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Autumn 2013: Japanese Maples

The foliage color of Japanese maples has been nothing short of spectacular, getting better and better with each passing day. I’ll let the trees speak for themselves:

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

DSCN4117

 

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

 

copyright 2013  --  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2013 — Lois Sheinfeld

 

I’m equally captivated by maples that possess beautiful bark color, form, etc., so I’m going to devise a lecture — and blog posts — focusing on outstanding cultivars for the home garden. Stay tuned.

For now, I’m thinking about Thanksgiving and I’m delighted to share my recipe for cranberry sauce. It’s so simple and delicious you’ll never used canned again.

 

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Combine in a saucepan two cups of sugar and one cup of water. Bring to a boil without stirring. Cook this syrup for 5 minutes over medium heat. Meanwhile, wash 1 lb of raw cranberries, add them to the syrup and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until they burst. Then, remove the pan from the heat and stir in one-half cup of apricot jam and one-quarter cup of fresh lemon juice. Chill the sauce. Makes about 1 quart. I usually double or triple the recipe because it stays well in the fridge and it’s versatile—wonderful on toast for breakfast or with chicken for dinner. And, if you are feeling generous, spoon the sauce into pretty jars and give them as gifts. Enjoy!

Note: For another great Thanksgiving idea see my November 13, 2012 post, “Superstorm Sandy & Rosa Pretty Lady”

 

SUPERSTORM SANDY & Rosa ‘Pretty Lady’

Thank goodness, after two hellish weeks we finally have power again.  Suffering a nor’easter hot on the heels of SUPERSTORM SANDY, we had all but given up hope.

The garden is a mess, littered with fallen trees, branches, leaves, and blackened plants.  So it is with both wonder and delight that I can report that one shrub, the floribunda rose ‘Pretty Lady’, is in pristine condition, blooming away and wondering what the fuss is all about.

Funny thing, I never intended to buy this extraordinary rose.  Years ago, after watching a DVD about an English rose garden, I went searching for a hybrid tea named ‘Lovely Lady’, a favorite of the garden’s curator.  It wasn’t available on this side of the pond, so eventually I stopped looking.

Then sometime later I saw R. ‘Pretty Lady’ listed in a mail-order catalog.  Not remembering (as is my wont) that my quest was for ‘Lovely’ not ‘Pretty’, and for hybrid tea not floribunda, I ordered it.

Happy I did.  Rosa ‘Pretty Lady’ is a marvelous find.  She is fragrant, very disease resistant, and a nonstop bloomer with lovely pale apricot-pink flowers and lustrous, dark green foliage.  ( Check out pre-storm and post-storm photos below).  Fate works in strange ways, doesn’t it?

copyright 2012 – Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2012 – Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2012 – Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2012  -  Lois Sheinfeld

copyright 2012 – Lois Sheinfeld

Slowly but surely we are recovering from the storms, and I’m looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with family.  If you also have turkey on your mind, here’s a tip:  Before roasting, use the aromatic stems of rosemary to spread marinade on the bird and then throw the stems in the pan to flavor the juices.  Much better than synthetic brushes which are impossible to clean.

Moreover, according to Bancke’s 1525 “Herbal”, rosemary gladdens the spirits and delivers one from evil dreams. “Smell of it oft,” Bancke further advised, “and it will keep thee youngly”. (Who wouldn’t want that?)

And when ancient Greek scholars sat for examinations, they wore garlands of the herb to improve their memories.  Hasn’t quite worked yet for me, but hope springs eternal.