Early March...

Early March (Sorry we're late in getting this posted!)

The march toward spring continues. The basement has been filled with an assortment of seedlings, and small, starter plants have arrived, so in early March, we reopened the greenhouse. It's great to see it fill up with plants and to enjoy all the familiar herbal smells. There are other chores, but most of my time in is spent potting plants. It's hard to believe, but the greenhouse reopens April 1! That keeps me on track.

John and I pulled all our stock plants which are buried in the garden for the winter, and put them in the greenhouse. In a short time, they'll be ready to divide into new plants.

Lucy was a great help with this project. We had rows of holes where we pulled out plants, so she had a great time digging in the dirt. Mostly, she liked running back and forth between the garden and greenhouse over and over. She was good and tired the next day.

Many of you know we've had a toad living in the greenhouse since we opened. He (or she, I don't know) digs into the dirt and hibernates for the winter. Once we turn the heat on, he digs out during the day and reburies at night. Right on schedule, he appeared last week. Luckily, Lucy hasn't seen him yet. I've blocked access to him for now. He never moves too fast, but I'm sure he's really lethargic till things heat up. Figure I better keep dog and toad separated for now.

Spring 2008 Class Schedule

DRIED FLOWER WREATH: Thursday, April 17, 7 p.m. $20.00
Design and craft your own dried flower wreath. Starting with a 10" grapevine base, participants will create a wreath, using a wide variety of dried herbs and flowers, including many grown on our farm. Bring a glue gun and plant scissors / shears.

EDIBLE FLOWERS: Thursday, May 15, 7 p.m. $15.00
Bring the beauty of flowers into the kitchen. Learn what flowers to use and ideas for adding them to various dishes. We'll learn to candy flowers and participants will take home several examples.

MAINTAINING YOUR GARDEN: Thursday, June 5, 7 p.m. $15.00
This class will give you step-by-step instructions for maintenance tasks throughout your garden. When to harvest herbs, deadheading flowers and cutting back perennials will be covered. Specific instructions and a timetable for accomplishing your tasks. Free plant to add to your garden.

SWEET ENDINGS — DESSERT HERBS: Thursday, June 19, 7 p.m. $15.00
Many people say they don't know how to use herbs in the kitchen. This class will give you lots of ideas. In addition to main dishes, herbs can enhance many desserts. Learn which herbs to use, culinary tips and lots of recipes.

Classes are limited in size, so please register early. Your payment is your reservation and is due in full when registering. If you're unable to attend, you may send a substitute in your place. Complete the attached registration form. Make checks payable and mail to:

CLOVERLEAF HERB FARM
1532 Cloverleaf Road, Mount Joy, PA 17552

Spring is on the way

Spring is on the way.

Our Greenhouse opens April 1.
See our Classes above and
Download our Plant List for 2008

It stays light later, there's an occasional spring-like day and there are bits of green in the garden.

To me, spring arriving means a shipment of soil and pots. So, Lucy is learning to amuse herself in the greenhouse while I fill pots. On a sunny day, it's deliciously warm in the greenhouse. And there's the damp, earthy smell of warm soil.

Lots of seedlings growing under lights. They go from tiny little stalks to filled-out, recognizable little plants in a couple of weeks.

I like plants like swamp milkweed with big seeds. After germinating, the seed sits on top of the little stalk for awhile before dropping off. So you can see the seed and plant stage together. Swamp milkweed is a host plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars (and a moth too) so it's worth growing. We've had monarchs every year since we planted it in the garden.

Easter's early this year, daylight savings time is already here - spring will be here soon.

GARDEN DESIGN TIPS

Many people shy away from 'designing' their gardens because they believe things must be drawn precisely to scale and in great detail. Actually, a fairly simple sketch can be quite helpful in planning a bed, border or an entire garden. Your design must take into account your individual site and conditions and of course, preferences for specific plants. Keep in mind the following design principles and apply them to your plan.

1. Unity – The various parts or rooms in your garden should be tied together as a cohesive whole. Repeating color themes or plant combinations helps to achieve this goal.
2. Proportion and scale – Very small plants in a large bed or large trees in a tiny yard won't be in proportion. Keep things in scale within beds and overall in your garden.
3. Texture and form – Contrast pays off here. Broad leaves next to finely cut foliage provide an attractive contrast. Different forms - vertical, rounded and trailing, should be combined within a planting.
4. Color – Use your favorite colors as a guide. Or provide contrast by using colors that are opposite on the color wheel - like purple and yellow. Green as a garden neutral fits in with any color scheme.
5. Focal points – Your eye will instinctively search for a focus. Use an impressive specimen plant, a vine trained on a trellis or an architectural element - a bench, fountain or bird bath.
6. Flow – This is a tough one for many people because it asks you to limit the number of varieties you plant. Choose a few varieties and plant in multiples (odd numbers are best). This will create a flowing design that is pleasing to the eye.
7. Style – Formal designs are symmetrical and use straight lines and geometric shapes. Informal designs are less symmetrical, use curved lines and a mixed color palette.

Our favorite Christmas present - and signs of Spring!

Hope you enjoyed your holidays as much as we did. Our best gift was our new dog, Lucy. we lost our older dog last summer and decided it was time for a new addition. She looks like a black lab, but smaller, so she's mixed with something.

She's a year old, so she was housebroken. She's over the initial puppyness, although she still has her moments. She has a sweet disposition and likes everyone. This leads to her biggest problem - her greetings. They're very enthusiastic, to put it mildly. So that's what we're working on. She's improved since we got her - at least the wildness doesn't last as long!

We got Lucy at the Humane Society. Her previous owner died and no one in the family could take her. There are a lot of nice dogs looking for homes. If you're considering adding a pet, think about adopting one. The procedure was easy and the staff was very helpful. The Humane Society even paid for her first vet exam.

Spring is on the way. John was so happy when we passed the shortest day of the year. Now, at 5 o'clock, he says, "Look, it's still light."

The other sure sign of spring is seed starting. I started my first batch of pansies after Christmas. This week, it was more pansies and some early perennials - coneflower, blue flax and lavender "Lady". This is a fragrant, compact variety grown from seed rather than from cuttings.

Now there will be a short break. Soon, I'll start seeds every week. It won't be long before the greenhouses begin to fill up.

Stay tuned, and think spring!

Looking Ahead

"With Years a richer life begins, the spirit mellows."
John T. Trowbridge.

Looking Ahead to Spring

We'll be celebrating next spring! April 2008 will mark the tenth anniversary of the opening of Cloverleaf Herb Farm. We'll feature a special sale during our spring open house to show our appreciation for your continued support. More details to follow in our spring newsletter and on our blog as it comes closer!

We'll expand our plant inventory with some new selections for spring. They will include an ornamental perennial, an herbal ground cover and a complementary color selection of a cool weather favorite.

Many of you know of my fondness for calendula or pot marigold. Its yellow or orange daisy-like flowers are ornamental and its healing resins are used in products to relieve skin irritations. Calendula will be celebrated as herb of the year for 2008.

The one pictured managed to live well into our mild November this past year.

Last Minute Herbal Gifts

We'll be open through Saturday, December 22, so here are a few ideas for some relaxed last minute shopping!

SOAPS - Many of you are familiar with the wonderful handmade soaps we carry. They're fragrant, moisturizing and long-lasting. Once you try them, it's hard to go back to commercial soaps. They make great gifts and stocking stuffers. We've added some new varieties:

• Blackberry-sage - Fragrant, fruity-herbal scent.
• Apple snap - Perfect for fall and winter, with a warm, spicy fragrance.
• Goat's milk - a very moisturizing, unscented soap.
• Sun blossom - Fresh, mild fragrance.
• Grapefruit-lily - Sharp grapefruit combined with sweet, floral scent.

TREE ORNAMENTS - We have unique items for your tree. Many are handcrafted using dried material grown on the farm. Others are crafted from metal, wood and other natural materials. Great additions for your natural or country decor.

HERBAL SNIFFING JAR - Just open and sniff. A combination of herbs and oils to help relieve congestion. I use mine often in the winter for sinus congestion and find it very helpful.

HEALING WAND – Healing essential oils in a simple to use form. The solid salve is easy to apply from the roll-on tube. Portable too - great to keep in the kitchen, desk, car or garage.

HERBAL FACIALS – Skin deserves some pampering during the winter. All natural ingredients in two sizes. Very popular for gifts and stocking stuffers.


WHIPPED SHEA BUTTERS - This is a luxurious treatment for your skin. Shea butter moisturizes, improves your skin's elasticity and helps neutralize the sun's effects on your skin. In citrus and wise woman scents.