Gardening with Wildflower

Invasive plants to avoid

Austrailian swamp stonecrop(Crassula helmsii)

curly waterweed(Lagarosiphon major)

Floating pennywort(Hydrocotyle ranunculoides)

Green seafingers)Codium fragile)

Parrot's feather(myriophyllum aquaticum)

Water fern(azolla filiculoides)

Easy-Care Favorites
http://www.gardeners.com/Growing-Wildflowers/5023,default,pg.html

The following varieties are widely adapted, reliable performers that are not terribly fussy about soil type. All require at least a half day of sun:

 Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)


Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)


Lance Leaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)


Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria)


Catchfly (Silene armeria)


Annual Baby's Breath (Gypsophilia elegans)


Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)


Gloriosa Daisy (Rudbeckia hirta 'Gloriosa')


Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)


Toadflax (Linaria maroccana)


Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)


Rocket Larkspur (Delphinium ajacis)


Shasta Daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum 'Maximum')

Homemade Fabric Conditioner

1 cup washing soda
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
a few drops of essential oil(lavender, lemon, cedarwood, or geranium)

Store in a crew-top bottle, and use like commercial conditoner.

Gingko Nuts

Gingko nuts are hight in sugar, fat and protein but, unusually for nuts, are also rich in VB, VC and carotene. The are known to be effective in lowering blood pressure, and have energising and aphodisiac qualities. More unusually, toasted gingko nuts are given to people suffering from and over-active bladder and children with bed-wetting problems.

HOW TO PROPAGATE LAVENDER

Propagate Lavender By Cuttings


Cuttings are the easiest method and the chances of success are high. In addition, you are guaranteed that the new plant will be exactly the same as the parent plant.


The best method is to take a heel cutting in spring. This can also be done in autumn but the cutting will take longer to root. First fill the a pot(s) by filling with a sandy compost. Water it so the soil is damp but not dripping.


To take a heel cutting, identify a healthy looking shoot which is about 10cm (4in) long and pull it down and away from the main stem. You will end up with a shoot which has a "heel" of the main stem at its base. If the heel is a bit to long then trim it up a bit with a sharp knife.


Dip the "heel" in hormone rooting powder or solution, make a small hole in the compost with a pencil and place the cutting in the soil with the "heel" lowermost. About 3cm (1in) of the cutting should be below the soil. Gently firm the soil down around the cutting. Keep the cuttings in a light airy position out of direct sunlight keeping the soil just moist.


The lavender should show some signs of growth around 4 to 6 weeks later. If it outgrows the pot, pot into a larger one. The rooted cutting can be planted in its final position in early autumn.


Propagate Lavender By Seed


Lavender will not grow true to the parent type when grown from seed. For this reason we do not recommend this method of propagation.


In autumn when the seeds are ripe (they should be dry and black), collect them and place them in a compost filled pot (see cuttings above) and a very thin layer of compost scattered over them. Place them in a well-ventilated, warm and dark position. The seeds will take about six weeks to emerge. Then treat them as cuttings and plant in their final positions the next autumn.




Propagate Lavender By Layering


In early autumn select a long stem and gently bend it down to ground level. Peg it onto ground with a hoop shaped piece of wire and cover with 3cm (1in) of soil. The layer will produce growth the next spring. When this has happened, sever the stem from the parent plant and pot into soil as described for heel cuttings.


Transplant into its final position in early autumn. The plant will be an exact replica of the parent and the chances of success are high.


http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/plantfinder/lavender_4.asp

French Alps Holiday Info - Les Fontaines Holiday Park

We have booked a holiday in the summer. Now I would like to collect some info for the holiday.

Beautifully situated just a few minutes from Lake Annecy, Les Fontaines is a truly first class parc, enjoying a magnificent setting amidst some of the French Alps most stunning scenery.

Local Area



Walibi Park


In a theme park situated in the heart of nature, discover a cocktail of emotion. More than 30 attractions, spectacles and exclusive animations for all the family.

Grotte et Cascade de Seythenex


At the foot of the Bauges mountains between the 'Collar de Temie' and the 'Tooth of Idiots' there is a network of galleries of which 250m is accessible. A 40 min guided underground tour is available.


Les Jardins Secrets


Off the beaten track in the pleasant countryside of Haute-Savoie, between Annecy, Aix Les Bains and Geneva. They are amongst the unmissable sights to visit. Each one of the Gardens has its own identity and originality.


Aquarium du Lac du Bourget


At the edge of the largest natural lake in France, come and discover 50 fresh water fish species, a diorama about water birds, a theme show and finally an audio-visual photomontage about the surroundings of the lake.


Chateau de Menthon St Bernard


Dominates the Commune of Menthon at the edge of Annecy lake. The Chateau is inhabited by the family of Menthon. Contains a splendid library and old manuscripts. Guided tours of the chateau are available.


Chateau de Montrottier


The medieval castle of Montrottier is located ten minutes away from Annecy.This castle perched on a hill contains vast collections of weapons, earthenware, tapestries, pieces of furniture as well as a collection from the Far East. There are approved guided tours usually in French but English can be arranged.

How to Clean Microwaves

Mix 115ml water with 2 teaspoons of baking soda in a bowl. Place the mixture in the microwave, turn to High (100% power), and run for 2 ins. Remove the bowl and wipe the oven clean.

Organic Method to Remove Mould & Mildew

• Spary with neat white vinegar, leave for 30 mins, then wipe off.
• Dry portable items in the sun after treating.
• Borax prevents mould and milew from developing.

Make a solution:

• 50g(2oz) borax
• 300ml white vinegar

Apply with a cloth, or put into a spray bottle to apply to damp walls. Leave for 30 mins before wiping off.

Handmade Shampoo Bar Recipe

http://www.zimbio.com/Make+Your+Own+Handmade+Soaps,+Shampoos,+Bath+and+Body+Products/articles/214/Best+Shampoo+Bar+Recipe

* 2 oz Castor Oil



* 2 oz Jojoba Oil


* 8 oz Soybean Oil


* 12 oz Distilled Water


* 8 oz Coconut Oil


* 12 oz Olive Oil


* 4.3 oz NaOH (Lye)



Measure Oils and put in crock. Turn on low. Measure water and lye. Mix outside. Put lye water mix in crock, bring to trace and let cook 30 minutes, stirring a couple times. Then stir down, cook another 15-30 minutes (coconut oil makes this thing cook faster than I thought before)and constantly stir.

Handmade Soap Saponification Chart by Theresa Lott

The chart is from Theresa Lott: http://www.soapnaturally.org/calculator/index.html

Since the chart works by proportion it doesn't matter if you use ounces or grams. There is a regular column for those who need to know the exact amount of lye to use and wish to superfat what they wish, and a second column that shows a 5% superfat figure. I personally use the 5% superfat figures and do not hold any oils out to add at the end. All of my oils are added at the same time.


To use the chart in the "Input Oil" column put in how many ounces or grams of that particular oil you wish to use in your recipe. Then press enter on your keyboard. Work your way down the chart adding in all your oils. Once you are finished, scroll down to the bottom of the chart. You can add in any extra ingredients, recipe notes, etc in the Extra Ingredients section. I would then recommend printing out the chart. Also do a FILE and SAVEAS on your computer and give this recipe a file name. If you keep one blank chart you can use it over and over again for the creation of new recipes.

Decide which column you wish to use, either the Regular Soap or the 5% superfat soap. Then use the amount of lye and water at the bottom of that column in your recipe.

How to Create Horizontal Navigation Menu

I found a great blog to show how to edit the blogger layout. I have tried and worked great.

http://www.blogger-templates-layouts-tutorial.co.cc/blogger-add-horizontal-navigation-menu-under-header.html