Here are some edible flowers from Mill Creek Towne Garden Club’s Vice President and Master Gardener, Heather Whirley’s garden!
From left to right in the photo:
CALENDULA/Calendula officinalis– also commonly called Pot Marigold, used to flavor and color soups and stews, petals are edible as a topping for salads. Has a bitter flavor.
LAVENDER – Lavandula angustifolia – floral flavor used in icings, cakes, cookies and pastries. Recommended varieties for culinary use are “Munstead” and “Hidcote.”
CHAMOMILE/Chamaemelum nobile, Matricaria recutita – used in teas for calming effect. Do not use or use sparingly if you have allergies to ragweed, as this plant is in the same family. Two types – Annual is the German Matricaria recutita and the perennial Roman is Chamaemelum nobile. Use the flowers of either type interchangeably in the kitchen.
THYME/Thymus spp. – this herb’s flowers give an herbal flavor – sprigs can be used for decorating plates, also great to let flower in the garden for bees.
BEE BALM/Monarda didyma, M. fistulosa, M.citriodora– spicy, sweet flavor, but exceptionally tempting for the bees in the garden. Leaves are used to make Bergamot tea.
Also worth noting words of caution…
RULES FOR FLOWER-EATERS:
Don’t eat flowers if you have a history of allergies, asthma, or hay fever.
Eat only flowers you know to be safe; some kinds are toxic; proper identification is essential.
Eat only organically-grown, pesticide-free, edible flowers.
Don’t eat flowers from nurseries, florists, or garden centers; they often use systemic pesticides.
Here are some gardening tips, educational opportunities, videos, and events for June. Events for June include Wings of Fancy at Brookside Gardens, 6th Annual Garden Party at Behnke Nurseries, Sandy Spring Strawberry Festival, Woodlawn Visitor Center Open House, and more!
Planning:
As the heat and humidity moves in, take it easy by working in the morning or early evening to avoid intense sun and humidity. Leave the big projects for this fall. For now, concentrate on maintaining the beds you’ve already established and nurturing your new plantings.
Don’t overwater if it is hot and muggy. Remove plants severely infected with powdery mildew. Thin crowded plants.
Check out plants going on sale!
Peruse fall bulb catalogs.
Order spring-flowering bulbs to arrive for planting this fall.
Plan who is going to water your plants during your vacation.
Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus) has many common names, including Carolina allspice, strawberry-bush, sweet bubby, sweet Betsy and spicebush. As these names indicate, it is valued for the sweet, often fruity fragrance of its flowers. Sweetshrub is native along the east coast from Pennsylvania south to northern Florida and west to Mississippi. In South Carolina it is native in the Upstate and Central regions, and grows well throughout the state. See details on this popular shrub on Clemson University’s site.
This is snake mating season, their most active time of year. Snakes are beneficial creatures and should not be harmed. Snakes in the garden help control insect and rodent pests. See the HGIC June Wildlife tips for identifying snakes.
Prevent deer from feeding on garden and landscape plants, by applying a repellent, such as “Deer-Away”, “Liquid Fence”, “Deer-Off”, “Hinder” or “Ro-Pel” to vulnerable plants. Grow plants seldom damaged by deer. See FS 655 Deer Resistant Ornamentals.
Watch for: rabbits, groundhogs, deer, moles, snakes, squirrels, and voles.
For more information on wildlife management and attracting wildlife see HGIC’s June Wildlife tips.
Source: University of Maryland’s Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) and the Washington Gardener.
?Save the date for these upcoming Summer events! Events include the Sandy Spring Strawberry Festival, Climb a Tree, Wings of Fancy at Brookside Gardens, and more!
Looking for volunteer opportunities this summer? There are still some openings left for Montgomery Parks including Brookside Garden’s Butterfly Exhibit, Gardeners at Brookside Nature Center, and summer camp counselors at various Montgomery Park Nature Centers.
Many of our Nature Center Summer Camps are still looking for Volunteer Counselors! Follow the link to see a list of the camps and find out how you can get involved.
Brookside Gardens is happy to announce the return of its premier Wings of Fancy Live Butterfly and Caterpillar Exhibit. The seasonal display features hundreds of live butterflies from all over the world. Families, students, nature lovers, and everyone in between can get an up close experience of these brilliant butterflies from North America, Costa Rica, Africa and Asia as they soar among colorful flowers. Visitors can learn about their amazing metamorphosis, the important role butterflies play in having healthy ecosystems, and how to ensure these beautiful insects thrive in our own gardens.
Come climb a giant tree in Montgomery Parks! Join our arborists as they provide safety gear, assistance and encouragement to help kids put their heads in the clouds and see our parks from a new perspective. Tons of fun and free for all! Let’s see how high you can climb!
Join us at any of the following dates, times and locations for a fun adventure among the trees:
Saturday, June 4th, 9am-noon Elm Street Park 4600 Elm Street,Bethesda, MD 2081
Wednesday, June 22nd, 9am – noon – Fairview Park 8900 Fairview Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Wednesday, July 6th , 9am- noon Wall Park 4901 Nicholson Lane, Rockville, MD 2085
Sandy Spring Strawberry Festival is back for the 35th year. Enjoy live music, dance performances, petting zoo, beer garden and more at the Sandy Spring Museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fresh local strawberries and shortcake will be available.
Keynote speaker sponsored by Espoma:Kerry Ann Mendez.
Kerry Anne is an award-winning garden designer and author of four gardening books. Design Tips for Knockout, Easy-Care Flower Gardens. Gorgeous, low-maintenance gardens are no accident. Learn proven design tricks for sensational gardens, including selecting great plants, design strategies, incorporating focal points, vertical interest, sustainable practices and more. Book signing to follow.
Buy Raffle Tickets to support Friends of Brookside Gardens.
Play Garden Party Games:Garden Hat Contest, Garden Trivia and more!
Enjoy free tours of Brookside Gardens in Wheaton or McCrillis Gardens in Bethesda. Brookside Gardens is an award-winning display garden, featuring an abundance of annual and perennial displays throughout the season. McCrillis Gardens is a naturalistic strolling garden, offering shady woodland walks and splashes of color in spring. Highly trained knowledgeable guides offer engaging horticultural tours, focusing on the plants that make each garden unique.
Maryland has nine dairy farms that offer fresh, delicious on-farm ice cream. Together, they make up the Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail. Visit each creamery and get your trail passport stamped before September 23rd and you may be named Maryland’s 2016 Ice Cream Trail Blazer!
No purchase is necessary to participate. Completed passports must be postmarked by Sept. 26.
Montgomery Parks is excited to open this historic gem to the public. Explore the Stone Barn exhibits where echoes of the past will tell the story of a bustling farm, its community, and those who made a bold bid for freedom on the Underground Railroad. Learn about Woodlawn’s earliest residents and their neighbors.
The celebration will include, living history demonstrations, tours, activities for children, food, live music and a special performance featuring the extraordinary music of the Washington Revels Jubilee Voices. The Washington Revels Jubilee Voices ensemble is committed to the preservation of African American history and traditions – presenting songs and stories of struggle and perseverance, trials and triumphs, as expressed through a cappella music, drama and dance.
Join us Tuesday evenings in June for a series of musical performances set in the beauty of the Gardens! Bring your friends and family, and don’t forget your chairs, blankets and picnics (allowed in the Gardens on concert evenings only)
8:30 a.m.- 10:30 a.m. | Both Dates
Saturday, June 11: Lake Needwood Boats
Saturday, June 25: Black Hill Boats $12 | Ages: At least 3, but less than 16Get in on the fishy fun! Free cane pole to the first 25 kids registered, and prizes for the boy or girl who catch the biggest, smallest, and greatest number of fish. We’ll teach the kids how to bait a hook with worms, put their line in the water, and pull those fish in. We’ll also talk about the kinds of fish that swim in this lake, what they like to eat, and the best way to catch them. You’ll receive an email if you are one of the first 25 registrants, otherwise bring your pole!
Sam Droege, Head of the United States Geological Survey Bee Monitoring Lab. Open your eyes to an entirely new world in yourown backyard. Sam Droege, biologist and macro photographer extraordinaire, collects and photographs the thousands of native bee species that thrive locally and around the nation. These small and often overlooked organisms are incredibly vital to your garden and our local ecosystem; Sam will show you how to welcome them to your property.
Come climb a giant tree in Montgomery Parks! Join our arborists as they provide safety gear, assistance and encouragement to help kids put their heads in the clouds and see our parks from a new perspective. Tons of fun and free for all! Let’s see how high you can climb!
Join us at any of the following dates, times and locations for a fun adventure among the trees:
Saturday, June 4th, 9am-noon Elm Street Park 4600 Elm Street, Bethesda, MD 2081
Wednesday, June 22nd, 9am – noon – Fairview Park 8900 Fairview Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Wednesday, July 6th , 9am- noon Wall Park 4901 Nicholson Lane, Rockville, MD 2085
Come climb a giant tree in Montgomery Parks! Join our arborists as they provide safety gear, assistance and encouragement to help kids put their heads in the clouds and see our parks from a new perspective. Tons of fun and free for all! Let’s see how high you can climb!
Join us at any of the following dates, times and locations for a fun adventure among the trees:
Saturday, June 4th, 9am-noon Elm Street Park 4600 Elm Street,Bethesda, MD 2081
Wednesday, June 22nd, 9am – noon – Fairview Park 8900 Fairview Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Wednesday, July 6th , 9am- noon Wall Park 4901 Nicholson Lane, Rockville, MD 2085
What do butterflies do when the sun sets? Find out with exclusive evening access to our Wings of Fancy exhibit! Sample local wines as butterflies and music swirl around you; learn more about the fascinating extended family family of butterflies- Lepidoptera. Finish off the evening by potting up a butterfly container garden to take home.
Montgomery County, Maryland celebrates its agricultural heritage, promotes local farms, and provides residents the opportunity to indulge in seasonally fresh food during the Annual Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale. The Farm Tour provides people with an opportunity to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, plants and other local products. Several farms have hayrides, pony rides, music, demonstrations and other fun and educational activities for all ages. It’s an educational experience and a great family day outing.
Support our local farmers by visiting local farms and buying fresh produce, vegetables, and even wine! See below for a list of Montgomery County farms in the area. Don’t miss the Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale Saturday–Sunday, July 23 – 24, 2016, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Montgomery County Farm Tour is held rain or shine. However, in the event of rain, some events and activities may be delayed or canceled.
