Krohn Conservatory

The Krohn Conservatory, located in Cincinnati, Ohio in the Eden Park area, is one of my favorite garden spots in Cincinnati.  It was completed in 1933 and named after Irwin M. Krohn, who served on the Board of Park Commissioners.

There are over 3500 species of native and exotic flora here.  As you walk through the conservatory, you will notice that there are many different sections.  There's a tropical house with  ferns, begonias, and two nice sized pools.  One of my favorite sections is the Palm House which contains an indoor rainforest with a 20 waterfall and towering trees.

The Floral Display House is mostly used for seasonal displays, such as the wonderful butterfly display, Japanese Garden, and Winter Wonderland.

The Desert Garden houses cacti and succulents, and the Orchid Room contains several thousand orchids.

The Conservatory is open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  Admission is free, except for the special exhibits.

Kenroku-en Garden

Kenroku-en Garden, located in Kaazawa, Japan, is an absolutely gorgeous place.  In fact, it is one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan.  Many consider it the most beautiful of the three.  The garden covers over 40 acres.  The name, "kenrokuen," means, "garden which combines six characteristics."  What are those six characteristics?  Spaciousness, serenity, venerability, scenic views, subtle design, and coolness.

The garden used to be the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle, which was constructed by the ruling Maede family.  They maintained it for generations.  The gardens were finally open to the public in 1871.

Visitors will enjoy the large Kasumigaike pond, hills, tea houses, fountains, stone lanterns (one large one is in the shape of a Japanese harp [koto]) and lovely plants and flowers.  The plum and cherry blossoms are especially pretty in the spring.  If you visit in the summer, you will see azaleas and iris.  In the fall, the leaves are simply beautiful. 

The garden is open daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM October - February, and 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM the rest of the year.  Admission is 300 yen for adults and 100 yen for children.

How to Dry Herbs

Did you plant fresh herbs in your garden this year?  I did.  I love using them when I cook.  You can keep enjoying your herbs in the winter if you take the time to dry them and store them.  Here's how to do it.

First of all, different herbs require different drying methods.  This is due to the varying moisture levels in the leaves.  Sage, thyme, savory, dill, bay leaves, oregano, rosemary, and marjoram require air-drying.  Basil, tarragon, lemon balm, and mints require an oven or dehydrator.  Chives work best frozen.  Whatever you do, don't use a microwave.  The results just aren't good.

To air dry, follow these steps:

1.  Cut your herbs when they are dry.  Shake to remove insects, and remove damaged leaves.

2.  Rinse the herbs with cold water and dry with a paper towel (or regular towel).

3.  Remove the lower leaves from the stems. 

4.  Tie 5 or 6 stems together in a small bunch.

5.  Put branches upside down in a paper bag and gather the bag around the stems.  Poke some holes in the bag for ventilation.

6.  Write the name of the herb and the date you started drying on the bag.

7.  In about 2 - 3 weeks, your herbs will be dry.

8.  Separate the leaves from the stem and store them in a glass or plastic container (make sure you mark what it is on the container).  Ziploc bags can also work for storage.


To oven dry:

1.  Follow the first three steps from the air drying directions.

2.  Turn your oven to "warm"  (140-200 F) for 20 minutes.

3.  Turn oven off and pop in the herbs.

4.  Leave undisturbed overnight.

5.  You may need to repeat the process one more time.

6.  Follow step 8 from the air drying directions.

Enjoy!

Russian Sage

Where I live, in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Russian Sage is a very popular plant.  They are native to central asia and the middle east, where their flowers are eaten and their leaves are smoked like tobacco. 

They grow in clumps with blue flower panicles at the end of each stem.  Their leaves are very fine, and are gray-green in color.  These plants can grow to be 4 - 6 feet tall, and about 3 feet wide. 

Russian Sage starts blooming in July and continues well into September.  If you sniff them, you'll notice a slight sage-like fragrance.  It is not a true sage, but as stated above, it is an edible herb.

Russian Sage likes full sun and is drought tolerant.  If left to its own devices, it will take over your garden, so you'll need to thin them out.  Pruning is best done in the spring.  If you wish to propagate the plant, just insert a cutting into a moist growing medium.  The success rate for propagating is very high for these hardy plants.

Tarrywile Park Children's Garden

Tarrywile Park Children's Garden is located in Danbury, Connecticut.  It is a one-acre site that is part of the Danbury City Park.  Landscape designer, Jane Didona, was inspired by the book, Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak when she created the garden in 2000.  Children can have fun playing in the troll house, and hunting for frogs, butterflies, and dragonflies in the fish pond and along the paths lined with tall grasses.

When you are finished in the garden, you may want to explore some of the 21 miles of trails that are part of the park system.  There's also a lovely Victorian-style mansion on the grounds that can be rented for events.

The garden is open year round from sunrise to sunset.  Admission is free.

Kingswood Center Gardens

Kingswood Center Gardens are located in Mansfield, Ohio.  They are on the property of the former estate of Charles King, past president of the Ohio Brass Company.  They were opened to the public in 1953, one year after his death.

Today, the property covers 47 acres, 25 of which are formal gardens and greenhouses.

Spring is an especially beautiful time to visit, as the magnolias, daffodils, crocus, and dogwoods are in bloom.  Any time of the year, however, is a good time  for a visit to this remarkable place.  On the property is a 9000 foot green house which contains cacti, succulents, and orchids.  There's a lovely water fowl pond, and plenty of fountains, statues, and flowers.

In the summer, from the end of June to the beginning of August, there are free Friday evening concerts that start at 7:00 PM.  Musicians from the local union perform.  It's a really nice way to spend a summer evening.

The gardens are open from April 14 through October 14 daily from 8 AM to 5 PM.  The greenhouse is open daily from 8 AM to 4:20 PM.  Admission is $5.00.  Tours of the estate are also offered for a fee (most of the estate is now a horicultural education center).

Gardens of Versaille

If you ever visit Paris, France, be sure to take a side trip to Versaille to visit the beautiful chateau and gardens there.  The gardens are some of the most famous in the world.  In fact, recently, in 2012, the gardens were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Versaille was the palatial center of government for Louis XIV in the late 1600s.  The park and gardens were designed by Andre LeNotre between 1661 and 1700.  They cover over 2000 acres.  The gardens are landscaped in a classic French Garden Style.  Visitors will see beautiful sculptures, flowers, fountains, and even an orangerie.

The gardens are open April 1 through October 31 from 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and November 1 - March 31 from  8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.  To see the garden, you must choose a tour package.  These start at 18 euros.