Among the many benefits of growing one's own flowers - they can be enjoyed both inside and out.
It's always so nice to walk through the gardens and see a multitude of beautiful and colorful blooms. I also love using fresh, fragrant flowers to display in my home. Yesterday, my housekeeper, Enma Sandoval, made several arrangements using some the gorgeous flowers still going strong - the dahlias, the zinnias, and the roses.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I grow many flowers every year, so they can be cut and used for photography shoots, videos or to display in my kitchen, servery, and sitting rooms.
There are new dahlias popping up every day. Dahlias come in shades of pink, red, yellow, orange, purple, white, and various combinations of these colors.
Dahlias produce an abundance of blooms throughout early summer and again in late summer until the first freeze.
The various forms range from charming single, daisy-like flowers to the popular double varieties which can range from the two-inch-pompons to 12-inch dinner plate size. They are divided into 10 groups: single, anemone, collarette, waterlily, decorative, fall, pompon, cactus, semi-cactus, and miscellaneous.
The majority of dahlia species do not produce scented flowers, but they are brightly colored to attract pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies.
To prevent wilting, cut only in the early morning or late afternoon. And only cut them after they open to mature size – dahlias will not open after cutting.
Enma cut so many beautiful blooms – hard not to cut more; they are all so pretty.
Down by my chicken coops in my former vegetable garden, I now have a space dedicated to annuals, where varieties could be organized in beds by size, color, and bloom time. This week, some of the big showers are these zinnias.
Also showing wonderfully are the roses. My Martha Stewart hybrid tea rose has large pink blooms and a most intoxicating and sweet fragrance.
After bringing the flowers inside, it’s important to get them in water right away. Enma removes any leaves that would otherwise end up below the water line. Leaves and flowers that sit below the water line can rot.
Then she carefully pours water into the vase as quickly as possible. Fill the vase to about three-fourths of its height. This amount allows the flowers to absorb enough water to stay healthy and vibrant. And be sure to keep it filled and change the water regularly.
For this arrangement, Enma chooses shades of orange and gold zinnias. Zinnias are native to Mexico and Central America. The Aztecs originally called them “plants that are hard on the eyes” because of their colorful flowers. Zinnia is named after Johann Gottfried Zinn, a German botany professor who discovered the plants and brought them to Europe in the 1700s.
Zinnias are the simplest of flowers – a favorite of my dad. They come in extraordinary colors and sizes and shapes and are easily grown in one short season.
The next arrangement – dahlias. The dahlia is named after the Swedish 18th century botanist Anders Dahl, who originally declared the flower a vegetable, as the tubers are edible, but eating dahlias as a delicacy never grew popular.
Enma selects the largest and most striking flowers to be the focal point of the arrangement.
Then she follows up with other blooms to fill surrounding spaces. Dahlia stems are hollow, so they absorb water quickly through the outer layers.
Out in the garden, cut the stems long and then trim to adjust for the vase being used. Enma cut these just right to fit my vessels.
The next arrangement uses dahlias and roses. Do you see the beautiful Martha Stewart hybrid tea roses?
Enma made big arrangements and small. Sometimes, just a handful of flowers in a smaller glass vase is all one needs. Flower arrangements do not have to be huge or elaborate to be stunning.
These dahlias are on my kitchen counter, which like yours is the hub of my home, where I often take calls, have meetings, and gather with guests – everyone can enjoy the flowers as soon as they come inside.
This dahlia arrangement is on the center island in my servery.
The zinnia arrangement was placed on a table in my sitting room.
Here is Enma placing dahlias on my entrance hall table under the wing of my falcon.
I hope you can bring in some of the beauty of the outdoors inside, and enjoy the colors and fragrances of your garden’s flowers.
Strawberries are among the easiest berries to grow. They're cold-hardy, adaptable, and can be planted in both garden beds and containers. Here at the farm, I am moving my strawberry patch to three long beds in the vegetable garden, so I can grow more delicious, sweet fruits to pick next summer.
In past seasons, I've grown my strawberries in beds behind my main greenhouse, where they had nutrient-rich, well-draining soil and lots of full sun. In their new location they will have the same excellent conditions plus more room to grow and thrive.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Think back to those juicy summer strawberries. Strawberries are among the most popular fruits here in the United States. I love eating strawberries fresh from the garden or as jams and jellies I make myself. Do you know why it is called a “strawberry”? One theory is that woodland pickers strung them on pieces of straw to carry them to market. Others believe the surface of the fruit looks embedded with bits of straw. Still others think the name comes from the Old English word meaning “to strew,” because the plant’s runners stray in all directions as if strewn on the ground.
I grow strawberries every year. For the move, three new beds are prepped in the vegetable garden with organic soil that was fed and raked. Two lines of twine are set up down the entire length of the bed to delineate two separate mounds for the plants.
I use Miracle-Gro Raised Bed & Garden Soil, which is filled with slow release fertilizers that provide a steady supply of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, essential for fruiting.
Matthew carefully digs a trench in the center creating a mound on either side for the strawberry plants.
The trenches should be large enough to accommodate the roots without bending them. Strawberries also need slightly acidic soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.8.
Matt uses a spade to lift the soil and transfer it to the designated mounds, while keeping the center trench neat and tidy.
Matt then shapes the two side mounds. Growing strawberries on these small hills improves drainage, provides more air circulation, and allows for proper spacing, which is essential for fruit size and crop yield.
The mounds are about six to eight inches tall – plenty of room for growing roots. Matthew is careful to make neat, rounded mounds for the strawberry runners.
Here is a view after the mounds are properly shaped and tamped down. These beds with the middle dug out will also make it easier to walk through and harvest fruits next summer.
Matt covers the entire bed with weed fabric. I like to use a durable and thick fabric that can last through the winter. Here, Matthew cuts it to size.
Matt pulls the cloth taut, so it fits nicely over the bed.
Using garden sod staples, Matthew secures the fabric onto the bed.
These staples are easy to find at garden stores and can be used in these raised garden beds or on the ground to secure weed fabric or pieces of sod.
Using a knife, Matthew cuts holes in the fabric to accommodate the plants.
He cuts an “x” in the fabric and then folds the cut sides under the cloth, so a square hole is made for planting.
As Matt cuts holes, Phurba plants. Strawberry plants can be placed about six to eight inches apart.
Planting strawberries at the right depth is important – if the crown is buried, the plant could easily rot. Be sure to plant strawberries in mid-spring or early fall, when soil is warm, to give them the best chance of survival.
Once the plant is at its proper depth, Phurba backfills and tamps down lightly to ensure good contact with the soil.
Some of the plants are confused and showing off flowers, which typically bloom in spring.
Among the varieties planted – ‘Jewel,’ ‘Galletta,’ ‘AC Valley Sunset,’ ‘Earliglow,’ ‘Sparkle,’ and ‘Honeoye.’ I am sure these strawberries will thrive here and, once established, produce lots of flavorful sweet summertime fruits.
Here at my farm, there is always a long list of tasks to complete - among the most recent, replacing an old refrigerator in the prep kitchen of my guest house studio.
Because my prep kitchen is used for multiple events and shoots, sometimes with several chefs and assistants working in the space at once, it's important to ensure all the appliances are always in excellent condition. Some time ago, I noticed my Viking refrigerator was more than 27-years old and in need of updating. I replaced it with another durable and dependable Viking unit that is energy-efficient and able to cool a large supply of foods effectively.
Here are some photos and tips for selecting and installing one of the most important appliances in the home, enjoy.
I’ve used Viking for years. And after almost three decades of reliable performance, it was time to replace this side-by-side Viking refrigerator. While it was still functioning well, it was starting to show some regular wear and tear on its components, which could not keep up with the heavy demand of our food prep sessions.
How a refrigerator is used directly affects its lifespan. For busy families, a unit constantly overloaded with items may not cool as effectively. One that is also under high traffic, frequently opened and closed, can experience temperature fluctuations, impacting its longevity. Here is the team removing the old refrigerator.
This team works methodically and carefully. This old unit is wheeled out without touching a thing.
The new Viking professional VCBB5364RSS00 refrigerator is unloaded from the truck. This unit is a 36-inch bottom-freezer refrigerator. I felt this design may be more suitable for the prep kitchen.
When measuring for a new refrigerator, be sure to get height, width, and depth of the new space as well as any doorways that are in its transportation path.
The team manually transports this unit into the kitchen the same way the old unit left – without marring any walls or furniture.
Modern refrigerators are generally lighter than their predecessors because of the use of lighter construction materials and energy-efficient parts. It doesn’t take long to get the new unit into the kitchen.
The new refrigerator fits perfectly – thanks to good measuring.
Before rolling it completely into place, check the refrigerator for adjustable feet. Most modern units, like this Viking, will be equipped with leveling systems that can be raised or lowered to ensure stability and good fit.
The fridge is now level and can easily be wheeled into its permanent position.
All the protective cardboard and plastic wraps, and any information cards are removed.
The refrigerator’s main compartment is very roomy. The bottom-freezer design allows for easy access to all items. The Adjustable Humidity Zone™ Drawers have humidity controls for food preservation and a soft-close feature to prevent any damage.
Lighting inside the compartment uses bright and energy-efficient LED elements at the top and on the sidewalls.
The temperature panel provides ProChill™ Temperature Management with electronic controls and a digital readout. It is also built with a single and quiet compressor system.
The door is outfitted with metal bins to securely hold all necessary items.
The Plasmacluster™ Ion Air Purifier uses advanced technology to eliminate any airborne bacteria and mold particles and odors.
It has deep, roomy, and durable freezer compartments for storage.
And the freezer has a large-capacity automatic ice maker and bucket.
The exterior is stainless steel, which is highly resistant to rust, corrosion and staining – a long-lasting option for heavy use kitchen appliances. I know I will get many years of use out of this Viking refrigerator.
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