How Does Your Garden Grow?

With Silver Bells and Cockle Shells and Perhaps Some Sad Looking Cucumbers?

Spring is just around the corner and I’m dreaming about the pleasures of digging in the dirt and watching green shoots sprout from the ground. What will I grow for vegetables this year: tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans and squash? Will sweet corn or pumpkins grow in my garden? Is there a clear path to the ultimate vegetable garden?

A few years ago, when we moved, a plot was tilled up to become my "new garden". Since then I've expanded the fencing, continually added organic material to the soil, built a raised bed for the garlic, tried to learn the pattern of the sun and the shading of the trees to maximize my planting potential, removed buckets of rocks and pebbles, done my best to discourage the weeds, and had good crops and bad, just like my old garden.

My garden is partly shady, has what feels to be miles of leaky hose so I can water every corner, placed on a fairly steep hillside, shaded by several large trees, and has a clay base that is hard as a rock ledge, actually a rock ledge resides under the clay base; in other words, everything my garden is suppose to be for maximum production, mine is not. If I counted up all the ways my garden shouldn't grow I'd just lay down my hoe and cry. I certainly failed at planning the ultimate vegetable garden lay-out, but does that mean my garden can’t be productive? All I know is, whether or not I have bumper crops, my garden always grows something and brings me hours of pleasure.

Here in New England my garden planning starts at the end of the season. The plants have hopefully grown, blossomed, and produced some sort of vegetables. As the days shorten and the temperature drops I plant my
garlic for the next year and put the rest of the garden to bed.

Tools are oiled and stored away, garden gloves and hats are set to rest on closet shelves or in the garage area that serves as my "potting shed". The paths that delineated the tomatoes from the basil, the cucumbers from the squash, the corn from the over-grown weeds, rest under a blanket of whiteness temporarily leveling the planting grounds, and making the fenced in garden area look pristine.

After the busy holiday season has passed and the days begin to lengthen a minute at a time, I continually make mental notes as to what grew well, what faltered, what tasted as good as it looked, and what looked better than it tasted. Then suddenly I realize now is the time to begin to plan again in earnest. How do I know this? Seed catalogs have begun to arrive in the mail. I've been perusing my two favorites: The Natural Gardening Company and Seeds of Change.

The Natural Gardening Company (www.naturalgardening.com) is the oldest certified organic nursery in the United States, and Seeds of Change (www.seedsofchange.com), also offers 100% certified organic seed. Both can be visited online but to me it is quite not the same as being able to flip through the catalogs.

Because I like to cook as much as I like to garden it is usually herbs and vegetables that I dream about the most. Last season I attempted to grow sweet corn, a dismal failure because of lack of a proper amount of sun, and broccoli rabe, also a failure I believe because of my dense soil, but my tomatoes did well, I'm still pulling from my cache of butternut squash, and the hot Italian peppers were a smashing success, as was the garlic.

So during my lunch break at work, or when dinner is done and the dishes put away, I pick up my seed catalogs and try to decide if I'm going to once again choose the Brandywine for a beefsteak tomato or if I want to try the Big Boy. I read about tomato trusses and lever loops. I worry over what variety of marigolds I'll place in between them to keep away the bugs and I promise myself I'll stake them better so the heavy boughs don't end up on the ground.

I dig for secrets in the description of sweet corn looking for the answer to last year's failed crop. I remind myself to get building that worm farm to be fed with my kitchen scraps, dryer dust, and the ripped up cardboard from toilet paper rolls. Hopefully those red wrigglers will help break up the clay I'm trying to grow on. I wonder if the cucumbers should go next to the squash or should I leave them on the opposite side of the green beans? Do I really want to grow chard or sow some chervil in the herbal area?

The choices are endless; the path to the “ultimate” garden is often unclear and littered with weeds. So what else is there to do but dream our dreams, plant the seeds, and let it grow, let it grow, let it grow.

Garlic

A Pungent Scent and Distinctive Taste Make for Strong Opinions on This Ancient Bulb.

Read my previous posts to re-familiarize yourself with garlic's history, health benefits, and a primer on how to grow your own.

How We Got To Harbour Island

This trip we flew from JFK International directly to Nassau, Bahamas. After passing a restful evening at the lovely Hilton we woke early to catch the Fast Ferry directly to Briland.

At the ticket window. Since it was just several days before Christmas there were many local folk getting ready to visit Harbour Island, as well as other tourists.

The cost was reasonable, seating comfortable (inside and out), crew amenable, nice little snack bar. The ferry actually lifts up out of the water. It was amazing to know as we came close to some of the islands and the channels could not have been that deep that such a large boat could actually navigate shallow waters.The Fast Ferry that we were on is the farthest away in this photograph.

First stop was Spanish Wells. Here is their harbor.

Spanish Wells is a commercial fishing community located in the north-central Bahamas, considered to be the fishing capital of the Bahamas, with crawfish (spiny lobster) being the main catch.

But as you can see from by the number of people on the docks, the beautiful blue waters, and the ease of access by Ferry or other boats, Spanish Wells is a great place to visit, too.

As the ferry pulled away I took photograhs of the main street.

Saying good-bye to Spanish Wells and looking forward to docking on Harbour Island.

Doorways of Harbour Island.

I have been extremely fortunate to have been able to vacation for several years now on beautiful Harbour Island, Bahamas. Sometimes called the "Nantucket of the Caribbean" because of the New England style clapboard houses, different from those here in New England, but strangely related through a common history . The world-famous "Three Mile Beach” or "Pink Sand Beach" attracts a very cosmopolitan crowd, as well as being the site of many model shoots. In fact, there was a recent Sport Illustrated Swimsuit Issue shot there. While on the island I took a few photographs of the doorways. When I return in the future, which I will certainly do as soon as humanly possible, I hope to photograph more doorways to share with you.

Harbour Island is set off the north east coast of Eleuthera. Known locally as “Briland”, the island is just over three miles long by a mile wide and was once the capital of the Bahamas.

Just a little history for you to set the mood: In 1648, Captain William Sayles set sail from Bermuda with a following of English Puritans looking to escape religious oppression. They named the beautiful Bahamian island where they landed “Eleuthra”, the Greek word for freedom. In time the settlers split off and moved to some of the other “Outer Islands”, including Harbour Island, in order to protect themselves from the Spanish.

Dunmore Town is the only town on Briland and one of the oldest settlements in the Bahamas. It is a quaint village with lots of old New England architecture and has preserved more of its old colonial-style architecture than any other island in the Bahamas. Many of the pastel colored, wooden buildings date back to the 1800's. The framework of one building on Bay Street, "The Loyalist Cottage", dates back to 1790.

Many of these old colonial houses were built during the area’s prosperous fruit growing era in the latter part of the 19th century. Some of the homes that remain from this time have preserved the old colonial architecture with balconies, picket fences, lattice work and garrets. Many foreign-going ships picking up fruit and depositing it in foreign parts visited Harbour Island. It was out of this prosperity that Dunmore Town was expanded and eventually grew to what it is today. Known for its pink sand beaches, Harbour Island is one of the most sought after vacation destinations because it is so small and intimate. If you want to visit make sure to book well in advance.

If you really want to get in the island mood, mon, click on Goombay Smash, you’ll have a recipe that appeared in Bon Appetit’s June, 2008 issue courtesy of the Pink Sands Resort. Goombay Smash is a fabulous island drink make with tropical juices and a lot of rum. They are dangerously delicious and trust me you don’t want to drink too many. Most of the island restaurants and hotels make the drink on the rocks, but the first time Paul took me to Harbour Island we went to visit a friend of his who made them slushy – think Margaritaville with rum instead of tequila. I’m partial to slushy Margaritas and now slushy Goombay Smashes.

Whether or not you partake of a Goombay Smash I hope you enjoy a few of my Harbour Island Doorways.

DOORWAYS

You can't really see this doorway, but you get the idea of the pastel colors in the bright Bahamian sun, the rustling palm trees for a hedge, and the picket fence reminicent of New England, or England, as the case may be.

Bahama House Inn: Not exactly their door but I love the blue and pink, plus it's a fabulous place to stay. Neighbors to the Rock House, convienent to the harbor area, some of the rooms have kitchenettes, gorgeous deck, very friendly and inviting atmosphere. Tell John Paul and Beth sent you. And click on the link, my photo does not due the Bahama House justice.

This cute little cottage is just down the street from the Bahama House on the opposite side of the street. That's Paul standing to the right. He's talking to a nice gentleman who was white washing the fence. Paul was particularly interested in this house because it was for sale- and a bit rundown - a number of years ago. He was very happy to see that the new owner had restored it quite lovingly in keeping with the colonial period that the island is known for.

This is the doorway to a home called "Blue Ruin". Many of the homes on the island have names: Bloomin' Luck, True Love, Luna Sea. I know we are on a run of blue here but I'm sure it has something to do with the sky and the clear, blue water, don't you? I love the light fixture to the right with the ball of shells on the top. Above the handle is a dolphin door knocker and the juxtaposition of the tile, stucco and wood is soothingly tropical.

This is one of a number of doorways that feature beautiful wrought iron work. A few more appear below. I love the bright pinks, blues, yellows and greens in the tropical sunlight.

The final doorway for now. We visited over the Christmas holidays and I love the sea shell wreath. I collected a bunch of shells and plan to make one myself so I can always have a little bit of sea and sunshine with me.