The June Garden

I skipped so many spring blog posts of the garden (tagged on Instagram as #1stPlaceBK) that I realized I'd better post something early summerish before August. It's not for lack of interest. I am just perpetually five items behind on my To Do list, and blogging comes very last, right now. It's an indulgence, timewise, which I miss. Today I managed to cross off bottling seven quarts of linden flower, elder and honeysuckle cordials, two quarts of flower vinegars, processing 10 lbs of serviceberries, staking 27 lilies (how is that possible?) and the tall nicotianas before a big storm front hit, and building a small bamboo trellis for the scarlet runner beans I planted (with hummingbirds in mind). Still five items behind. So I'm blogging. That was not on the list.

Early summer and the oakleaf hydrangea (above, center) is in full bloom, with the bees ecstatic about it. Honeybees and carpenter bees visit and can barely stagger away with their fat pollen sacs. The hostas have begun to flower. Their crisp, sculptural leaves are a lifesaver in the pots close to the house, where they receive some sun in the mornings in midsummer, but none later and earlier in the year.

One plant of Geranium x cantabrigiense 'Biokovo,' dating back to the Harlem terrace, has now filled five pots. It spreads quickly and is a very good filler for semi shady spots. It flowers prolifically from mid May to mid June. Beside it is a small-leafed Heuchera, which might be Heuchera sanguinea 'Snow Storm.' Behind them are Ligularia japonica, whose huge leaves add interest to the tricky western side of the garden dominated by the ivy wall. Very shady until late in the day when the western sun gives these pots a blast for an hour or two.

After I discovered a local cat in the garden I made a second birdbath nearer the house, between the ostrich ferns and the Rodgersia. The cat was staking out a more secluded one.

Bad cat! It climbed straight up and down the fence (I photographed it through the closed glass kitchen door). Yes, I miss having a cat of our own, very much. I spend a lot of time alone, and a cat companion is still my favourite kind. No, we may not have a cat. Them's the rules. End of story. So we watch for possums, instead.

This side of the garden faces east, with direct sun in the mornings, and also gets some western sun, so I have packed a lot in. As common as they are the two hydrangeas that I bought after we moved here give me great pleasure. They are full, easy to look after, and bloom for a very long time, staggered over months. And they take both summer's blazing heat and the Deep Dark of Winter. The so-called peegee (Hydrangea paniculata) blooms later - I don't even see buds, yet.

A late freeze in spring nailed some of my lily bulbs, which rotted after I had overwintered them carefully in peat-filled baggies in the fridge. But some regal lilies escaped harm and are looking beautiful. At their feet are some South African bulbs - pineapple lily, or Eucomis. They will bloom in late July, I think. 'Black Lace' elderflower on the right.

The fig (rear, above) that the Frenchman bought for me last year, and which the Gowanus Nursery very kindly delivered (it was very heavy) has fruit again - the main crop, on new growth. I am expecting a bird net to be delivered any day now, and then I will wrap it. I lost all the breba figs (on old wood) to some bird. or maybe the dang squirrel/s.

The Nicotiana mutabilis from Annie's Annuals turned out to be mostly lime green, but two were correct. Annie's sent me a gift voucher for the balance to make up for it, after I sent them some pictures and explained what had happened. Very good customer service. In the meantime, many Nicotiana volunteers have germinated in pots, and I have transplanted some to see what they turn out to be. I have grown N. sylvestris, alatus and mutabilis before, and they could be any of those. Again, hopeful hummingbird buffet.

The lovely thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana) I planted the same fall that we moved in (2015). It has filled in nicely and has very tall threadlike stems and dancing flowers, each about an inch across.

The chartreuse Nicotiana don't look bad - I do like them. Especially as a backdrop for the complicated seedpods of Fritillaria raddeana (the frittilarias were a big success in spring).

Some grey sugar peas made it into the perennial beds. They are exquisite. The foxgloves bloomed this year for the first time - I planted them last year, also from Annie's. Unpromisingly named 'Polkadot Pippa' but billed to be everblooming. I'll deadhead and let you know.

And last, one of two perennials that predated our arrival - the ubiquitous day lily (Hemerocallis fulva), long limbed and useful to me because it is edible. And I love the flowers. I divided a massive clump and planted it in two spots.

Next post? Fruits! Or maybe vegetables.

We'll see.

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Forage Walk, Captured

Photos: Michael Grimm

On my last scheduled plant walk of the summer, on a very, very hot Sunday, we walked through the coolth of Prospect Park. I changed our route to follow the trees. It was nice to have along several neighborhood friends, as well as walkers who attend so often they have frequent walker miles (FWM - I am working on appropriate rewards...).

Ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria) - very invasive in New York - is in prolific bloom in June. Its celery like spring leaves are a very good salad addition, raw. Cooked they add depth to vegetable and as well as meaty stews, stocks and soups. I have had a lot of fun with ground elder and its early flower buds, this year. Many recipes have evolved. Now, the flowers themselves are flavourful, and a little later the seeds, resembling fennel, but without its anise, are a year long spice rack staple.

Purple flowering raspberry - above - is the beautiful and indigenous Rubus odoratus. Its fruits are like flattened raspberries and look a lot like its close relative, thimble berry (Rubus parvifolius), which has white flowers. Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius), to be confusing, is an invasive cousin with glossy berries and very furry red canes.

We found late second year garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) plants, setting seed. If you are patient enough to gather them, the dried seeds, contained in those narrow pods, are a very good and hot mustard.

 Good walker, taking notes.

And after all the walking and talking, we get to picnic. We shared a yogurt ramp cheese with mugwort crackers, quails eggs with ground elder and mugwort dipping salts, cattail pollen and honey and elder cordial madeleines, and serviceberry tartlets. A bucket of ice each would have been a nice touch. One day.

While the scheduled walks have come to a close as I work on my wild foods recipe book, the door is still open for pop up walks and impromptu cocktail strolls. If you would like to be on my mailing list, please get in touch. You can also follow my daily foraging adventures on Instagram, @66squarefeet.

(For the photos, thank you to Michael Grimm, who joined the walk and took many pictures, despite the dark looks I gave him.)

Soweto Day

Photo of Hector Pieterson (carried), 12 years old: Sam Nzima

16 June 1976.

It is easy to forget, and many refuse to remember. To understand now, look back, then.

Oot and aboot

...as the Canadians say.

On the streets of the hood, before three days of bloating heat (98'F/37'C today, relieved very soon by more humane temperatures) there have been flowers.

This extraordinary rose is 'Veilchenblau,' growing on the fence around the peerless Gowanus Nursery on Columbia Street, a few blocks from where we live and on the other side of the sunken and roaring Brooklyn Queens Expressway, known better locally as the BQE.

I ride my bike a lot. Best present ever. I don't go far,  but all over the nearby neighborhoods. I stopped to visit the rose on my way back from Brooklyn Bridge Park, where I had been given permission to harvest some cattails. It was a lot of fun - involving red rubber boots boots and wading.

Further east on another mission I stopped on Bond Street to see these hot roses.

On Court street this corner garden is always a delight. 

Otherwise? I have been busy picking serviceberries, finding elderflowers, huting linden blossoms, baking, testing, brewing, bottling, gardening, writing, walking with foragers, and then repeat. Also washing dishes, doing laundry, and vacuuming (I really resent housework but I can't concentrate on work if it's not done). 

So, you know, life. But the botanical clock does not stop, and I am marching to its orders. I just can't WAIT for the temperatures to drop a promised 20 degrees. 

Phew.

Prospect Park Wild Foods Walk

Prospect Park [sold out - please email me to join my mailing list]

11 June 2017 

12.30 pm - 2.30pm

$45.00

There are just four spots left on this Sunday's walk in Prospect Park. It is probably my last walk of the season, as I focus on the cookbook I am writing.

Early summer has brought The Big Green to city parks: Trees are in luxuriant leaf, ground elder is in bloom, cup plants are climbing skywards and mugwort is taking over the world. 

Early June is elderflower time - we'll talk about how to make classic elderflower cordial. The shrub is easy to grow at home, too. 

June is also the harbinger of tilia (linden) blossom - where for 10 to 14 days in the year New York actually smells fantastic.

We walk, talk, scratch and sniff (plants, not each other) and gather at the end for a tasting picnic of wild flavors. It will feature a pâté of roasted carrots with elderflower cordial and elderflower vinegar, home made ramp and wild herb cheese, quails eggs with ground elder dipping salt, mugwort crackers, and cattail madeleines (or maybe serviceberries hand pies - haven't decided yet! Votes?).

A confirmation email with more details will be sent to walkers after they sign up.

SOLD OUT, sorry!

The stinking rose

My 12 (foot) x 12 vegetable plot at the back of our garden has at last yielded decent garlic. I planted eight rows, total, late last fall. Two short rows each of four kinds of garlic. The garlic above was planted from organic New York state bulbs, bought at the greenmarket (farmers market, for non New Yorkers) last fall. I pulled it earlier than I should have, but I needed the space for some bush beans and it was hogging a sunny spot. Key word: sunny.

The little garlics on the table above, left, are big enough to pickle. So they have been pickled. They are delicious to scrunch up on their own, with some toast, maybe, to add to curries, or drop into Gibsons.

There are the pretty ones, again. I'm afraid we have eaten half, already. The rest are in a petite braid, curing in a window.

What remains? Four more rows, including some elephant garlic, above, which has produced fatly beautiful scapes. These are finding their way into bright green spring minestrones, pestos and crunchy bruschetta.

Otherwise? After a quick dash around the garden with a cup of coffee it's mostly recipe writing and testing at my desk. Which is also the dining table, in winter. When I get worried about how well I am doing I remind myself that here are worse jobs. It's a little like playing, professionally, with occasional glimpses of glory (ramp leaf dumplings, tonight, for example, preceded by a ground elder cocktail that would have knocked my socks off, if I had been wearing any...).

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June 11 Forage Walk