Meyer Lemon Curd Recipe

This is soooo delicious. Meyers are the cadillac of lemons and this treat showcases their incredible flavor. The only problem you'll have making this simple recipe is staying out of it once it's done! Good to know....I made my first batch with grocery store eggs and it was okay, but had a funny flavor undertone I couldn't identify. Second batch, I used our farm eggs and the difference was amazing. I'm hooked on these eggs!

2 - 3 Meyer lemons

zest of 2 lemons

6 egg yolks

1 C sugar

1/4 C unsalted butter, cut in pieces

• Zest lemons. Put the zest in a food processor with the sugar and buzz until zest is incorporated into sugar.
• Juice lemons - you need a generous 1/2 C of juice. Strain out seeds & pulp.
• Place egg yolks and sugar in heavy, small sauce pan. Whisk together.
• Put heat on low, and stir in lemon juice, using a wooden spoon.
• Continue to stir until the curd thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
• Remove from heat and immediately stir in butter until it completely melts.

Jar the curd and refrigerate it. Expect it to last several weeks, if it stays around that long!

Plant now for Spring!

If you haven't planned and planted your spring garden it's time to get going...there's still a great selection of pansys, violas, snapdragons and the new trailing pansy, Plentifalls, available in a lavender, white and mix. It's always fun to try something new - either a new color combination or a plant you've never grown. We're always happy to put in our two cents worth of advice if you want it - just ask! Don't forget to add a little foliage pizazz to your planters - curly parsley, variegated acorus, carex and even a little lettuce will make your pots memorable. See you soon!

Saturday Vegetable Soup

Saturday Vegetable Soup

We've been making soup for the past several Saturdays and offering samples in the Market. This recipe is a keeper....it's easy, delicious, and healthy too. It calls for all fresh ingredients, but in a pinch, you could substitute box tomatoes or frozen corn. It's an Alton Brown recipe we found on Food.com and we hope you like it.

4 Tbs. olive oil

2 Cups leeks, white part only, chopped (if you're short, add shallots or minced onion)

2 Tbs. garlic, finely minced

2 Cups carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds

2 Cups potatoes, diced (we used our little red creamer potatoes, unpeeled)

2 Cups green beans, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

2 Quarts vegetable or chicken stock

4 Cups tomatoes, peeled and chopped (personally, I'm not peeling them!)

2 Ears corn, kernals cut off the cob. Throw away the cob.

1/2 Tsp. black pepper

1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tsp. fresh lemon juice

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften - 7 - 8 minutes.
• Add carrots, potatoes, and beans and continue to cook for 4 - 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
• Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, corn kernels, and pepper.
• Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the veggies are fork tender, about 25 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt. Serve immediately.

Great combos for winter planters

Try some of these combos for planters if you're stuck for ideas at the garden shop... Supreme sky blue pansy with a smaller viola, say Penny orange (an absolute knockout of a color!) mixed with a little curly parsley - simple and effective. More pizazz can be added by using any of the beautiful lettuce varieties now available - a chartreuse green such as Elite Simpson would be a wonderful addition! Want brighter colors? Try Matrix citrus mix - a mix of orange, bright yellow and white pansys, with a bit of rose thrown in to add depth. Remember to think about what will be blooming around your planters in the spring to help you decide color choices. Have fun!

Great gardening weekend

It's going to be a great weekend for gardening! It's time to plan your spring garden - in addition to all the great pansy varieties out there, you'll also find supporting players such as snapdragons (great for cut flowers when they bloom!), ornamental kales - lacinato is a great one with blue/green foliage that's also edible, curly parsley to add that punch of bright green foliage, and so much more! We still have some incredible pumpkins and gourds - who knew there were so many shapes and sizes??! We're excited about the new season and hope to see you this weekend!

pansys, foxglove & more

Lots of you have been asking about the new trailing pansy that was in Southern Living magazine recently. Well, we have them, though in limited quantities, so come check them out - the weekend looks like it will be beautiful for planning and planting! Other goodies to take home include foxglove, sweet william and all the wonderful lettuce and cool season veggies... we're enjoying the cooler weather and hope you are too!
The fall sale is still going on with perennials and shrubs that have been in stock a whopping 50% off and statuary on sale for 20% off - don't miss out on some real goodies... now is a great time to plant - just keep things watered to get them established.

20 Bloomin' Years!

This Saturday, October 9

Celebrate 20 wonderful, bloomin' years at the nursery! Come shop, play, and learn with us.

10 a.m. - Fall Veggie Gardening Seminar with Billy & Ellen

Special guest appearance - Michael Dean (our phenomenal arugula grower)

11:30 - Apple Cider Press

Come help make the freshest, tastiest cider in town!

A great experience for kids and grownups alike.

11:30 - 1:30 Music with Charlie Hunter and Friends

Hot dogs by Gus's Hot Dogs

Ice Cream

Pumpkin Decorating for kids & their adults

3:00 - Container Gardening Demo with Kris

All Day:

Kids : Moonwalk

Everybody Else: Sale on Select Perennials & Statuary 20% - 50% off

The Great Tastes of Tailgating Benefit

Oak Street Local Market

This Thursday, September 2 5:30 - 7:30

Join us for this fun event! Here's your chance to sample our tastiest local treats; they're all perfect for game-day tailgating parties or for hanging out at home with the TV tuned in and remote in hand. Meet the people behind these local goodies, enjoy a beverage, including Jones Valley Urban Farm's 'Bicycle Blender' making frosty mojitos, and taste all of the goodies you've been coveting. Listen to blue-grass music by Charlie Hunter, and enjoy Oak Street Local Market on a cool (!) summer evening.


Pimento Cheese (Tame & Spicy Bitch) - MaryAnn Saylor
Wright Dairy Cheeses - Cory Henkel
Stone Hollow Creamery - Deborah Stone
D'Luks Services, Inc. - Judy Luks
Gus's Hot Dogs - Ernie Gerontakis
Petals from the Past - Jason Powell
Oak Street Local Market - Ellen Riley
Jones Valley Urban Farm - Edwin Marty
Good People Brewery




Our tasty evening benefits Jones Valley Urban Farm's Seed to Plate Scholarship Program. This wonderful program allows school children to visit the farm, experience hands-on food production, and learn the yummy benefits of eating local, home-grown, fresh produce. The cost is $8 per student to participate, and many city schools lack sufficient funds. A suggested donation of $10 for our evening of fun will help children know the satisfaction, achievement, and joy of locally produced food.

Rustic Summer Tart

What could be better than fresh peaches and blueberries folded together in a super simple crust! This dessert (or breakfast) is the epitome of rustic elegance, and takes virtually no time to put together. Try our recipe, then experiment with your own fruit choices, and enjoy!

Rustic Summer Tart

1 Pillsbury pie crust

Mascarpone (Italian cream cheese)

4 peaches

1 C blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and unroll the piecrust.
• Working from the center of the pie crust, spread a 1/4-inch layer of mascarpone in a circle; stop within 2-inches of the crust's edge.
• Place peeled and sliced peaches on top of the cheese, and then top with the blueberries.
• Fold the sides of the crust up over the edges of the fruit and gently press the folds in the crust together.
• Brush the crust edges with milk and sprinkle turbinado sugar on the crust and top of fruit.

Bake for 30 minutes. Garnish with additional fresh blueberries if desired.

Rosemary Honey & Goat Cheese

This is an easy appetizer with an unexpected taste twist.

-In a small saucepan, place 1/2 cup honey.
-Pick 2 - 3" stems of rosemary. Gently rub them between your hands to release the flavorful oil and add to the honey.
-Gently warm, until honey heats almost to a boil. Remove from heat and allow the honey and rosemary to steep.
-Remove the rosemary (stems, for sure, if some leaves remain, don't sweat it).
-Slowly drizzle honey over a goat cheese log, and serve with an unsalted cracker or toasted baguette.

Voila!

Savory Fig Jam & Goat Cheese Crostini

Depart from the norm and make a savory fig jam (enough for one evening's appetizers), and then cookk up some more to share or put up for winter. We've adapted it from a Gourmet recipe dated September 2003.

Ingredients:

3 TBS minced shallot

2 (3-inch) sprigs lemon thyme, plue 1/2 tsp. minced fresh lemon thyme

1/2 bay leaf

1 1/2 TBS unsalted butter

3/4 C figs, finely chopped

3/4 C Port

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

Cook shallot, lemon thyme sprigs, and bay leaf in butter in a 1 - 1 1/2 quart saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring until shallot is soft - about 2 minutes. Add figs, Port, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until figs are soft. It there is still liquid in the saucepan, remove lid and simmer, stirring until most of the liquid is evaporated. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs and transfer jam to a bowl. Cool, then stir in minced lemon thyme and salt and pepper to taste.

To Prepare Appetizer:

Thinly slice baguette on the diagonal. Brush lightly with olive oil and toast in a 350 degree oven. When crisp, remove and cool.

Spread each toast with 1 tsp fig jam. Top with about 1 1/2 tsp. goat cheese and 2 pieces fresh fig.

A Jewel from Petals

Jane Jones is a fabulous cook. She works with Jason & Shelley Powell at Petals from the Past in Jemison, and has an arsenal of wonderful recipes. Here, she shares her instructions to make Blueberry Oat Scones. I'm going to give this a go sometime this week . If you're game, we have plenty of blueberries from Petals, so come get a pint and have fun.

Blueberry Oat Scones

3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup (packed golden brown sugar)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-in cubes
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons old fashioned oats
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (about 5 1/2 ounces
1 3/4 cups chilled half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 teaspoons raw sugar

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and coarse salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter. Using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add 1 cup oats and blueberries; Stir to blend evenly.
Stir half and half and vanilla in small bowl. Gradually add to flour mixture., tossing until dough just comes together (dough will be very moist.
Using 1/2 cup measuring cup for each scone, drop dough in mounds onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. Sprinkle tops with remaining 3 tablespoons oats, then raw sugar.
Bake 15 minutes. Reverse sheets and continue baking until scones are golden and tester inserted into center from side comes out clean. about 12 minutes longer.
Transfer scones to rack and cool slightly.

Tomato Pie Perspective

Here's a recipe shared by Sumner Starling - it sounds really good! Sumner, thank you for passing it along.

Prepared pastry dough to make 1 (10 inch) tart shell.

8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded

2 TBS chopped, fresh basil

4-5 small, ripe tomatoes cut in 1/2-inch slices

1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

toasted pine nuts

Preheat over to 400. Line 10-inch removable-bottom tart pan with pastry dough. Spread bottom of tart with cheese, toasted pine nuts, and sprinkle with chopped basil. Cover with tomato slices, arranging to cover as evenly as possible. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake 30 to 40 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and serve in wedges.

Another word about Tomato Pie, and more

Since I can't seem to coerce our customers and tomato pie lovers to post their recipes here, this is a list of some of the things I've heard them tell us about their favorite recipes. Bear in mind that this is risky business and not unlike the old-fashioned game of telephone. What was said may not be exactly what I heard. Nonetheless, here goes:

Instead of using a traditional pie crust, make your base with a puff pastry crust. Pre-bake it and fill it as you would in any other recipe.

Many customers opt to eliminate the mayo and cheddar. Instead, cheeses range from a little shredded mozzarella to grated parma., to our Wright Dairy Piedmont or Wanda.

Draining large tomato slices for 5 - 10 minutes on paper towels is a consistent thought.

Basil is incorporated between tomato layers, or sometimes just placed on top under a fine mozzarella topping.

A few recipes eliminate cheese completely, and go for olive oil, salt & pepper instead.

Whichever way you go, remember to use the season's best tomatoes - we now have heirlooms in stock, and are looking forward to the Chandler Mountain 'maters by early next week. Enjoy, and have a happy, safe, and tasty July 4th..

Gazpacho Soup is quick, easy, and yummy.

Basic Gazpacho Soup

This is my Mom's recipe and it is fast, easy, and delicious. There are ump-teen ways to jazz it up if you're so inclined, but it really is great just this way. Garnish with diced cucumber, green peppers, avocados, or seasoned croutons.

In a blender, buzz:

2 tomatoes, quartered

1/2 cucumber, chopped

1/4 green pepper

2 Tbs. each chopped onion, olive oil, and vinegar

1/2 clove garlic

1 Tbs tomato paste

1/2 tsp salt

4 drops liquid hot pepper sauce

1 1/2 C tomato juice

Chill at least 6 hours before serving.

Tips for Tomato Pie

So tomato season is about to hit high gear and we're looking for all of the variations on the yummy tomato pie. Here are a few tips to consider when putting one together:

Always pre-bake the pie crust. Pillsbury's crusts are great.

Tomato pies can get seriously juicy (read damp and drippy). After slicing the 'maters, let them rest for a few minutes on a layer of paper towels. They won't dry out, but a bit of the juice will drain off. Not a bad thing in this case.

Before you put tomatoes into the pie crust, rub the bottom of the baked crust with a little olive oil or mayo to create a barrier between the moist tomatoes and the crust. Will help with the 'soggies.'

Have a great recipe? Please share - just hit the comment link below and go to town. We all like a new way to do things!

Tomato Pie Recipes

Tomatoes are getting better by the minute, so it's time to begin sharing Tomato Pie recipes. Billy Angell's favorite one comes from his friend, Mary Boehm. It really is wonderful:



Mary Boehm's Tomato Pie



1 pie crust, pre-baked

8 - 10 fresh tomatoes

Basil - lots (1 cup, chopped)

2 cups finely grated cheddar cheese

1/2 cup mayo

• Cut fruit in thick slices, about 3 slabs per tomato


• Place the first layer of tomatoes in the pie shell, and cover with basil


• Add another layer of tomatoes and basil, and then repeat the process for a third layer.


• Mix together cheddar cheese and mayo. Spread over the tomatoes and add remaining basil on top.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.



We would love to know your recipe. Post it here on the blog and we'll pass it along in the shop as well.

It's Peach Season at Oak Street Local Market

I've always thought you had to get mid-way into peach season to find great flavor. But, I've discovered that simply isn't true. The peach of the moment is called FlavorRich and it absolutely lives up to its name. Even though it is a cling variety (the fruit doesn't come free from the seed), the sweet peachy-ness is exceptional.

Add to that fresh blueberries from Georgia, and blackberries from Petals from the Past in Jemison, and you have the beginning of summer's finest fruits.

If your peaches ripen too quickly try this:

• Slip the skin off of the peach. It usually comes away easily on over-ripe fruit.
• Slice away the fruit from the seed, holding it over a bowl to capture juice as well.
• Puree it, juice and all, in a blender or food processor.

What to do with it?

Make Peach (or Nectarine) Sorbet

Homemade Ice Cream

Bellinis

Freeze it (To make Bellinis on the weekend!)

Hydrangeas, Local Peaches & Fresh Peas

The bargain of the day is fresh-cut hydrangeas - only .50 a stem! So, for only a few $ you can bring home a summertime bouquet. We also have Chilton County Peaches (yum), local yellow squash, local pattypan squash, Florida Ruskin tomatoes, and Silver Queen Corn. And then, there are the creamer peas and butterbeans. Gotta love summertime!

Another fun thing to try: Make your own vanilla extract. We now have vanilla beans, and this is so easy. Begin with a pint of brandy. Take 3 -4 vanilla beans, and slice them open lengthwise. Add them to the brandy and let is sit for about 3 weeks. Then, when a recipe calls for vanilla extract, use your home-brewed flavoring instead. It really is incredible!

Italian Market

Last evening, we had the pleasure of displaying our fresh goodies in this fabulous Fortunata Italian pottery at Table Matters. Unfortunately, the rain caused an early end to the Legends of Motorsports event. In my totally biased perspective, however, the display of this exquisite hand-made pottery filled with our produce, was every bit as stunning as the vintage cars. Today in the market, the deal of the day is on fresh cut sunflowers. Bring home a few and fill your home with petaled sunshine before the rain sets in again.

Budding Gardeners at Oak Street Garden Shop

We're getting ready to plant the Library Community Garden! In late April, we planted bush bean seeds with the kids attending story time at the library. Well, today Reilly (age 4) and Will (age 2) Oberding brought their seedling in for us to babysit until the garden is ready.

The garden will be well underway by the time the Summer Reading Program beings on June 1, and we're looking forward to nurturing a new generation of gardeners and healthy eaters!

In the Market, strawberries will be winding down soon, so now's the time to consume them in copious amounts! Or, stock up the freezer to make jam on a rainy day.

Local Goodies You'll Like

Every day we get more local produce in to give you the best options in healthy and tasty eating. Right now we have Michael Dean's Swiss chard, carrots, spring salad mix, and will be back into his arugula on Thursday or Friday. We also have Jones Valley Urban Farm spinach, baby beet greens & radishes. Eggs come from Cahaba Hill Farm, Shannon Blount's small piece of paradise. Strawberries are coming from Scottsboro, AL, and while Florida isn't exactly local, the cantaloupes, tomatoes, and silver queen corn are exceptional.

We're designating next week Yellow Squash Week. Bring us - or email us - your best way to fix yellow crookneck squash and we'll put together a mini-cookbook of the recipes. email:

oakstreetgs@gmail.com.

Cahaba Hill Farm Eggs

We've added Cahaba Hill Farm eggs to our roster of local food. Shannon Blount's eggs' reputation preceeds them, so come and get 'em while they're fresh!

Local strawberries are at their peak and don't get any sweeter than they are right now! Miss Lyla came into sample one early this morning and gave a smiling approval. Today's other goodies include fresh English peas, Jones Valley Urban Farm radishes, turnips, and beet greens.

We're open 'til 5:30, so you can stock up of the freshest local produce in town today!

Cinco de Mayo & Butterbeans

Fresh Mint and Chives

We've stocked the shelves and cooler with terrific Cinco de Mayo goodies so you'll be perfectly outfitted for tomorrow's Fiesta. Margarita Jelly, Jalapeno Jelly, Garlic Salsa, Black Bean Salsa, and Salsa Senorita for the brave hearts. Fresh mint and a mojito couldn't be better on a late Wednesday afternoon, so for heaven's sakes, don't do without!

Please consider picking up a free tomato plant and participating in our Harvest For the Hungry program. Take the plant home, and when it starts to produce, bring the harvest back to the Market. We're keeping a running total of 'maters, and send them along to Magic City Harvest. It is such a simple thing and can make such a big difference to help eliminate hunger in Birmingham.

Name the Kitty Winner!

We have a winner! Ms. Payton Flynn named our new kitten Daisy, and came away with the $25 Gift Certificate from Snoozy's Kids. There were so many wonderful entries, and we put them all inside o a hat and drew out the Payton's winning entry. Congratulations to Payton, and to Daisy for finally having a name!

Cinco de Mayo & Soup

Next Wednesday, May 5, we're having a Fiesta at the Garden Shop & Local Market. Come sample sassy treats, have fun with flowers, and learn how to put together a Fiesta in minutes.

Lunch is provided by Karen Rankin from Gourmet to Go. Enjoy:

Grilled Chicken with Black Bean & Corn Salad,

Arugula and Grilled Vegetable Salsa, &

'Faux-garitas'

Call 870-7542 for a reservation. $10 class fee, includes lunch.

Today, we received a new shipment of vegetable soup! If you're hooked on this, now's the time to come in and stock up. It's a great dinner option for a chilly night (like tonight), or a rainy evening, like the ones promised later this week.

Local Strawberrie, Watercress & Springtime

Even though the calendar has been telling us it's spring, it's not until we get the first local strawberries that we truly believe it. Well, they're here. And they're incredible!

Besides that, we have fresh English peas, watercress, local farm eggs, Silver Queen corn from Florida, and yummy tomatoes.

In the nursery, fresh veggies, herb plants and oodles of flowers are everywhere you turn. Come see us and stock up for the weekend.

Garlic Salsa & Evelyn's Roasted Green Bean Recipe

Today in the Market, we're sampling Cherith Valley's Garlic Salsa. Holy smokes, is it ever wonderful! Not too spicy, but full of incredible garlicky (sp?) flavor. Stop by and have a taste.

Our customer Evelyn Stutts brought us her recipe this morning for Roasted Green Beans and Cashews. It sounded so good we asked her to share:

Roasted Green Beans and Cashews

2 lbs. green beans, trimmed and halved

3/4 C. Salted cashews (3 ozs) - chopped

1/2 C shallots, sliced

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

• Toss the green beans with cashews, shallots, olive oil. 2 t. each salt & pepper.
• Spread evenly in a large 4-sided sheet pan.
• Roast, stirring occasionally until the green beans are tender and nuts are golden brown, between 20-25 minutes. When beans are tender, season with additional salt & pepper.

Farm Market Everyday

Every day, our selection of fresh produce gets better and better. Today, we found fresh English Peas, Baby Carrots, Florida White Corn (yippee!!!) , Red and White Creamer Potatoes, Jones Valley Arugula and gorgeous Gerbera Daisies.

If you've never cooked fresh English Peas, you're missing one of spring's ultimate treats! When they're close to done, add a little fresh Kentucky Colonel mint. Season the peas with butter, salt a little pepper. YUMMMMMM.

Find farm-fresh goodies @ Oak Street Local Market today!

Come by the market today and find delicious thin asparagus, sweet strawberries, fresh beets and yummy 8-ball squash. Steam the asparagus for 3 minutes and 15 seconds in the micro. Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The asparagus is still a little crisp, tender, and incredibly tasty!

Wright Dairy's Wanda cheese is fabulous grated on top of fresh pasta, with a dash of olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Talk about an easy dinner! Add a salad of fresh spring lettuces from local grower Michael Dean, with some arugula from Jones Valley Urban Farm and you are good to go. Maybe a glass of light white wine......yum.

Desperately Seeking A Name Contest

We've been adopted by another sweet young kitty. She's quite the purr machine and loves to sleep in boxes, baskets and the big white chair in the greenhouse. We've had her checked out by Doc Weber and ended her days of potential procreation. Now, the only thing missing is a name!

So, we're having a Name the Kitty Contest. Put your head together with your kids, and bring by your suggestion. In 2 weeks, we'll pick the winner. The lucky winner receives a $25 gift certificate to Snoozy's Kids!!!

Oak Street Local Market opens Wednesday morning. Come see us! Yum...

Oak Street Local Market opens its doors for the new season Wednesday morning at 9 am. We've had a facelift, added yummy essentials for healthy, delicious meals, and offer colorful cut flowers, herbs, and veggie plants to make everyday life wonderful.

Come see us. Have a taste or two. Enjoy! We always have ideas on how to fix and serve our veggies, and would love to know your favorites too. This is the year of eating well with your neighborhood local market.

In the next week or so, we'll set up a way to share recipes. Stay tuned for info on this culinary adventure!

Don't Miss the Boxwood Clinic Tomorrow (Saturday) At Oak Street Garden Shop

Boxwoods are the hot topic in tomorrow's get-together with Dave Bradford here at Oak Street Garden Shop. Dubbed 'Dr. Boxwood', Dave knows this classic shrub inside and out. He will be with us from 10 am - 2 pm to answer your questions, diagnose problems, and offer general advice on care and maintenance. Please come by and see him. Don't hesitate to bring clippings from the shrubs you may be concerned about and let him take a peek at what is going on in your yard.

The nursery in incredibly beautiful right now, with every kind of blooming plant imaginable. Even if you're not digging this weekend, stop by for a stroll through this garden paradise. And remember, the Market opens on Wednesday!

Billy's favorite plant has arrived!

Billy's all-time favorite plant has landed at the nursery. Edgeworthia chrysantha, aka Paper Bush, blooms from January until its leaves unfurl - which is beginning to happen as we speak. Besides being a stunning focal point in the landscape, the silver and yellow blooms perfume the air as the weather warms. If you're familiar with the fragrance of daphne, this distant relative produces a similar scent.

Edgeworthia tops out around 8-feet tall, and gets almost twice as wide. Plant it where it has room to fill out and become a show-stopper during bloom-time. During summer months, the large leaves take on a tropical appearance. This is one of the few plants that really is a beauty in all seasons.

We have a limited supply of this fabulous shrub, so don't wait to come check them out. I put one in my garden about 5 years ago, and it is incredible. This landscape photo is the plant in Billy's back yard.

Celebrate the Blues at Oak Street Garden Shop

While the weather has had us singing the blues, in the nursery we are celebrating the blues. Come see our wonderful selection of 'blues-y' flowers both indoors and out. In the greenhouse we have blooming blue hydrangeas and African violets. Outdoors, Kris has gotten in blue phlox divaricata, wildflower Ipheion 'Wisley Blue', Blue Butterfly scabiosa, and tropical blue plumbago (you may have to move it indoors if we get another cool snap).

Blue flowers combine easily with most other colors in the garden. Used alone they have a tendency to recede and become invisible. This is especially true with the tiny wildflowers. Group them in a mass to make a bigger statement and they will shine.