Bill's Favorite Native Plants: July

Allen, Sterling & Lothrop's nursery manager Bill Kennie has been working with the Falmouth Open Space committee to help eradicate invasive plants from the Maine landscape. Bill believes that it is very important to include native species in ornamental landscape gardens. Indeed, the more native plants a garden has the better--native plants are typically low maintenance, they provide food and shelter for wildlife and are visually in keeping with our native "wild" landscape.

Sorbaria Sorbifolia                                                                                           False Spirea

Height: 6-10’-6-10’                    

                                                                      

If you want a versatile plant for many uses (i.e. erosion, naturalizing) this is the one for you!  False Spirea is drought tolerant and shade tolerant making it perfect for some tricky spots in your garden.  In June and July it has large white plume flowers that butterflies love.  The fern-like foliage remains full to the base.  Make sure to give it room as it suckers freely.  In the right place this is a great selection!

 

Seed of the Month: Golden Detroit Beets

Golden Detroit Beets

Golden Beets are more sweet and more tender than regular red beets. The first time I ate Golden Beets they were on a salad a friend made for a pot-luck—I was stumped; I couldn’t recognize it but it tasted so familiar! What a find! I use them all the time now (or every chance I can) not only are they sweet and delicious, I like the fact that I don’t get red everywhere when I cook with them. You can use the leaves as you would with other beets.

Try this recipe from Bon Appetite: (note: it uses Lacinato Kale another one of my favorite vegetables!)

Barley & Kale Salad with Golden Beets

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; more for drizzling
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale, center ribs and stems removed, leaves cut into 1-inch squares
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 3 medium golden beets (about 1 bunch), trimmed
• 1 1/4 cups pearl barley
• 4 ounces feta, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons (or more) unseasoned rice vinegar

·         Ingredient Info

Tuscan kale, also called black kale, dinosaur kale, Lacinato kale, or cavolo nero, has long, narrow, very dark green bumpy leaves and is available at farmers' markets and some supermarkets.

Preparation

• Whisk 1/4 cup oil, white wine vinegar, sugar, and orange zest in a large bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper. Add kale and shallots; mix until completely coated. Cover and chill until kale is tender, at least 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°. Arrange beets in a small baking dish and drizzle with a little oil. Season with salt and turn beets to coat. Cover with foil. Bake beets until tender when pierced with a thin knife, about 45 minutes. Let cool completely. Peel beets. Cut into 1/4-inch pieces (you should have about 2 cups).
• Cook barley in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 45 minutes. Drain barley and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet; let cool completely.
• Add beets, barley, and feta to kale. Drizzle salad with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; fold gently to combine. Season to taste with pepper and more rice vinegar, if desired. DO AHEAD Salad can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/11/barley-and-kale-salad-with-golden-beets-and-feta#ixzz2LYhzKi00