Authors in Bloom Hop
April 10th – April 19th 2013
10 Days of Giveaways-Gardening Tips-Recipes-and more!
Plus GRAND PRIZE you’ll be digging to win!
How it will work:
Authors participating will post their giveaway, gardening tip, recipe or both on their website, beginning April 10th and leaving their contest open through the 19th. You will have 10 days to enter each individual author contest and then submit your entry for the grand prize!! To win the GRAND PRIZE, you must visit each and every author on the hop.
GRAND PRIZE: Kindle Fire or Nook (winner’s choice) along with a $25 gift card for the same.
My winner, (continental US, only) will receive an autographed copy of my sweet contemporary romance, Keeper of My 
Heart, and some surprise swag.
Outside the continental US, I will give the winner, an e-book copy of Keeper of My Heart.
TO ENTER
1. Leave a comment. Make sure to leave your e-mail address so we can contact you if you win!
2. Follow/subscribe to my blog/website.
3. Like my Facebook page.
Number 2. and 3. above is easily accessed from this page! 🙂
Perennial Herb Garden
Fresh herbs can be expensive so why not plant a small garden of your own. Herbs are very easy to grow and also do well in pots. Plant in full sun, water and enjoy. Perennials will take off the second year. Make the round bed 3′ to 4′ in diameter. This plan shows only perennials but you can substitute annuals where desired. Some annuals to consider are: Basil, Rosemary, Parsley and Marjoram.
Harvest in the morning or early evening as the heat of the sun drives the oils/flavor in the leaves to the base of the plant. 🙂
Chive Vinegar
Fill a tall decorative clear glass bottle (Pier 1 has a nice selection) with white vinegar. Cut a handful of fresh chives while in bloom (the bloom is round and purple) and add to the vinegar. Set in your pantry or kitchen cabinet for one week. The vinegar will take on the pale lavender of the bloom and the subtle scent of onion. Serve the chive vinegar with olive oil on your favorite summer salads.
You can use most any cooking herb to make vinegars. Tarragon and Rosemary are good choices. For variety add green and black peppercorns for extra spice and flavor.
Conversation 32 Comments
I have never tried to grow herbs before, but you are right they can get expensive! I will have to try it this year 🙂
savannahm1987@gmail.com
Hi Savannah! You won’t regret it. Buy the perennials and they’ll come up every year for you! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, today!
I love Chive Blossom Vinegar – it is so colorful and full of that oniony flavor!
Hi Kate! I love it, too. Especially when the vinegar turns pale purple. Not only is the oniony flavor there, but it’s a pretty color. 🙂 It also looks great sitting out on your kitchen counter.
I’ve already done #2 and #3. 🙂
Thanks for the chive vinegar tip! I’m definitely going to try that. I wish I had the space to add an herb garden like the diagram. I’ll have to settle for my little rectangle in the corner.
Hey Diana! The circle is beautiful, isn’t it? My herb garden is a large rectangle off my carport at my back door. That sounds strange but it really looks great. Carports ought to look good too, right? LOL Your little rectangle sounds perfect. You are one of the most creative gardeners I know. I love your posts on organic gardening! Thanks for stopping by.
What a fun hop. I am sure that I will find some great blogs to follow. You are a new author for me and love finding new authors to read. This book sounds great. thanks for the chance to win.
I love gardening and have a small herb garden every year. I also plant spearmint by my front porch because it keeps the mosquitos away. I have hated the same spearmint planted out front and mosquitoes never bother us when we sit out there. I like you design for the perinnial herbs, will have to try a small version of that.
Hi Chris! I just followed you on Twitter! 🙂 Didn’t know you’d visited my blog. So glad you like the sound of my book. It’s really an entertaining, fun read. I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
I love spearmint. I plant mine in a very large pot as it’s so invasive. But, I didn’t know it kept mosquitos away. I’ll have to plant it in pots around my porches. Thanks for the tip!
I only recently started cooking with fresh herbs and I have debated on trying my hand at a small herb garden but I am sure I would kill it! I guess I wont know until I try though. I like the idea of spearmint keeping away mosquitos. That alone has peaked my interest even more! Thank you so much for the advice and chance to win your book!
Hey Jennifer! Herbs are actually some of the easiest plants to grow. Just make sure they get plenty of sun. If you plant any mints: spearmint, peppermint, lemon balm and the like, remember they are INVASIVE and will take over your garden. Plant with care. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Sounds interesting
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
love that layout. following via email and facebook
suefitz(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks, Sue. It’s small and very manageable. Another easy design is to lay out an old wooden ladder, then mark where you want it and then dig out the areas between the rungs. Lay the ladder back down and plant an herb in each rectangle. It’s more a country look. 🙂
I’ve never grown herbs but do have a small vegetable garden. Sharma Darby rdarby@roadrunner.com
Sharma, Just add herbs and see what you think.:)
hi Darcy nice layout. I like gardening but my cats just ruin everything i plant 🙁
And i would love to read your books it sounds nice 🙂
Hey Sam! I’ve heard stories of how cats can mess up a garden, but mine never did. You’ll just have to dream of gardens or possible plant a few pots! Thanks for stopping by!
Who knew chive plants would be so beautiful?! Thanks for sharing, Darcy. 🙂
Shelley, Herbs will surprise you for sure. 🙂
Thanks for the giveaway! I love springtime, too! I followed your blog via email: mestith at gmail dot com
I liked your FB page: Meghan Stith
Thanks again!
mestith at gmail dot com
Hey Meghan! Ues! springtime is my favorite! So glad you entered the contest! Good luck with the Grand Prize as well as mine. 🙂
thank you for the diagram… Would make a nice herb garden… You just have to watch the mint… it can take off an do its own thing lol… Thank you for the tips on flavored vinegar.
j.m.platt83@gmail.com
Jeannie, you’re so right about the mint! It needs to be contained! 🙂 I plant mine in a large pot. Thanks for stopping by!
I might try that chive vinegar.
bituin76 at hotmail dot com
It’s easy! And your friends will be so impressed! Lol! Thanks for stopping by.
I’ll definitely try that with the vinegar! I’m learning so many new things through this hop. Following you via twitter and fb now, and I hope you’ll come by my post and do the same! http://www.ninetteswann.com/2013/04/authors-in-bloom-blog-hop.html
ninette.swann at gmail.com
Just checked out your post! Your chocolate cake looks to die for!
thanks for participating in this blog hop
It’s been such fun! I’ve gathered some great recipes and gardening tips myself!
Thanks for sharing! I love your book! One of my favorites. Its a goodie! Thank you!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
Oh, thank you! I can’t hear that enough! LOL! So glad you enjoyed it!
I have a place in our backyard that used to be for turtles. If I change it to an herb garden I will try your layout. 🙂
-Kara
kara-at-karaashleydey.com