How Our Garden Grows . . .

Forsythia bushes turn green so quickly we always cut and savor the bright canary foliage that marks the arrival of Spring at Cafe Drake HRV.

Rau ram a/k/a Vietnamese cilantro can be "rooted" in water. We purchase the cut herb at Asian markets, trim with a sterile knife and place in small containers filled with water. After a week or two, tiny white roots appear and then the entire cutting can be planted. Now indispensable in the Cafe Drake HRV kitchens, rau ram does require special growing conditions to be noted - warm, humid air, lots of water and shade from the mid-day sun. This method works with a handful of other herbs but be sure to change the water EVERY day or you'll end up with rotting, wilted cuttings and no root growth.

Thinning seedlings is such sad work for us, but necessary to allow veggies and flowers to mature fully. At least with radish sprouts, seen above, they end up not on the compost heap but atop salads and soups. Hint: rinse and place a small, artfully arranged mound on your next cheese plate.

Soon our many varieties of lettuce and Italian salad greens will need thinning as well. And like radish seedlings they'll be consumed with glee.

Severe pruning to the ground and heavy mulching helped peony (seen above) and raspberry bushes survive a long, harsh winter.

Mint surprised us this Spring by popping up early and weathering two late-season snow storms.

Lovage is far more resilient than we gave credit.

Now that the days are warmer Lloyd feels confident sticking out his tongue at Old Man Winter. Not so much, last week.

Comfy lounge chairs for all sunbathers are available at Cafe Drake HRV.

"Why won't these silly seedlings behind me GROW already??"