VEGGIE
MOBILE DELIVERS PRODUCE TO 'FOOD DESERTS'
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ALBANY, New York (AP) -- For years, Mel Williams rarely ate fruit and
vegetables -- unless it came out of a can.
1 of 2 fresh produce was too expensive or too far away until the
state-funded "Veggie Mobile" started bringing the fruits and vegetables
to him at a lower price.
AN
INDIA-STYLED GARDEN WHERE OLD DELHI MEETS THE VALLEY
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PAVAN BHATIA is relaxing poolside, watching son Neil swimming in the
light of a summer moon. After a long commute from downtown Los Angeles,
she finds that her backyard refuge in Canoga Park provides some
much-needed peace -- "a retreat from the hustle and bustle," she says.
BY
ANY OF MANY NAMES, ROSES ARE A SWEET ADDICTION
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NOBODY buys a house with a sitting tenant, but I did.
“You’ll love the garden,” the tenant
said, waving her hand at the tangle of ivy where a few daffodils
struggled toward the light. “In summer, there are masses of
adorable little pink roses on the fence.”
At that point, I admit that I was too worried about getting her and her
green sectional sofa out of the house to think about roses.
TOP
10 PERENNIALS FOR A XERISCAPED GARDEN -
It's a made-up word with no tie to the number zero. Instead,
"xeriscape" combines most of the Greek word "xeric" with half of the
English word "landscape."
The mushed-together result means a landscape having dry or desert-like
conditions.
Kind of like what much of the country could experience this summer.
Never fear. "Xeriscape" doesn't mean a landscape of zeroes but one of
flowers, shrubs and grasses. Not a yard smothered in rocks but one that
blossoms, sways and tickles.
M.
R. Lawrence Publisher
& Editor
POISON
FRUIT DILEMMA -
I love my tomatoes! A sandwich is just not a sandwich without a
generous slice of tomato in-between, with a slice of cheese on top and
bottom to boot. You can always add some favorite toppings like tuna,
egg salad, chicken and ham (note the 'and'), but give me my tomato,
grilled together, if you don't mind.
So
how grows your garden?
Becoming
a farmer citizen has a certain independent patriotic ring: You
know what you're growing, where it came from, and that it's gardener
safe to enjoy. No incompetent, high-paid federal
inspectors need apply.
I
like my sandwiches
on rye or pumpernickel, but wheat will certainly do, with a little
mayo, and, oh, some pepper. Let me know, I have a flexible schedule.
HOPE
BLOOMS ETERNAL ON A DREARY
DAY IN A NEW BEDFORD CEMETERY
A
few years ago, my daughter joined me on a day trip to meet my
half-sister, my daughter's half-aunt, who lives in New Bedford,
Massachusetts. We were on a pilgrimage of sorts hoping to learn more
about our family genealogy.
It
was a rainy day and as we passed a cemetery, a bright yellow splotch of
color caught my eye. It took me 2 more blocks before my photographer's
sixth sense ordered me back for a memorable shot.
Butterflies
are colorful creatures that are special and wonderful additions to your
garden. A carefully planned garden can attract butterflies that sip
nectar from many flowers and search for a place to lay their larvae.
Butterfly gardens are basically organic gardens that use no chemicals.
With this in mind, be sure to create a safety zone for your
butterflies. Habitual zones and places where areas of the landscape
meet with the tree lines are favorite safe places for them. It is also
helpful to find out what kinds of butterflies are native to your area
so you can find appropriate plants for them.
Fennel,
parsley and dill are wonderful plants for attracting Anise Swallowtail
and the Black Swallowtail butterfly. Lupine flowers are a favorite with
Fritillary butterfly and Snapdragons are a great choice of attracting
butterflies that are native to your own area. To attract butterflies in
passing, early butterfly gardens are often sufficient; however, gardens
that offer a safe haven for them will urge the butterflies to stay
longer. Most butterflies are active in the mid to late summer, so it is
important that you also have plants available to them during that time.
You can also use a home made feeder as a supplement the
garden’s flower nectar. To make a home made feeder from a
small jar, drill a small hole in the middle of the lid and plug the
hole with cotton. Next fill the jar with a solution of nine parts water
and one part sugar, attach brightly colored fabric petals to the lid
and hang your feeder in a tree near your garden.
Butterflies
are attracted to gardens that will provide adequate food for both them
and their offspring. While young caterpillars eat from the plants,
adult butterflies sip nectar from the flowers. As your plants grow and
mature, the number of butterflies will also increase. They also search
for areas that can shelter them from high winds, summer storms and
rains. Shrubs and trees are good choices for plants that will provide
them protective shelter. The wide open areas of the garden are also
desired on normal warm and sunny summertime weather. To find water,
butterflies often seek soft, sandy ,soil; especially when the soil
allows water to puddle up after a rainstorm. Unlike birds, butterflies
are unable to drink from birdbaths and other sources of open water.
Flat rocks are helpful to butterflies so they can stretch out in the
sun and absorb much needed heat that makes it possible for them to fly.
You
will attract butterflies by providing the ideal place for them to sip
nectar, hibernate, and lay eggs, as well as gowing plants where the
larvae and
caterpillars can feed off of.
Seeing
your landscape come alive with butterflies is a beautiful thing to see.
Now you can sit back and watch these wonderful creatures grow and
thrive in your own back yard this summer.
