Most flowers are easily dried by hanging them upside down in a space where they get plenty of air. I have an old dry sink with a bar across the top I inherited from my grandma. That’s my favorite flower drying rack.

Here are some of the flowers I’ve been drying. In the picture I have some gypsophila, roses, daisies, yellow yarrow, and a couple more dried flowers.

Do you dry any of your summer blooms for fall and winter crafting?

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I think they’re blooms are one of the most interesting in my summer garden. The hummingbirds love Monarda too.

Bee Balm is a wonderful plant for naturalizing, in fact it tends to spread, so it’s great for meadows and open fields. The spreading is not hard to control with a little weeding. The runners run right under the surface of the ground so plants that come up where they’re not supposed to are easily removed.

Bee Balm is also known as Oswego Tea because its blooms and leaves can be brewed into a wonderful tea.

Bee Balm enjoys full sun, but can also grow in partial shade. They really like a well mulched area with rich compost, but they will thrive in most conditions. They’re a perennial, so they’ll come back and reward you with blooms year after year.

I would recommend planting a patch of Monarda on a hillside, then setting up a bench or sitting area nearby. When your Monarda is in bloom sit quietly and check out the beautiful blooms, and you’ll probably get to enjoy the butterflies and hummingbirds that love your bee balm blooms too.

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Unlike a French omelet, which is usually made for one, an Italian frittata can serve several people. Frittata’s can also be sliced into single portions and frozen for the week making for an easy breakfast. Just heat it in the microwave!

The best part is it’s a fabulous way to use the fresh rosemary, leeks, and basil growing right outside your front door.

This summer garden recipe is courtesy of Atkins, and is part of their 2 week menu.

Garden Frittata

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 small leeks, white part and 1 green, washed and thinly sliced
• 8 small cauliflower florets cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup fresh mushrooms, quartered
• 8 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons basil, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat broiler. Heat oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and cauliflower; sauté until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms; cook 5 minutes, until mushrooms begin to give off liquid. Reduce heat to low. Pour eggs into skillet, stirring slightly. Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cook, stirring frequently, until eggs begin to form small curds and set. Add cheese and lightly press into egg mixture with a spatula.
4. Place skillet under broiler; cook until top is set but not brown, about 1 minute. Cool slightly. To remove frittata whole, tip skillet to one side and use a spatula to loosen edges. Slide onto a serving platter; cut into wedges.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Net Carbs: 4 grams Total
Carbs: 5 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Protein: 10 grams
Fat: 15 grams
Calories: 197

Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

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Here’s what’s blooming in my garden right now.

Tons of lilies are in full bloom and looking fabulous.

The Bee Balm is just starting to grow it’s crazy blooms.

The tomatoes are blooming like crazy, and I have green tomatoes growing in all shapes and sizes.

What’s blooming in your garden?

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The flowering cabbage looks like a firework that just exploded.

The flowering kale looks like those fireworks or sparklers that have lights going straight out.

The cinnamon basil looks like fireworks on full display, with the little lights trailing behind.

The lilies look like fireworks just starting to explode.

Have a wonderful 4th of July, and enjoy your real fireworks!

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It doesn’t take much to set up a quiet spot in the garden. You already have nature all around you to help you relax.

What can you add to your garden to help make it your relaxation oasis?

• My favorite spot in the garden is a comfortable bench.
• A hammock makes a nice place to take a rest in the garden. I think I’d love one of those hammock swings.
• Add a water feature, both fountains and ponds are relaxing and soothing. Let the sound of the water and the birds wash over you.
• Set up a grape arbor with a porch swing underneath, then sit under the vines and swing the night away.
• Just take a blanket out, lay it on the ground and enjoy a good book among the flowers.

How do you relax in the garden?

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As the little girl watches over the next few weeks little Emily starts and raises her family in the nest she builds in the window flower box.

“Emily The Chickadee” is one of three heartwarming stories about Emily by Carol Zelaya. In the series Carol hopes Emily will inspire other children to love nature, like the little chickadee inspired her while she was growing up.

I really enjoyed the story of Emily and her family. It is a fun story with some great nature lessons for children. It’s a great way to inspire a love of nature in children. Find out more about Emily and her family at EmilyTheChickadee.com or buy the book at Amazon.com.

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Stella De Oro blooms from early June to late July, and even into August in our area. No other lily in my garden blooms nearly that long. Most put on  spectacular show, but they’re done blooming in a couple weeks.

It may not have all the different colors available, but I love plants that bloom most of the summer. Stella De Oro also wins points for being very low maintenance, and coming back year after year without any fuss or special care.

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Some of our walk was through the woods, and down around a small pond. Check out the milkweeds. It always makes me happy to see milkweed pods, I know it makes the butterflies happy too.

Here was the first butterfly we saw.

And a few more beautiful flowers.

These coneflowers are just starting to bloom.

I loved the wild roses.

It was a fabulous tour of Mother Nature’s garden.

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I’ll have plants come up for several years, then suddenly nothing and I have to replace them. They’re definitely worth the fuss. I love the scent of lavender, and I use it in so many ways. It’s a wonderful dried flower in arrangements, it turns out very nice when you press it too.

I have several recipes for potpourris with lavender, and tussie mussies wouldn’t be the same.

One of my favorite essential oils is lavender, because it can instantly calm my nerves when I’m feeling frazzled.

Make a lavender bath bag to help you unwind at the end of the day.

Put a few drops of essential oil on a cloth and use it as a dryer sheet for a fresh scent even when you can’t hang your clothes out on the line.

Lavender also has anti bacterial properties, so it’s a good essential oil to keep on hand.

Image via istockphoto.com

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