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Latham
Weather Courtesy of:
Have a Look
Around the Site:
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Be a Guest Gardener:
Gardeners love to learn from other gardeners "over the fence." We would love to include a tour and/or an article from one of our readers!
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Contact Information:
E-Mail:
Click
to contact us.
Telephone:
(518) 785-4210
Address:
760 Troy Schenectady Rd.
Latham, NY 12110
Hours:
Mon-Fri 7:30-5:00
Sat 8:00-5:00
Sun 9:00-4:00
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Quotation of the Week:
"Chance was to work in the garden, where he would care for plants and grasses and trees which grew there peacefully. He would be as one on them: quiet, open hearted in the sunshine and heavy when it rained."
~Jerzy Kozinski |
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What really is a cottage garden? When, where, and why did it originate?
Cottage gardens are indigenous to European cultures where people had
small plots of land of their own. Every square inch of land would be
covered with something of purpose, from cutting flowers to herbs and
roses for culinary and medicinal purposes, to vegetables and fruit trees,
- without crowding or sacrificing plant health.
The cottage garden evolution began when food cultivation became a production
industry and left the family (or city) garden, and when botanists began
to explore the world, collecting and returning with new plants that
sparked a renewed interest in gardening.
Cottage gardens soon were filled with hardy annuals, perennials and
vegetables surrounding cottage type homes. They were loose, free flowing,
and planted for beauty and pleasure instead of medicinal purposes, though
herbs are often still incorporated. Many impressionist painters sought
to capture the look on canvas, perhaps none so well as Monet's
garden series. Monet's cottage garden that inspired his masterpieces
can still be visited in Giverny, France.
Today, the cottage garden look is becoming popularized again. Into
these lovely, colorful, free-flowing gardens, shabby-chic furniture
and garden décor create a beautiful, inviting, and easy-to-relax-in
outdoor living space. We are drifting away from shrub-lined homes and
into waves of color, fragrance and motion.
We would like to introduce you to a number of perennials that are perfect
for any cottage garden. But don't forget other fabulous possibilities
such as roses, ornamental grasses, and vegetables (the artichoke, from the
thistle family, has a beautiful flower!). Here is our 'short'
list of perennials. There are many more; you will just have to come
into the garden center to see them all.
These are all sun-loving flowering perennials. But if you have a shade
garden, you can have the cottage garden look, too. That's right!
When you come to see us, let us know your favorite sun and shade combinations.
Lucky for us, and thanks to the plant finders of the world, our choices
are enormous.
Click
here for ideas for your cottage garden! |
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Lawns are put to the test this time of year. Any weakness in water coverage, soil nutrition, or weed control shows up in the heat of summer. Now is the time to recheck your sprinkler system. Plugged or broken heads need to be fixed or replaced. Brown patterned circles in your lawn generally indicate a sprinkler head has been plugged by a grain of sand or has become a victim of a vicious lawn mower attack.
The irrigation system in flower beds should also be inspected. Many times we plant in front of a sprinkler. This is not a problem when the plant is small, but it can result in disaster for other plants in the bed as the new guy grows and blocks the water for the others. Make the necessary adjustment and watch your plants flourish.
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Let's face it, working in your garden or watering your lawn is not easy while yellowjackets are buzzing around you. The yellowjacket could be searching for food or trying to protect the nest it carefully constructed during the past season.
Although wasps are helpful in pollination, and some varieties actually feed on insects such as caterpillars and other crop destroying bugs, their venom can be harmful to those who are allergic to stings.
There are several ways to protect your garden visitors from the yellowjacket. The most natural way is by prevention. Wasps are attracted to food sources by smell, so eliminating any type of food such as soda or protein will keep these critters away. Do not squish a wasp, as the bug releases a pheromone that attracts others of its kind. Even worse, if you swat at the yellowjacket and miss, it will only try to defend itself by trying to sting you.
The easiest way to remove yellowjackets from your garden is by using a trap. The yellowjackets will enter the trap and get stuck. When using a trap, be sure to empty it weekly. We suggest placing a few strategically in different parts of the garden (away from entertaining areas) for best results. You can also spray the nest, if it is not near any vegetables or herbs. Note that spraying does put you in danger of being stung. |
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| What
You'll Need:
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups bread flour
- 6 ounces low moisture mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup no salt added canned crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 leaves fresh basil, torn
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Step by Step: |
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Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a large bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes to proof.
Stir in salt and cold water; stir in the flour about 1 cup at a time. When the dough is together enough to remove from the bowl, knead on a floured surface until smooth, about 10 minutes.
Divide into two pieces, and form each one into a tight ball. Coat the dough balls with olive oil, and refrigerate in a sealed container for at least 16 hours. Be sure to use a big enough container to allow the dough to rise.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator one hour prior to using.
Preheat the oven, with a pizza stone on the lowest rack, to 550 degrees F. Lightly dust a pizza peel with flour.
Using one ball of dough at a time, lightly dust the dough with flour, and stretch gradually until it is about 14 inches in diameter, or about as big around as the pizza stone. Place on the floured peel.
Place thin slices of mozzarella over the crust; grind a liberal amount of black pepper over it. Sprinkle with dried oregano. Randomly arrange crushed tomatoes, leaving some empty areas. Drizzle olive oil over the top.
With a quick back and forth jerk, make sure the dough will release from the peel easily. Place the tip of the peel at the back of the preheated pizza stone, and remove peel so that the pizza is left on the stone.
Bake for 4 to 6 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the crust begins to brown. Remove from the oven by sliding the peel beneath the pizza. Sprinkle a few basil leaves randomly over the pizza. Cut into wedges and serve.
Yield:
2 pizzas
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