Things in Bloom
The garden is a patchwork of color: peach colored poppies, the bright yellows of Phlomis fruticosa and columbines, white cilantro flowers rise charmingly above hot pink verbenas, bunches bluebonnets contrast with mounds of pink evening primrose, white and red and pink salvias, and, of course, roses.  Texas betony adds rouge toned flowers, oxalis has masses of pink blooms above the "four leaf clover" foliage, Impatiens balsamina add jewel tones and charming five petaled flowers dot the Pelargoniums that are grown more for their scented foliage than their blooms.

Eggs and Herbs
For cute spring time decorations save halves of egg shells, dye in pastel colors, fill with potting mix and add small herb plants.  Use in egg cups at place settings, collect in a basket of moss or simply place in a colorful egg carton and give as a starter garden for a friend.

Yarrow
Yarrow is a member of the Asteraceae family.  Known botanically as Achillea millefolium this European native came to North America with early immigrants and is naturalized over all of the continent, except the hot South West and Mexico.  In its wild form, it has mounds of green, finely divided foliage topped with two to three foot flower stalks featurng flat clusters of small white or off white flowers.  At Horsetail Haven a cultivated variety with deep rose flowers is grown.  Other cultivars exist with grayish foliage and a variety of blossoms colors including reds, oranges, pinks and yellows.  If the genus 'Achillea' rings a bell, it might be because it is named for the Greek soldier Achilles who was taught by the centaur Chiron of the usefulness of yarrow in healing soldier's wounds.  While we don't know if he used the species 'millefolium', we do know that that yarrow has been used medicinally for many years, for many different disease states.  Called "allheal" in traditional English herbalism, it has not been proven to be effective for most of its historic uses.  Other common names are 'milfoil' for the finely cut, ferny leaves, carpenter's herb for the blood clotting abilities the leaves posess, and 'knight's balm' for its use on battle wounds during the Crusades.  A. millefolium is easily grown in a sunny location with well draining soil and moderate amounts of watering.  It will survive drought conditions, but the plant will be its most attractive with occasional watering.  The natural species may be considered invasive as it spreads by both creeping roots and seeds.  The cultivated varieties are a bit better behaved, but don't expect to keep them in a small area of the garden.  Cut off spent blooms to encourage more flowering and enjoy this delightful plant in bouquets of both cut and dried flowers.

Pelargonium Report
Experimenting with rooting techniques of scented geraniums has caused Ann Marie to rethink her usual technique of allowing pelargonium cuttings to sit for a day before placing in planting mix.  The cuttings taken of small leaf citrus scented varieties that were not allowed to form a callus were able to avoid rot, but the ones that were cut and then placed in potting mix 24 hours later all rotted, some within seven days time.  Other varieties of scented geraniums faired better with the 24 hour wait, particularly the large leaf types.  Those cuttings had more rotting in the immediate group than with a 24 hour wait.  More tests continue, and other things being tried are watering cuttings with liquid seaweed versus water, rooting hormone vs no hormone, and potting mixes.

Use Your Herbs
Rosemary Orange Cake
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup orange juice
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly oil a 13x9x2 inch cake pan.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, orange rind and rosemary leaves and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and orange juice and beat well.
Add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, alternating about 1/3 at a time.  Beat well.
Pour into oiled caked and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the cake's center.
Top warm cake with a glaze made by combining 1/4 cup orange juice and 1/2 cup sugar and heating until sugar is dissolved.