Projects
11/12/2009 5:40:45 PM
Garlic does best if planted in the late fall and early winter. If you can find a sunny spot with a foot of soil, you can plant garlic. Read my quick tips to getting started; it's easier than you think!
11/12/2009 3:13:35 PM
Learn how to make a traditional precursor to today's mistletoe, a kissing ball. (This is a great way to use your herbal surplus.)
11/9/2009 2:04:02 PM
A simple sprig of decorative mistletoe is a familiar prompt for a holiday kiss, but you can make your foyer extraordinary with a traditional kissing ball.
10/22/2009 2:01:42 PM
Herbal wedding party favors are great for weddings or any parties you’re hosting.
10/22/2009 11:48:12 AM
This wedding table cloth bouquet may be assembled the day before the wedding and attached to the tables several hours before the reception.
10/22/2009 11:37:38 AM
Surround a wedding punch bowl with fresh herbs to make a beautiful floral arrangement.
10/22/2009 11:18:09 AM
This wedding bridal bouquet is an elaborate nosegay of cascading fresh herbs and flowers.
10/22/2009 11:15:55 AM
Carving pumpkins is an age old tradition, but why do we do it? Learn its origins.
10/22/2009 11:02:01 AM
A wedding flower girl is irresistible when dressed in a dainty natural crown of herbs.
10/22/2009 10:48:06 AM
Learn how to prepare fresh herbs so that they will hold up in a floral wedding arrangement
10/20/2009 10:38:53 AM
We have instructions for easy-to-make tussie mussie bouquets.
10/9/2009 2:45:08 PM
Try these pumpkin candleholders and tell us about your favorite pumpkin decorations.
10/7/2009 11:15:51 PM
Once one crumb hits the floor, it seems like ants are right their
waiting to scoop up the feast. Dispose of ants with these natural
remedies that are non-toxic and safe to handle.
9/29/2009 4:56:00 PM
This fish tank is filled with plants like you've never seen before.
9/29/2009 4:36:58 PM
Here are some tips to help you bring the attractive aroma and classic beauty of scented geraniums indoors.
9/29/2009 3:38:34 PM
If you're looking for an indoor garden that keeps animals away and requires little space, the Woolly Pocket is right for you!
9/8/2009 3:05:41 PM
Share the fresh fragrance of your favorite herb with your friends to make everyday chores more enjoyable.
9/8/2009 2:58:42 PM
Soaking in a hot, fragrant tub can soothe even our most jangled nerves. This recipe makes enough for about 50 bath tea bags, so you’ll have plenty to share and maybe a few to splurge on yourself.
9/8/2009 2:51:34 PM
Your friends and family will love the soothing scent and the calm, happy thoughts invoked by these small handmade pillows.
9/8/2009 2:40:44 PM
Connected to warm memories, or hopes for happiness to come, the cheerful scents of the holidays often evoke the flavors of the season.
9/8/2009 1:53:48 PM
Decorate and scent any room with a handmade trivet for your table.
9/8/2009 1:45:21 PM
Many individual herbs make delightful teas by themselves, but there’s no end to the pleasing blends you can create when you toss a few together.
9/8/2009 12:30:33 PM
This term from French classical cooking encompasses a great variety in combining herbs. Make your favorite combinations or try our suggestions tied up in small muslin bags or paper tea bags.
9/8/2009 12:12:17 PM
If you love creating and decorating, this is a fun way to grace a friend’s home with herbs.
9/8/2009 12:03:19 PM
For a delicious treat, make this Candied Ginger, wrap it in waxed paper and present it in a tin as a delicious gift, complete with instructions to devour immediately
9/2/2009 10:20:05 AM
Label your plants with this easy project. Using chalkboard paint you’ll never mix up which herbs are which.
8/27/2009 4:35:36 PM
Use a combination of the flowers and leaves to create the “flower pickle.”
8/27/2009 4:28:40 PM
As they come into season, collect any colorful or scented blossoms, leaves, barks or roots you can get your hands on and dry them in the shade.
8/27/2009 4:20:28 PM
Any potpourri is suitable for a man, but some men shy away from brightly hued floral-scented mixtures, so I invented this dark, rather mysterious blend for them.
8/27/2009 4:12:50 PM
A toiletry recipe in The Young Housekeeper’s Friend, published in 1846, inspired this recipe.
8/27/2009 3:58:56 PM
Bring the delightful aromas of nature’s sweet scents indoors.
8/27/2009 3:49:31 PM
Bring the delightful aromas of nature’s sweet scents indoors.
8/18/2009 3:12:15 PM
Drying herbs can be a confusing and difficult process. Enjoy your herbs throughout the winter months with these different drying techniques.
8/18/2009 3:11:14 PM
For some, the cold winter months may bring many ‘a’ merry moment. But for the sympathetic gardener, the humbugs start as the plants begin die. Bring your garden indoors this fall with help from your own personal gardening expert – the EasyBloom.
8/6/2009 3:26:36 PM
Learn how to build a terrarium. They are easy to make and a great way to incorporate nature into any room.
7/30/2009 1:51:33 PM
Place a handful of this pretty potpourri in a fabric pouch, tie it with a ribbon and tuck in a sprig of fresh thyme (for fairy viewing).
7/14/2009 10:15:06 AM
In the final installment of my series "7 Tips for Everyday Outdoor Gardening", I help you explore some simple yet effective tips to grow and propagate healthy plants, scare away pests and learn which common plants may be hazardous to your health.
7/7/2009 4:49:05 PM
Learn when to pick this herb and at what temperature you should keep your arrangement.
7/6/2009 11:56:12 AM
Many herbs are perfect for edging perennial beds, vegetable gardens, foundation plantings and garden pathways. Use these tips for planting herbs on your garden's edge.
6/25/2009 4:48:02 PM
Someone in your family always says, “Work smarter, not harder,” and that’s true. Here are seven smarter - not harder - tips from the second part of my outdoor gardening’s easy-do’s- and don’ts.
6/15/2009 1:34:48 PM
Give your dad an herbal-themed gift basket this Father’s Day.
6/8/2009 10:49:20 AM
Save time, money and backache with a few of these tips from the first leg of my series on outdoor gardening’s easy do's and don’ts.
5/18/2009 4:38:04 PM
Family vacations to natural botanical gardens offer just as much all-ages fun without the hassle of crowds or pollution common at most amusement parks. Visit one of the oldest and largest botanical institutions in the United States: The Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. See photos here!
5/13/2009 1:57:18 PM
Step outside your door and enter a tranquil sanctuary filled with healing herbs.
4/6/2009 11:45:14 AM
This miniature basket measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter is perfect as a pendant or Christmas tree ornament. The technique is easy to learn; after a little practice, you should be able to complete one in just a couple of hours.
4/6/2009 10:34:28 AM
We're still frosting in Kansas but the herbs have gone on sale, and I'm happy to report that even though times are tough I'm keeping our nurseries in business. Chocolate mint, pineapple sage and lemon thyme are just a few of the herbs I've added so far this spring.
3/31/2009 9:19:59 AM
Ever had trouble growing rosemary outdoors, or getting it to survive past winter? Want to learn everything you need to know about growing gardenias? Find answers to the toughest questions and watch your plants return next spring with these simple steps.
3/23/2009 11:58:13 AM
Michelle Obama's new organic White House vegetable garden is the first of its kind since World War II. I spoke with a friend who was at the scene as students from a local elementary school broke ground Friday, which was the first day of spring. Find out what the new "First Herbs of the United States" are.
3/6/2009 12:16:34 PM
No matter how many herb garden beds I create throughout my property, I still dream of having an herb planter like this one. If I had my favorite culinary herbs growing in a single compact bed near my kitchen, I could just stand in front of it to figure out what’s for dinner, and then gather what I need.
12/30/2008 4:49:27 PM
Use the plan above as a starting point, but fine tune it to suit your tastes and desires.
12/2/2008 9:02:44 AM
Earn a kiss with these instructions on creating your own holiday mistletoe.
11/12/2008 12:03:35 PM
"Help! My plant is under insect attack - what are they, what will they do to my other plants and how can I attack back?" Find out here!
11/7/2008 5:00:49 PM
17 plants to help shape up your scattered garden for a bird- and bee-friendly garden.
11/7/2008 4:36:53 PM
To avoid an unkempt, scattered look in a garden space, keep these five things in mind.
11/7/2008 4:20:16 PM
My garden looks rather unkempt and scattered. I’d like a low hedge across the front to give it a semi-formal look, and I need a path through the entire bed. I want color, food for bees and hummingbirds, and herbs to use in aromatherapy products. Can you help me pull this together?
11/4/2008 11:17:01 AM
Small herb wreaths like this one can go directly into the soup pot, or you can hang one in the kitchen to be plucked from as needed. Present them in plastic bags to hold their flavors and minimize shattering.
11/3/2008 5:05:14 PM
You’ll find everything you need for this appealing blend at the grocery store or on your spice shelf, except for the essential oils. Even if you omit them, you’ll have a fragrant mixture whose scent holds up well after several refills of water.
11/3/2008 4:54:53 PM
Make small sachets for small, tidy pets, or stuff the whole amount into a large denim pillow for larger, itchier animal friends. Pennyroyal is especially effective as a flea repellent.
11/3/2008 4:50:07 PM
This pleasant, fragrant blend is soothing after a big meal or when the holidays get hectic.
11/3/2008 4:46:39 PM
Especially nice for a man’s drawer or wardrobe, this mixture has a clean, refreshing scent. We’ve trimmed our small burlap bag with raffia and a cedar acorn hot-glued in position.
11/3/2008 2:41:20 PM
Crafting a wreath of dried herbs and flowers is a creative way to bring the color and fragrance of the garden inside for year-round enjoyment. You can decorate the sweet Annie base as shown on page 31, or select from a wide variety of other decorative everlastings and trims to achieve a look you like.
10/24/2008 10:03:43 AM
A charming, rustic edge treatment for low-growing border plantings requires nothing more than a bundle of willow twigs or other prunings, and a little time.
10/24/2008 9:52:11 AM
A hedge around the perimeter of an herb garden is a definitive edge, a wall of green that can confer an invaluable sense of privacy and intimacy, a screen against the outside world that’s every bit as effective as a stone wall.
10/22/2008 12:31:21 PM
Finally, the Top Four Autumn Gardening Products are revealed! See my top picks of the best items for a fun fall of indoor gardening. Part II.
10/22/2008 11:48:44 AM
It's time for fall gardening, indoor gardening and spring preparation. In preparation, do you know which products to choose and which to lose? Check out my picks for the best autumn gardening products! Part I.
10/15/2008 12:38:12 PM
Starting a worm composting system from your kitchen scraps is easy – and what better time to discover the disturbing art, than the Halloween season? Read what you can do with 8,000 red wigglers …
6/20/2008 10:40:49 AM
Fences and trellises can take your garden to a new level when covered with attractive plants.
4/4/2008 9:43:53 AM
The three main supplies you need for wheat weaving are sewing-weight, wheat-colored thread; sharp-pointed scissors; and a spray bottle of water for keeping the wheat wet.
4/4/2008 9:39:04 AM
Wheat can be grown anywhere in the United States, but the best type for wheat weaving is the longer-stemmed winter wheat.
4/1/2008 4:04:05 PM
With herb-filled window boxes, beauty and usefulness go hand in hand. You can fill your boxes with color, fragrance and flavor, and put on a bright show for the neighborhood at the same time. Best of all, you’ll have a ready supply of edible petals and foliage to snip onto salads or add to a bottle of vinegar.
4/1/2008 2:35:35 PM
Bring woodland romance to your table with this basket of soft green moss and twigs.
3/21/2008 9:38:34 AM
Herbal sleep pillows can help reduce stress and bring more restful slumber.
2/1/2007 12:00:00 AM
Add a personal touch and heartfelt meaning to homemade cards for the ones you love.
10/1/2006 12:00:00 AM
Place photos and your favorite herbs between the pages of your scrapbook for botanical meaning and artful embellishments reminders of days gone by, of fun and frolicking in the garden.
12/1/2005 12:00:00 AM
Ruth J. Smith's amazing collection spans the globe and 35 years.
12/1/2005 12:00:00 AM
Spice up this season's gift-wrap projects with this easy-peasy one-of-a-kind herbal decor.
11/1/2005 12:00:00 AM
The best herbal gifts to give this season.
8/1/2005 12:00:00 AM
The secret is individual attention. Know your herbs' needs and you'll preserve the freshest flavor possible.
8/1/2005 12:00:00 AM
Capture the essence of your garden in fresh or dried wreaths for lasting beauty.
2/1/2005 12:00:00 AM
For lasting charm, try these easy-to-make, delightfully textured botanical cards with the seeds and scent of herbs.
2/1/2005 12:00:00 AM
Enjoy the soothing aroma of herbs in handmade, garden-scented candles.
12/1/2004 12:00:00 AM
Perfect for housewarming or holiday gifts, angels we have made ourselves bless a beloved home.
12/1/2004 12:00:00 AM
Break free from the shop-and-spend tradition this holiday season with hand-made, heartfelt gifts.
8/1/2004 12:00:00 AM
Get the most of your herbs by dyeing fabric with herbs like rosemary, eucalyptus and calendula.
6/1/2004 12:00:00 AM
Lavender wands are easy to make and great to have around the house. Hang a wand in the linen closet or place it in a drawer for a clean and refreshing fragrance.
4/1/2004 12:00:00 AM
Create identity in your garden by focusing on pieces and placement that set the mood.
2/1/2004 12:00:00 AM
Try these unique wedding ideas for a more natural wedding. Once the wedding is over, guests can take the herbs home with them and prepare dishes that capture the beauty of the ceremony.
10/1/2003 12:00:00 AM
Share herbs for the holidays with these quick, easy-to-make gifts
8/1/2003 12:00:00 AM
The wooden arbors, now covered with grape vines and roses, were one of our first steps in garden building - they helped me understand the importance of structure in a garden.
8/1/2003 12:00:00 AM
With natural dyes and this simple leaf-printing technique, you can bring your herbs into any room of the home and keep their images year-round.
12/1/2002 12:00:00 AM
Add fresh greens and dried botanicals to holiday decor for a garland like no other.
12/1/2002 12:00:00 AM
Add joy to any room with these scented elf-like creations.
8/1/2002 12:00:00 AM
Wild about Violas
6/1/2002 12:00:00 AM
Add form and function to your garden by transforming ordinary containers into art.
2/1/2002 12:00:00 AM
Share your thoughts and your heart with hand-made herbed cards.
12/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Easy-to-make holiday ornaments.
11/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Thoughtful herb and aromatherapy gifts to delight family and friends this holiday season or any time!
8/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Bring the delightful aromas of natures sweet scents indoors.
6/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Three herbal projects introduce young girls to the joys of the garden.
4/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
With their strong branches and textural foliage, herbs gracefully lend themselves to the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging.