Herbs in Bloom

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This book includes 82 of the most ornamental herbs for the avid herbal gardener. The author, Jo Ann Gardner, is an avid gardener and lover of flowers and herbs and this comes through very clearly in her writing of her experiences in her own gardening. The book is well laid-out and easy to read full of illustrations, photographs and crammed full of information geared toward starting a functional and beautiful herbal garden.

The introductory chapters give great information on how to grow, sow, propagate and maintain either seeds or seedlings. Included is another chapter on landscaping ideas to help the reader to layout and design the herbal garden before even getting started.

Each section includes a nice overview and history of the plant, the plant family and specifics needed for propagation including: soil, sun, zones, size, and seasons. The photographs and illustrations included help not only get a visual of the eventual garden design, but are also useful for the identification of already existing herbs in the back yard.

Although, the herbs included are categorized by Latin name, there is also an index in the back to help cross-index and identify plants by their more common names. Another helpful index gives a quick reference for all the herbs included for which seasons they bloom best.

Herbs in Bloom (Timber Press, Inc. ISBN 0-88192-698-1) is an awesome find for the avid herbalist-gardener who wants not only to have their own source of fresh herbs but have a truly gorgeous herbal garden to either show off for the neighbors or secretly relish in the quiet of the back yard.

I am a retired statistical database designer and stay-at-home mom with 3 children.  I enjoy learning about the complexities of nutrition and nature with respect for God's master design. My goal is to uncover the mysteries of optimum health and share them with family, friends and others with similar desires.  I currently review products and publish articles for the Bulk Herb Store. Shay McConaughey

Review of Anastasia (You're Gonna Like This)

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Good afternoon folks.

It is hard to know where to begin with Anastasia. The book is a very fun read, but the central question throughout is: Is Anastasia real?

The Ringing Cedars series consists of nine books written by a Russian businessman. The series documents his encounters with a very unique and gifted girl in a remote forested area of Russia. What the businessman, Vladimir Megre, discovers is that the stunningly beautiful Anastasia was raised in the woods, and is able to communicate with and issue orders to animals, and this is only the beginning.

Anastasia is exceptionally intelligent, and despite having been raised in such an isolated Siberian location, has very informed and thoughtful opinions on our modern world. In addition to being a stone cold fox, Anastasia does not not wear clothes very much, and never sits down to eat proper meals, but snacks throughout the day on berries or nuts brought to her by her animal minions.

Strange? Yes. Unbelievable? Maybe, but I don't really care. What I care about most is if there is any usable information in the book that can contribute to a more sustainable human species.

Now I have to admit something here. I have always been drawn to the strange and fantastical stories. I love how these stories stretch your horizons and ask you go against the grain of common wisdom. Frankly common wisdom is too common sometimes. As I have gotten older my attraction to stories like this for entertainment's sake has not diminished, but I have seen weird before. I have been there and done that. What I want to know is what I can take away from it. The translator describes the series as a cross between Star Wars and the Bible, so what are the profound nuggets we can take away from The Word According To Yoda?

I believe there are many. More than anything else Anastasia shows us what we can become once we free ourselves from ourselves. I am fully convinced that this planet is the insane asylum of the galaxy, and the doctors have pretty much let the patients run wild to cure themselves, or not. As a species we are struggling with all of our might to do it, but we still think it is an acceptable plan to get dressed in funny green outfits and go and kill total strangers. We still allow our dreams to die inside of us while we work in boring jobs in boring corporations because everyone else is doing the same thing. If anything Anastasia's story highlights these facts by sheer contrast.

It may be stretch to think that going to the nearest forest, shucking your clothes and engaging in a telepathic conversation with the first squirrel you see is a recipe of happiness for most of us, but I do not think that is the moral of this story.

We live on a living being, Earth, who has provided us with everything we have. Everything. This incredible planet has sublime and breathtaking life systems we are only beginning to comprehend. Our technological gizmos are toys by comparison. When our creativity and inventiveness work in line with these systems, we touch infinity, but when we ignore nature we tend to run into a few snags, like for instance being strapped to a dirty, messy, polluting, inefficient, antiquated energy delivery system, or cataclysmic wars to control aforementioned antiquated energy system. (i.e. World War I, World War II, The Gulf War, the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, ad nauseum...).

This book was written in Russian, and has inspired millions of Russians to to leave the city and establish eco-villages in the Motherland's vast hinterland. Small, private gardens account for 54% of that nation's agricultural output, and this is on 7% of the total land used for agricultural purposes. Food independence is extremely efficient and very possible, and as I stated in my square foot gardening review, I think it is the greenest thing you can do.

One of the more interesting passages relays that seeds can be charged to restore health and taste fantastic to a particular human if that human places the seeds in his mouth for at least nine minutes. I do not know if this has any validity, but I will in a few months. I planted my veggies yesterday, and darned if I didn't give every one of those seeds a saliva soaking. Like I said before, I don't care if it's weird. I just care if it works.

The mystery of whether Anastasia is real or not enhances the allure of the book, but it is ultimately an aside. As fact or fiction, Anastasia is a valid and timely call for all of us to detach ourselves from the corporate teat, reconnect with the rhythms of nature and enjoy self sufficiency.

Source Green Blog [http://source-green.com] offers sustainable news, movie and book reviews, success stories and practical solutions from our "Road To Green" series. For more information on Source Green, please visit our What We Believe page.

Owner and founder Millard Nathan Arterberry, Jr. was born and raised in San Diego. He graduated with honors from the University of California at Berkeley in 1995, has worked in the architectural profession for over 12 years, and is LEED accredited by the United States Green Building Council.

Container Vegetable Gardening Part 2

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Previously, when people were suggested that they could do gardening inside their homes, they were taking this suggestion with a pinch of salt. But, now, this concept is a proven one because there are thousands, if not millions, of people who do this container vegetable gardening and reap immense benefits. Due to the extraordinary "vertical" growth that has been triggered by construction of condos and apartments, this type of gardening is gaining more and more popularity.

But, for doing this container vegetable gardening, you need the required tools, seeds, etc. apart from having the right type of containers. You should acquire sufficient basic knowledge of this so that your gardening experience will be easy and also you will find it useful.

The main benefit of this gardening is that it is highly flexible. There is no prescribed size of containers. You can even use containers that you already have available. But, planning is very important to do this gardening. Otherwise, instead of being an enjoyable hobby, it may turn out to be an arduous task.

You should first choose the right space inside your house. The space should have enough ventilation and sunlight because plants will not grow well if these two aspects are not taken care of.

Procuring the right containers is another important aspect you should focus on. You cannot have the same type of container for all the plants. Certain plants may require a broad space because their roots may spread widely. A few other plants may require vines to grow. These aspects should be taken into account while procuring your containers.

You can grow green onions, herbs and parsley in containers. Eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and a host of other plants can also be grown in container vegetable gardening. But, you should study the nature of the plant and its needs before you embark upon growing them in your garden.

You can buy the seeds from the local retailer or can germinate them at your home. Germinating the seeds at home is a great experience. They can be germinated in containers like a pot, baking pan or any shallow vessel. You do not need a perfect container for doing this. The only point you should ensure is to have a nutrient-rich compound so that germination takes place as desired. You should have enough sunlight for the seeds to germinate. Once they germinate and the plants sprout, you can transplant them to your containers.

Thank You to all of our gardener friends and we really appreciate your support. Please contact us anytime with any questions,
The Watch Us Grow Team

Phil Faustini, Grandson of Stephen Follett, creator of "Watch Us Grow" In the 1940's Stephen Follett developed this unique Plant Food. After many years of trials and experiments on all types of plants and crops. 1952 was the year "Watch Us Grow" was made available to the public. Since then the positive testimonials have poured in from all over the world, from professional to novice growers "Watch Us Grow" has made believers out of them all. Go to http://allpurposeplantfood.com/ try some for yourself and see why the gardening world is so excited about "Watch Us Grow"