Winter in the Garden

Winter is prime time for garden planning, and savoring the bounty in seed catalogs with a warm cuppa is a cozy way to cheer up cold grey days!

Morning cuppa

A favorite organic gardener and chef in Wales, Gaz Oakley, reminds us to consider flavor, and include heritage varieties! A vegan himself, he has a little flock of retired rescue hens, in charge of pest management, providing companionship and fertility - and his neighbors are grateful for the eggs!

Black cap raspberries

From my garden journal, 2006, "For too long vegetable gardening has been obsessed with shape and SIZE. Better that care be lavished from tilth to table on growing tasty food, whose beauty is a bi-product to be relished." Montague Don, the Sensuous gardener.

In a later chapter, Don comments that there was a shift to growing for size and quantity when men took on a larger role, as there's 'an inbuilt relationship between Horticulture and gastronomy when the person(s) cooking/ preparing the food is involved!'

Garlic Chives, Artichoke, Green Onions, Parsley, Mountain mint, Swiss chard

In this morning's stroll around the poteger - my little dooryard garden - I gathered mountain mint, pineapple sage and rosemary for my tea; parsley, chard, dandelion and mallow leaves, kale, savory, thyme, oregano, onion and chives for a stir fry.

Herbs are an incredible resource, offering phytonutrients, and boosting the immune system! Many are perennial, and stay green year round. In my Pacific NW climate, I can gather fresh herbs and greens most days - and our garden is organic.

I added the fresh herbs to a handful of dried raspberry and nettle, plus a bag of 'Boston tea' for the last 5 minutes. With the greens, that's over a dozen different plants on my plate/ in my cup already!

Pineapple Sage

It's been unusually mild this winter, so many which would usually die back are still green! In the back garden, there's more chard, Perennial kale, and a nice crop of arugula! I topped each of my beds with leaves for a cozy winter blanket.

In colder years, row covers protect the beds from frost, and cover crops provide more greens!

Field peas, pansy, chickweed, broad beans

I feel SO fortunate to live in an area with a good gardening climate, and many local organic farmers who grow for health, sustainability and flavor! Severally local shops carry this local organic fare, and we have a year round farmers market!

Grow what you want to see ending up on your plate
grow herbs
grow close
harvest young
eat fresh.

Do you have garden planning on your mind?

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