Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Just Jennifer

Harvest: Unexpected Projects Using 47 Extraordinary Garden Plants by Stefani Bittner and Aletha Harampolis

The co-owners of a landscape design firm based in San Francisco take readers through the four seasons and show them how to use plants that until now may have been considered strictly ornamental and turn them into unusual food products, beauty treatments and other DYI projects.  Rhubarb, typically paired with strawberries in an often insipidly sweet pie or jam becomes a quick rosy pickle as a side condiment or a garnish to a springtime cocktail.  While lilac flower cream is very labor intensive it is both edible or a skin cream and an arrangement of newly flower, fruit tree branches makes an arrangement of newly flowering fruit tree branches makes an easy and stunning addition to any room.  As the seasons warm up and plants become abundant in both flowers and greenery consider using highly scented geranium leaves to make a lovely scented sugar with a variety of uses.  Harvest organic flowers and stems for a flavorful vinegar and turn the ubiquitous purple coneflower (Echinacea) into a gardener’s salve.  many herbs and flowering plants can be turned into light refreshing drinks or rejuvenating scrubs.  In the fall as the garden winds down there are plenty of late season fruit bearing plants and colorful hearty herbaceous plants for decorative wreaths, garlands and arrangements.  This heavily photographed boo will provide much inspiration for the home gardener to take another walk around and see what new treasures their gardens yield and perhaps make them eager to add a few new plants for the upcoming season.
FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.


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