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The Garden Awakens

Anise 'Woodland Red' ( Illicium floridanum ) A few weeks ago, I thought spring would never arrive, but now the change is astonishing. The nights are still cold (40s and sometimes even 30s) so planting tender annuals and vegetables is unwise although I have already succumbed, but covering and uncovering things gets old quickly. Someone made a wise comment last week and I must agree with them - "Don't plant anything tender until after May 1". Several plants are blooming like never before. One is the Anise shrub (above and below). I don't know if the recent tree pruning, which is allowing more sun into the woodland path, is affecting it or perhaps it is just age, but I've never seen so many blooms. Michael refers to this as "the stinky fish shrub" and I have to admit to smell of the flowers is quite unpleasant. It is so beautiful that I can overlook that. The old pink dogwood tree, which was already here, shades our woodland path and it too is prett
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Apples & Peaches


Our forlorn apple tree still stands despite my constant plans for removing it. Since the trunk of it is the size of a small house, taking it out is something to think about. And heaven forbid hiring someone to trample over my plants. So it remains. Every year, in the dead of winter, I cut it back although several of the limbs are difficult to reach and some always remain. This year, I cut more than I usually do and only two or three large branches still stood, reaching straight up into the sky. 

Judging from the apples this year, maybe I'm doing something right -

However, it is hard to find a good apple unless it is picked from the tree (hard to reach). The ones on the ground always have bad spots on them. We've never treated the tree for disease or insects and the thought of doing that doesn't appeal to me. 

I usually make at least one pie or cake every year from the unblemished apples I am able to retrieve. 



My go-to apple recipe is the French Apple Tart from Ina Garten. I make it at least twice a year. I form it differently from her though and instead of making it flat, I fold up the edges like a galette.

A friend brought us some peaches and again, I turned to Ina for a recipe and tried this Peach Cake which turned out nicely.



Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. Kris PetersonSeptember 21, 2022 at 10:42 AM

    Hopefully, the apple tree's performance this year has earned it at least another year's reprieve ;) I inherited 2 persimmon trees which have never done much until this year - it's too bad that neither my husband nor I care for persimmons. Most will go to friends, neighbors and the critters.

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  2. Hoover BooSeptember 30, 2022 at 4:01 PM

    Yummy! Ina Garten's recipes are deee-lish!

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  3. RobinLOctober 2, 2022 at 3:29 PM

    Peach cake! I’ve longed for a peach pie all summer, but just couldn’t find nice peaches. Phooey!

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  4. Angie // Roots & HearthOctober 7, 2022 at 6:23 AM

    Oh yum! The apple tarts looks amazing. My mother in law has apple trees and this year for some reason I am into making homemade applesauce. Thank you for sharing!

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