ‘Iron Cross’ Oxalis is a frost tender perennial in bloom from June to November.
Embellishers-bring interest to the garden: two varieties of marigolds (tangerine and lemon gem) will bring delicate pops of yellow and orange to the design. ‘Pinks’ (Dianthus) that grew prolifically in many of our grandmother’s gardens provide little dots of color amongst the herbs and flowers. Wax leaf begonias and purple impatiens give long lasting seasonal color to the garden. For a striking touch of blue, Bachelor’s Buttons (Cornflower) add both drama and height. One carefully chosen coral drift rose bush was planted to grace each wedge. Three upright lavender scented pelargoniums softly embrace the centrally located garden statue.
Pollinators-bee and butterfly friendly plants: blue borage has been growing in our edible landscape for the past two years. Adding it to the cottage garden was an easy decision. Bees love those adorable star-shaped blue blossoms as much as we do. Echinacea is a reliable perennial that adds color and height. Radish flowers are not only tasty but attract beneficial insects to the garden. Some will be harvested, others will be allowed to bolt. Yellow yarrow is a pollinator friendly plant that is known to attract butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects. We added one yarrow plant to each wedge.
In conclusion: Six months later, the circular bed once referred to as our Statuary Garden has been reclaimed and given a new identity. Yes, the adorable bronze statue of a little boy and girl remained in its original location, a constant reminder that the entire edible landscape was once a much-loved children’s playground. The same four pie-shaped wedges now feel more relaxed with their harmonious gathering of edible flowers, herbs and a few vegetables. We are overjoyed with the seasonal arrangement of jewel tones displaying their glowy color palette. Varying shades of green gracefully weave their way through a tapestry of color bringing a sense of harmony to each bed. Our new ‘Cottage Garden’ stands proudly as the focal point of the edible landscape. As with the cottage gardens of old, we are hopeful that ours will evolve slowly over time, changing with the seasons yet always impressing with its charm. Please enjoy your visit to our garden whenever possible.
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
You may have seen Curry plant (Helichrysum italicum) at local garden centers. Its silvery-gray to silver-green leaves are needle-like in shape, much like lavender or rosemary. Crushing the leaves gently in between your fingers, that familiar curry-like fragrance is easily released. If you happen to be in the garden after a refreshing rain, the scent intensifies.
The Curry plant is a perennial with a bushy growth habit reaching to about 28 inches. It is in the daisy family (Asteraceae), and is related to many other herbs such as the marigold, dandelion, tarragon and chamomile. As is typical of herbs that originated from the Mediterranean it prefers a dry, sunny location. Planting in less humid, even sandy soils which have good drainage is recommended. Water sparingly and avoid a damp, moist location. During the flowering period, usually between late June and mid-September, it produces relatively small, bright yellow flowers.
This easy to grow shrub usually requires no fertilizer. At Raincatcher’s we have grown it in the same spot for several years, choosing to mix in a little compost in early spring. Although the Curry plant is frost hardy, the extreme winter temperatures this year did cause some damage to our plants. We gave them a careful spring trimming which has helped to regenerate and restore most of the plants.
Not to be confused with the spice called curry, curry plant is used in many different recipes including rice, pasta, paella, vegetable dishes, soups and meat dishes. Curry leaves are best enjoyed when freshly chopped. Branches can also be used for cooking certain dishes but should be removed before consuming. (For clarification, curry powder is a combination of herbal seeds and other seasonings including coriander, pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, cumin, turmeric and various other spices.)
In England, fresh curry plant leaves are chopped up and used in a cream cheese spread on sandwiches. From Germany, a recipe using a combination of herbal seeds and spices caught my eye. Curry plant leaves are stir fried into the mix. It is an Indian style potato dish topped with yogurt and mango chutney. Figs and curry plant leaves are used to decorate the dish.
For a multi-cultural experience, give curry a place in your garden.
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
If you are like me, you dread the thought of pests like the squash vine borer invading your garden. Beverly sent this helpful note this afternoon with a few tips.
I have been enjoying the stunning growth of the squash “volunteers” around Raincatcher’s. Last year’s plants dropped seeds that have become this year’s squash plants. Having a big concern about squash borers, I read up on the subject.
It seemed necessary to check each plant daily for the sawdust colored frass (poop) that appears at the stem when the larva is present.
After a week of wondering if I would be able to identify it, eureka! The squash plant below was planted in the Sensory Garden of the Edible Landscape. It went from healthy looking to kind of unhealthy looking overnight.
The next picture shows a close-up of the frass. I removed the diseased section of the plant and replanted the remainder of the squash plant with 3 nodes in the soil.
Extra mulch seems to be helping other squash plants evade the borer so far. Continued vigilance will help us to slow down the squash borer population at least a little bit.
Beverly Allen, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2018
Many years ago at our Joe Field Location we had a lunch with every menu item made from squash starting with squash blossoms quesadillas! Links to the articles are provided below.
Planning your garden can be panic inducing. What do I plant? Do I start from seed or transplant? I like squash but so do squash borers (a lot)!
When planning our gardens we keep the basics in mind like irrigation plans, soil, light, and available space. But what to plant and when?
You might find it helpful to start with some tasty and easy to grow plants. Here are some plants with minimal requirements other than regular watering starting with okra as early as July.
Okra, seed outdoors in July or August. Harvest the pods every two or three days. Slice in half lengthwise, toss in olive oil, and roast in the oven at 425֯ F for 15 minutes or so.
Swiss Chard, seed outdoors mid-August to late September. It grows in hot and cold weather and usually can be harvested all year. Remove stems and sauté as you would spinach.
Radishes, seed outdoors late September to mid-November. Many varieties take only 25 days until ready for harvest. The French Breakfast variety was a favorite with the vegetable team this year. Serve thinly sliced on buttered bread or a whole wheat tortilla.
Artichokes (perennial!), plant transplants in mid-October. We get many compliments on the beauty of the artichokes in the Edible Landscape at The Raincatcher’s Garden. You may harvest the globes or allow them to develop into an eye catching and exotic looking flower.
Happy gardening!
Beverly Allen, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2018
Gardening in North Texas has a unique set of challenges. We know there’s always a story to be told and advice to share, from coping with the scorching, dry summer heat to planting in the unforgiving, heavy clay soil. Part of our mission at Dallas Garden Buzz is to share our journey through the triumphs and missteps of gardening. To that end, we are delighted to announce the new partnership between the Dallas County Master Gardener Association (DCMGA) and PlantTAGG!
What is PlantTAGG?
PlantTAGG is the most technically advanced mobile solution for helping gardeners learn about and care for their plants. It’s FREE to use; and because it’s a web app, there’s nothing to download or install and no credentials to remember. PlantTAGG uses patented formulas to analyze data from NOAA, USDA, Texas A&M AgriLife, and Master Gardeners from around the country. This data is turned into accurate, easy-to-follow plant care guidance localized for your yard and plants.
Beyond the technology, PlantTAGG’s goals to educate gardeners blends seamlessly with the mission of the Master Gardener program. Abbe Bolich, President of the DCMGA, said it best,
“We’re thrilled to partner with PlantTAGG on this exciting new program. Our shared mission to educate the public about best horticultural practices really comes to life in our community gardens with this new mobile experience.”
What does the partnership mean for Dallas gardeners?
This partnership sets the gold standard in gardening by coupling sophisticated, easy-to-use technology with proven, research-based horticultural information for gardeners of all levels. As part of the partnership, we’re rolling out PlantTAGG-enabled gardens across the DCMGA ecosystem – and Raincatcher’s Garden is one of the first to benefit from this new mobile experience.
It’s easy to use PlantTAGG in the DCMGA gardens – as you can see in this quick video:
For now, you can also try the PlantTAGG mobile experience at R&B 1, Bath House Cultural Center, Lakewood Elementary School Gardens, and Plano East Senior High Pollinator Garden. Other community gardens will launch in the coming weeks, including the Texas Discovery Master Gardeners’ Garden.
What’s next?
Come and see us! We’d love for you to visit Raincatcher’s (or any of the DCMGA gardens) and try out the new PlantTAGG-enabled mobile experience.
DALLAS GARDEN BUZZ 