Herbs on My Mind

This morning I took a dear friend to the airport and waved 'tootaloo' as she headed back to the Pacific Northwest.

Aaaahhh. The place where cherries and grapes grow!

Aaahhh, the Pacific Northwest. Full of trails, mountains, ocean waves and sustainable-minded citizens. ;) Sometimes I dream of a life where organics are the norm and composting is all the community craze.

Alas, it is good to be on the forefront of this motion in Northeast Ohio! It is a wonderful surprise when the garden center folks visibly share their excitement about a new, organic, sustainable, local idea that they just learned about/discovered/thought up! There is a certain special quality to this sort of enthusiasm.

I got my first taste of this contagious energy over the weekend when the husband and I popped into the Montrose Mustard Seed.  Not only did we find all sorts of yummy things to add to our refrigerator, but I also spied some special treats just outside the front door. Organic herbs! Forgive me, but I didn't realize that the Mustard Seed offered herb starts. Who knew?!
Anyhow, I decided it would be a fun thing to share with my out-of-town guest. We returned yesterday and snagged a few of their delightful herbs to 'jump start' my herb garden. My favorite, I must confess, is a beautiful variegated oregano!

Ooohhh! I feel like making some marinara just looking at it! I really hope it flourishes! 

**The Mustard Seed is offering free seedlings on Saturday, April 23rd. I believe it starts at 9AM and continues until they are out of supplies! ***

So, on my drive home from Cleveland Hopkins this morning, I decided that I should pop by a couple local garden centers to see what else was happening around town. Truthfully, I think the sunshine created a bit of an itch for me. I honestly JUST HAD  to pick up a new plant or two, get my hands dirty and sink my rubber boots into the soil.

My first stop was Dayton Nursery (3459 Cleveland-Massillon Road, in Norton).  They open the gates on weekdays around 8:30. The folks there are busy readying their greenhouses for this weekend's unveiling!

I found a few herbal treasures to compliment my findings at the Mustard Seed and a little pot of forget-me-nots to add around the base of a newly planted tree on the homestead.

The Dayton Nursery staff is incredibly knowledgeable about their offerings. They have recently undergone some new and thought-provoking training on ways to incorporate organic practices into your home garden. Pop over for a visit, a chat, to scope out what they have to offer!

**Dayton Nursery has a wonderful website that includes a 'Gardeners Calendar'-- things we should all be considering on any given week, and a rather extensive plant encyclopedia.**

Finally, I decided I was long over-due for a visit to Graf Growers (1015 White Pond Drive, Akron). This nearby growing center reminds me of the importance of supporting our local, family-owned establishments. Whether it be Graf Growers for Easter Lillies, Dayton Nursery for gardening drip irrigation supplies, Donzelle's for a Christmas tree, Boughton Farm for a bundle of strawberries or Szalay's Market for a feast full of delicious corn... these folks are our neighbors. They bring to Akron what others have been unable to accomplish: Local goodies. Farm raised. Family harvested.

Anyhow, I have gone on.

...Back to my stop at Graf Growers...

I was pleased to find an extensive selection of herbal goodies, all raised in Northeast Ohio. Also, flats of multiple strawberry varieties, tempting rhubarb and refreshing asparagus! The staff at Graf's literally greeted me with a smile and were thrilled to share the Spring activities in-store. Keeping in-mind that Easter is THIS weekend and by my count, Mother's Day is IN TWO weekends, you may need to pop over to grab something special for the hostess with the mostest or the mother of all mothers!

Graf Grower's also has a number of workshops ahead! They invite everyone and anyone to "Join them at the Potting Table" for lessons on fairy gardens, pasta gardens, fixing troublesome spots in your yard and a friendly neighborhood chat. Wow!

Without notice, I was invited on a special tour of the 'house plant' section at Graf's where I smelled some incredible jasmine and other cozy varieties.

mmmmmm. mmmmmmm. mmm.

Take a minute this evening, tomorrow morning, or this weekend. Pop over to Dayton Nursery or Graf Growers. I am quite certain you will not leave empty handed!

Enjoy the sunshine, Akron!

--The Rubber City Homestead