Summer is almost over.  Did I just say that?  No worries - capture the essence and feeling of summer by making rose petal jam!

This jam is really easy to make.  I am continually astounded by how much our small city garden gives in the Grove.  Our roses have been really abundant this year and I discovered that there are many recipes with which you can use or include rose petals such as:  rose petal jam or jelly, garnishments for salads, rose vinegar dressing and more! 

Collect rose petals and make some jam now with this simple recipe!

You will need:
- equal parts rose petals and berry sugar
- juice of one lemon
- water
- canning jars

... and a little pectin (if required)

Step 1:  Collect the rose petals
Pick petals from your loveliest roses and choose only those free from blemish.  For this recipe, I used approximately 250g / 8 ounces of petals.

Step 2:  Wash rose petals, dust with sugar and chill
Rinse the rose petals with cool water, discarding any with blemish.  Drain well and crush lightly in your hands with a bit of berry sugar, making sure to bruise each petal slightly.  Place in bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Step 3:  Making the jam
Pour 1/2 litre of water into a saucepan, together with 250 g berry sugar and the juice of one lemon.  Bring to a boil, stirring all the time.  Add the crushed rose petals, reduce heat, and continue at medium heat, stirring constantly until jam consistency and setting point is reached.  Add 1/2 package of powdered pectin if necessary.

Step 4:  Preparing the jam for storage
Properly sterilize your canning equipment.  I usually achieve this by boiling jars, rims, seals and any utensils I will be using.  Spoon the jam into jars and seal tightly.  Store as appropriate for the canning method you use.  Enjoy with toast, croissants or scones on a rainy day when you are dreaming of summer ...

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2018

May is such a magical month that the appearance of fairies in your garden should come as no surprise!  Even the staunchest disbeliever must do a double take when ... apple, pear or cherry blossoms float and swirl though the air, fresh new leaves rustle in the wind or the sun shimmers and gleams in nooks and crannies in the garden.  All these subtle happenings can be evidence of fairy activity ...

1.  Foliage
This is a biggie because fairies are like songbirds.  They love trees as this gives them little branches to cling to, or big branches for swinging and leaves to hide behind.  Not to mention that their older cousins, the Dryads, will often tell them stories at night about ancient times and places.  Plant lots of perennial flowers that will magically sprout up in the Spring, year after year, without any extra work on your part - bluebells, tulips, daffodils, forget-me-nots, Jack Frost, Lily-of-the-Valley, foxgloves - your garden will be alive with colour and sweet scents that attract the birds, bees, butterflies ... and fairies!

And for some fun, blow some bubbles from a bubble wand!  There is nothing more magical or gentle than bubbles floating on the breeze ... and the fairies will be sure to notice.

Accept the magical world around you and welcome it into your garden.  It doesn't matter how big or small it is.  Whether you are charmed with a "back 40", a fantastically witch-y cottage garden, a "postage stamp" city plot or a balcony; you can always add in a little bit of nature - usually more than you think once you get started!  Prepare to be amazed at how special life becomes when your home becomes a safe haven for fairies to congregate and play.

The beginning of May marks the beginning of Summer in old English tradition.  The year was divided into two halves -- with Summer beginning on May 1st and Winter beginning on October 31st.  Of course, the weather doesn't always conform to these dates! 

This year, however, the Grove has seen a lovely hot week of sunshine - after the usual amount of copious April showers of rain and hail.  Hopefully, it will continue for a wonderful and warm May Day on May 1st.

The garden is certainly responding to the heat and all sorts of plants are bursting forth with leaves and blossoms.  Here are just a few that my camera caught today!

The Grove is certainly having its share of blustery days and lots of rain.  So much wind that everything - hummingbird feeders, bead curtains, candle holders and even wind chimes have had to be taken down - or be blown down!  So much rain that you can hear it literally pounding on the roof!

But we did have warning - a couple of beautiful sunny days absolutely full of the sounds and sight of crows, hummingbirds, chickadees, juncos, bushtits, flickers, blue jays and robins, robins, robins ... all looking for food.  Now that the wind and rain is here, only the crows have remained steady visitors - hunched on the telephone wires, awaiting a hand-out and then back off to relative dry in the cedar trees.

The combination of bright sun and swaying branches create dancing shadows everywhere.  The rustling of leaves in the wind produces a magical song.  Clouds move quickly and cause dramatic changes of sudden dark and then sudden light.  And the rain pounds relentlessly on the poor plants.  And amazingly, the ethereal and fleeting appearance of a gorgeous rainbow!  Well, with all this funky weather going on, coupled with cold mornings, there can be no doubt that Fall has a firm foothold and winter is definitely on the way.

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2017                                        Pounding rain!  Make sure to turn your sound up!

separate realm, don't worry about these little things and intuitively know with whom they are sharing their garden space - so we have let the folk names prevail in the Grove.

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2017                                        ​(gif courtesy of animatedimages.org)