Gardener's Group discussion

Hi,

Love the theme of this group and just had to join. I've been gardening for ages, but always for flowers and never food. Guess I just love colour and I can't grow chocolate!

I live on Vancouver Island, Canada's gardening paradise, so enjoy growing perennials, bamboos, poppies (including Himalayan Blues) and am now into vertical gardens with succulents and sedums.

Looking forward to digging in the dirt with the rest of you. Cheers!

Nicola
www.nicolafurlong.com

Welcome to our group! I had the good fortune to visit Vancouver a few years ago on my way to hooking up with an Alaskan cruise. I was thinking of chucking the cruise and staying in Vancouver. I was just blown over with what I saw. Can't wait to share gardening trials and triumphs with you!

Cheryl S. wrote: "Welcome to our group! I had the good fortune to visit Vancouver a few years ago on my way to hooking up with an Alaskan cruise. I was thinking of chucking the cruise and staying in Vancouver. I ..."

Hi Cheryl,

Thanks for the kind invite. I bet your Alaskan cruise was fab. I've only been as far north as Haida Gwaii. Look forward to getting to know you and your garden.

Hi there Nicola :-)

I could grow chocolate, I've never tried. I should. It's a lovely little tree, the flowers are exquisite, somewhere between orchids and columbines. The huge pods grow directly from the trunk and old wood. What is unknown about chocolate unless you live where it grows is that the seeds are nestled in a white cottony sort of stuff that tastes like very sweet and juicy lemon drops.

So I think now I am inspired and I will have to look where I can get a cacao tree to grow.

Hi Nicola! If only my second cousin had been more persuasive to my father - or Covent Garden's Royal Opera House had moved I may have ended up in Vancouver myself.
I too am a fellow sufferer and chocolate is one of the few sweet things i can binge on!
I am an obsessive vegetable gardener with a proud 8 cubic metre balcony farm in Kuwait. I would not say colour is lacking with marigolds and nasturtiums being good companion plants (and edible)! :))

Nicola wrote: "Cheryl S. wrote: "Welcome to our group! I had the good fortune to visit Vancouver a few years ago on my way to hooking up with an Alaskan cruise. I was thinking of chucking the cruise and staying..."

Unfortunately I live in Minnesota and our gardening season is over for the year. Winter is the time for planning and dreaming. I will be interested to hear what winter gardening is like in Vancouver.

Also a chocoholic and winter is the danger time as spending more time in the house tempts me to bake something yummy. I can get high on the smell alone!

Cheryl S. wrote: "I will be interested to hear what winter gardening is like in Vancouver...."

So would I! September to May is my season here - the summer months are just burn with only basil and hibiscus surviving (with lots, LOTS of watering.... now stuff is spring into life my first tomato - Hawaiian cherry (either red or yellow - has seven fruits with promise of more to come... Five of seven Iranian tomato seedlings have said hello to the world and my Zapotecs almost ready to plant out....

Welcome and make yourself at home in the threads!

Illegitimi Non Carborundum wrote: "Hi there Nicola :-)

I could grow chocolate, I've never tried. I should. It's a lovely little tree, the flowers are exquisite, somewhere between orchids and columbines. The huge pods grow directly ..."

Hi Illigitimi,

Wow, may I ask where you live that you can grow chocolate?

Harvey wrote: "Hi Nicola! If only my second cousin had been more persuasive to my father - or Covent Garden's Royal Opera House had moved I may have ended up in Vancouver myself.
I too am a fellow sufferer and ch..."

Hey Harvey,

How cool to hear from a balcony farmer in Kuwait. I'm impressed with your veggies. I too love nasturtiums. Mine have begun to regrow so may have blossoms before Christmas!

Cheryl S. wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Cheryl S. wrote: "Welcome to our group! I had the good fortune to visit Vancouver a few years ago on my way to hooking up with an Alaskan cruise. I was thinking of chucking the cru..."

Hey Cheryl and Harvey,

Thanks for fun replies. I'm not actually in Vancouver, I'm 'over the pond' on southern Vancouver Island. Even better than Van as we don't get as much rain.

Right now I still have black hollyhocks, daisies, false lavender and a variety of fuchsias still flowering. May have have to cut my grass a couple more times before it sleeps in late Dec/early Jan.

Jo wrote: "Welcome and make yourself at home in the threads!"

Thanks, Jo,

I feel very much rooted in this garden.

Great to hear! :-)

Nicola wrote: "Harvey wrote: "Hi Nicola! If only my second cousin had been more persuasive to my father - or Covent Garden's Royal Opera House had moved I may have ended up in Vancouver myself.
I too am a fellow ..."

Just popped out the back and yes, have a yellow and an orange nasturtium blossom. This beats a 'real' Canadian November any day.

Lovely People...
For me its nice to be back despite the season's punishing work schedule that is both exciting and tiring at the same time. Last year I got a bit dispirited, planting late (spring in the real world) and getting minimal results. Nicola, glad you are taking root here, lovely bunch of folks and always one can learn something and just feel at home with everyone. I'm happy to report my first pickings of French Breakfast Radish worked with our salad tonight. Cooking drove me to my paternal grandfather's obsession (though he died 1939 in Latvia before WWII and i am not so antique) but growing things is a great aesthetic pleasure and whatever the motives 'a good thing' to do. Most of my Nasturtiums are 'Out of Africa' with a trailing habit and therefore hope to work with my new baskets extending my planting area outside the balcony. More tasting/growing notes to follow............ Must get into pesto production commercially sometime! best XXXXXX :))

Nicola wrote: "Hi Illigitimi,

Wow, may I ask where you live that you can grow chocolate? ..."

Hi Nicola, I'm Petra. My name change(s) are just a small protest at the Goodreads censorship policy.

I live in a rainforest on a small island in the Caribbean. Cacao is normally grown under big shady trees like poui trees so I think where I am might well be find for growing it.

Illegitimi Non Carborundum wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Hi Illigitimi,

Wow, may I ask where you live that you can grow chocolate? ..."

Hi Nicola, I'm Petra. My name change(s) are just a small protest at the Goodreads censorship policy.
..."

Hey Petra,

Nice to know your name. In fact, Petra's Chocolates has a great ring to it, don't you think? :)

Harvey wrote: "Lovely People...
For me its nice to be back despite the season's punishing work schedule that is both exciting and tiring at the same time. Last year I got a bit dispirited, planting late (spring i..."

There is nothing like fresh pesto! (except maybe chocolate)

Harvey wrote: "Lovely People...
For me its nice to be back despite the season's punishing work schedule that is both exciting and tiring at the same time. Last year I got a bit dispirited, planting late (spring i..."

Good to see you back Harvey! Always enjoy hearing about your balcony gardening especially when it's winter here.

No. Petra's Chocolates is an oxymoron. Petra doesn't have chocolates, Petra had chocolates. Petra ate the chocolates. All of them, no self-control, no bar or box has ever had to spend the whole night in the fridge of my home. Even when I know (like last Sunday) that eating the huge family-size bar of dark Belgian chocolate filled with bitter orange mousse will lead to tummyache next morning. Which it did.

Illegitimi Non Carborundum wrote: "No. Petra's Chocolates is an oxymoron. Petra doesn't have chocolates, Petra had chocolates. Petra ate the chocolates. All of them, no self-control, no bar or box has ever had to spend the whole nig..."

Loved this and commiserate.

Illegitimi Non Carborundum wrote: "No. Petra's Chocolates is an oxymoron. Petra doesn't have chocolates, Petra had chocolates. Petra ate the chocolates. All of them, no self-control, no bar or box has ever had to spend the whole nig..."

Chocolate flows through my veins. I am never without chocolate and I eat small amounts of it almost every day. One of my favorite books is:
Chocolates and Confections at Home with The Culinary Institute of America

Mickey wrote: "Illegitimi Non Carborundum wrote: "No. Petra's Chocolates is an oxymoron. Petra doesn't have chocolates, Petra had chocolates. Petra ate the chocolates. All of them, no self-control, no bar or box ..."

Okay, it's official: gardeners and chocolate go together like orange tulips and grape hyacinths...must be destiny.

Now excuse me while I go devour some homemade chocolate fudge.

Mickey wrote: "One of my favorite books is: Chocolates and Confections at Home with The Culinary Institute of America ..."

Porn. Bring it on.

And I made brownies this evening without having even seen these chocolate references...

All I have is some cocoa powder. No vehicle, can't even go to town and get some chocolate which I am now craving.

You people are making my diet very difficult!

I want a chocolate bar, chocolate ice cream, and a piece of choco. cream pie.

Hmmm... My truck is 19 years old with full of rust and barely runs.

But my pantry is loaded with: large container of Dutch Coco powder, Powdered Sugar, Sweetened and unsweeted Chocolate Bars (four 8oz bars each), Corn Starch, Baking Powder, baking soda, nuts, dried fruit, wheat berries (grind my own flours) and a dairy cow living in the barn.

I can make just about any kind of Chocolate desert in existence.
I have my priorities!

Mickey wrote: "Hmmm... My truck is 19 years old with full of rust and barely runs.

But my pantry is loaded with: large container of Dutch Coco powder, Powdered Sugar, Sweetened and unsweeted Chocolate Bars (four..."

It is quite obvious you aren't a chocoholic. You just like it but aren't addicted, don't crave it, don't neeeeed it in any kind of meaningful way.

Because if you did this is what your pantry would look like:

large container of Dutch Cocoa powder, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, nuts, dried fruit, wheat berries and a dairy cow living in the barn.

The dairy cow made me think of the poem The King's Breakfast by A.A. Milne.

Illegitimi Non Carborundum wrote: "The dairy cow made me think of the poem The King's Breakfast by A.A. Milne."

Not exactly like the kings breakfast. I am on the gluten sensitive side. That leaves off cake, donuts, pastries and the kings slice of bread. I do eat some foods with gluten but in small amounts.

That leaves Chocolate as my only true joy :)

I'm not so crazy over chocolate as I was because you can't get much here. It is mostly Hershey's and Cadbury's which used to be good, but Kraft own it now and it's got something in common with the 'cheese' slices and the sort of plasticy general US brands, ver sweet. I like European chocolate best, especially Belgian, Swiss and French. I've never seen them on the island. If I did I'd get huge again in a flash.

My mother once saw me eating a Mars bar. (Milky Way to you Americans). She said I don't know why you don't slap that on your hips one time, because that's where it's going. She was right :-(

Its always amazed me that the non-cacao producing nations produce such amazing stuff. A Mars a Day, Helps you Work, Rest and Play.... never heard any claims for hip-building before.... :))

Chocolate is high in sugar and fat. However chocolate does have that medicinal effect on many. Mine comes in the form of hot coco with dash of cayenne pepper every morning while reading my electronic news paper. Hot chocolate is different from hot coco in terms of richness and takes more effort to make each morning. The U.S. companies does not make a good Dutch Coco powder (they use too). I think Central American countries produce the best Coco in the world. I do make my hot coco from Dutch Coco, powdered sugar and milk, not from those packets that is premixed with what knows extra chemicals added to it.

As for cheese, I make my own. I stopped buying Kraft products long ago. I try to buy non GMO and organic foods as much as possible these days.

Harvey wrote: "never heard any claims for hip-building before.... :)"

Harvey you are not a woman. You are obviously a man of slim or athletic build without an addiction to chocolate. Oh I said that already "not a woman".

Every woman on this earth* knows that a Mars a Day means XXXL before Christmas.

*Except those women like models who never put on weight and/or exercise for at least 10 hours a day plus generally prefer lettuce leaves to a Milky Way.

My husband actually dislikes chocolate and all sweets. Seems to me to be faintly non-human!

But he brings me chocolate ice cream when I am feeling down, so he's a sweety.

Or chocolate truffles.

My all time favorite is the orange flavored chocolate I used to buy at the airport in Holland. Wonderful.

Your husband isn't non-human, or not really, he's just a man :-) They don't quite get it about chocolate.

Have you tried Terry's Chocolate Orange? That was my mother's favourite. It's orange sized and shaped and falls into segments.

YASP&SF wrote: "Your husband isn't non-human, or not really, he's just a man :-) They don't quite get it about chocolate."

Ouch! Now that I have a male complex identification problem I just received.
I will have hard time making Peppermint Bark, Cherry Cordials, Giadulas and Belle Helene for this Thanksgiving and Christmas this year... I can hear the kids crying because I am now having an identity crises :)

Ok, you can be an honorary lady, just for the sake of chocolate!

Reminds me, I was once an honorary man at a small Bedouin feast. I was so proud until I discovered it meant the women ate first and I had to wait to eat what was left with the women!

YASP&SF wrote: "Harvey wrote: "never heard any claims for hip-building before.... :)"

Harvey you are not a woman. You are obviously a man of slim or athletic build without an addiction to chocolate. Oh I said tha..."

Once upon a time.... (slim/athletic build that is). I am advised that most of the figure passes muster except a larger stomach as a result of Q8 not being pedestrian friendly, so not the same walking regime as in Blighty, happy marriage and good cooking. One saving grace - or two have been lots of activity in my previous career as a photographer and even now as an editor/creative director unusually for Q8 I have to run up and down stairs to my office in the theatre so many times a day, and also unusual for Q8 I actively garden the Cultural Centre where I work as opposed to just giving orders.

Saw lots of blue butterflies and bees in the Cultural Centre 'roundabout' today and some squash coming along nicely...

I guess another saving grace is indulging in more of a Mediterranean kind of diet and not doing the Q8y thing of living off Fast Food....

For sure a Hot Chocolate night tonight with temperatures plunging to 16 degrees during the pre-dawn chill. Some unusual flooding in otherwise sunny Q8 and the winds are rather strong. The maize looked flattened in the Cultural Centre garden - so far the balcony farm seems not to have been destroyed so far being a bit more sheltered. Interesting weather!

Local chocolate for hot chocolate comes in balls here. About the size of a golf ball it is extremely hard, doesn't contain any cocoa butter I think. They are quite delicious. We don't call it hot chocolate though, we call it cocoa tea.

Petra's #1 Sock Puppet Smells Fishy wrote: "Local chocolate for hot chocolate comes in balls here. About the size of a golf ball it is extremely hard, doesn't contain any cocoa butter I think. They are quite delicious. We don't call it hot c..."

That's sound intriguing...have you ever just eaten the ball directly? Cocoa tea is cute.

Harvey wrote: "For sure a Hot Chocolate night tonight with temperatures plunging to 16 degrees during the pre-dawn chill. Some unusual flooding in otherwise sunny Q8 and the winds are rather strong. The maize loo..."

We're into rain here, but thankfully no flooding. Temps cooler, too.

I had a passion for chocolate balls at one time. They are extremely hard, you have to gnaw at them so they take a very long time to eat so obviously obviously they are a great deal less fattening. Right?

Petra's #1 Sock Puppet Smells Fishy wrote: "I had a passion for chocolate balls at one time. They are extremely hard, you have to gnaw at them so they take a very long time to eat so obviously obviously they are a great deal less fattening. ..."

Obviously!

Cocoa tea is made from grating cocoa balls into hot water, adding some cinnamon bark and a vanilla pod, sometimes a bay leaf. Simmering it until the chocolate is melted and then adding sugar and milk or cream. But I just actually gnaw the ball and rarely ever got it home from the supermarket.