[Sca-cooks] Re: [Bryn-gwlad] Texas Gardening HELP!!!!

[Stefan li Rous]

  Safia asked:
> HELP!!! I am getting a house with a huge back yard. Big enough that I 
> don't have to force the children to play in the street so that I can 
> garden! I just realized that I now live in Texas, and that the growing 
> season is longer, and the summer hotter, then Kansas. 
> Uhm......HELP!!!! I'm not sure where to start. I want and herb garden, 
> of course, and I also want a flower and vegetable garden and some 
> fruits that I don't have to have trees for, ie: grapes. I want to 
> figure out what to plant when, and I just don't know that anymore, at 
> least not for Texas. If you have any websites or people, groups, or 
> places that I can contact to learn more about this, I would be GREATLY 
> appreciative! Any tips hints or tricks would be great also. I'm just 
> glad that we are moving into the house in October, gives me a few 
> months to plan. (Doesn't it?)
I don't know if you have in mind strictly doing a mundane garden or if 
you wish to use some period plants, arrangements or other details. I'm 
afraid others are going to be more knowledgeable about Texas herbs and 
such. I will be interested to see what they say. I will be starting up 
my herb garden again at the new house, which we will move in to 
tomorrow (Monday). Finally! My last herb garden died because I had it 
set up to be watered with a small irrigation system on a timer. The 
timer was battery powered and the batteries ran out. Oops. The next one 
will be tied in the already installed yard sprinkler system.

Anyway, here are some of the files in the PLANTS, HERBS AND SPICES 
section of the Florilegium that might be of interest:
A-Mazng-Herbs-art  (5K)  8/31/01    "A-Mazing-Herbs" by Countess Tessa
                                        of the Gardens, OP.
A-Med-Garden-art  (32K)  7/29/02    "Recreating a Medieval Garden"
                                         by Brianna McBain.
Basic-Herbs-art    (6K) 11/ 2/02    "Basic List of Herbs"
                                        by HL Suzanna the herbalist.
herbs-msg        (120K)  1/19/01    Herbs used in period and how they 
were used.
                                        Modern sources.
Herbs-Sm-Grdn-art (32K) 10/10/01    "Medieval Herbs for the Very Small 
Garden"
                                        by Jadwiga Zajaczkowa.
herb-uses-msg     (32K)  2/15/00    Uses for various herbs. Recipes.
p-herbals-msg     (52K)  3/29/03    Period herb books. Modern editions.
Palladius-art     (41K) 11/18/99    Palladius' treatise on gardening 
1420.
Pattrn-gardns-art (12K) 10/13/00    "Parterres and the Jardins Potager 
in the
                                        Current Middle Ages" by Akim 
Yaroslavich.
roses-art         (36K)  5/15/97    "Sacred Iron Posies" by Daniel del 
Cavallo.
                                        (medieval roses).

Hmmm. I inherited a rose bush at this house. Perhaps I should plant one 
or two at the new house. Perhaps a period variety. They don't tend to 
be as pretty, but the haven't had the smell bred out of them. Mistress 
Clare, have you any recommendations?

Oh yes, this file has some sources for seeds and plantings of period 
plants:
seeds-msg         (60K) 12/27/00    Sources for period plants and seeds.
> Another question. What is a good general mint plant to grow? I'm 
> getting the container for it soon so that I don't kill off what's left 
> of the landlord's St. Augestine grass. *grin* Even though the back 
> yard would smell yummy.
I think the care needed for all mint plants is going to be similar. 
Multiple types tend to cross very easily, so if you have multiple 
varieties you may want to keep them apart. And yes, I've also heard 
that planting mints plants in containers is good, so that they stay 
(somewhat) contained.

And a good use for excess mint is sekanjabin:
jalabs-msg        (64K)  7/22/02    Drinks with a sugar or honey-syrup 
base such
                                        as Sekanjabin (Persian Mint 
Drink).
http://www.florilegium.org/files/BEVERAGES/jalabs-msg.html

I don't think there is much use for extra St. Augustine grass. :-)

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****