There is nothing boring about Borage, Borago officinalis. It is the epitome of why herbs are so great, and how you can enjoy them in your garden as well as their many versatile uses.

"Borage is Bold", and has been associated with courage literally, since medieval times by its ability, to make people happy, dispel their melancholy, and comfort the heart.

Borage is an annual garden herb often seen in cottage gardens. It is a culinary herb traditionally, which also has the good fortune of attracting bees with its beautiful vibrant "periwinkle blue" flowers. There is also a white-flowered borage, which is not as common. Borage prefers full sun, little water, and tolerates poor soil. It is a tall plant in the garden, reaching at maturity 2-3' high and and 1-2' wide. Its leaves are hairy and somewhat prickly. It easily self sows in your garden, but does not transplant well.

Borage is a great companion plant for strawberry plants, actually enhancing their fruit flavor and yield. Also, tomato growers will be happy to know that borage enhances tomato vine growth and disease resistance when planted near by. Borage plants are an excellent source of calcium and potassium, so be sure and compost your spent plants.

Borage flowers are terrific used as a garnish, decorating, and styling. When my borage is blooming I harvest the "periwinkle blue" flowers and make "borage ice cubes". Imagine "borage ice cubes" bobbing in a refreshing homemade lavender-steeped lemonade this summer.

Borage flowers are one of the best edible flowers to use in your home-grown mixed green salad. Sprinkle your spring and summer salads with edible borage flowers, and your salads will "wow".

Candy your borage flowers for decorating and garnish, by crystallizing them for your special occasion cakes, cookies, and tea breads. Harvest and pick off your borage flower heads by gripping the black stamen tips and gently separate the flower from its green back. Rinse and dry edible borage flowers, holding one flower by a petal in your hand, dip a small unused artist paintbrush into a slightly beaten egg white at room temperature, and cover your entire borage flower. Dust your borage flower entirely with a superfine sugar. Let each flower dry completely on a waxed paper surface till free of moisture. This could be a number of days depending on your humidity. Store your dried, crystallized borage flowers in an airtight container. You probably will want to use them right away, but you could potentially keep them as long as a year. Garnish your desired sweet.

Besides borage flowers, young borage leaves have a slight cucumber flavor, and can be used in many types of recipes, too, such as chopped in fresh salads, added to cheeses, with pastas, and as a substitute for spinach.

My enamor with borage is for its beauty and benefit in the garden, and its fabulous attribute as a styling and decorating garnish. Its many additional uses include cosmetic, medicinal, and further culinary uses such as drinks, sauces, jelly, syrups, and more. Be bold with borage, and add some to your life.

Each morning I start my day in our gardens and opening up our chicken coop for the day. It's early morning, and I am scurrying around to see if any new seeds have sprouted in our kitchen garden, what needs water, what is about to bloom, how my new roses are doing, if what I transplanted recently is doing well, and what chore or project needs to be done. It is also a time I reflect on my gratitude, my blessings, and my bliss. I call these "coffee cup thoughts".

My husband, John, and I have lived here on our cherished property ten years this month. What an adventure it has been and so important a journey in our lives. We feel at one with the massive pine trees so deeply rooted and grounded here. Today is a simple celebration of our time here, and the joy, living here has meant to us. I wanted to reflect on ten special happenings or experiences, one for each year, that have touched our lives, and share them with you.

* Out of nowhere came a first-sighting of a stunning male and female bluebird in our vineyard, curious visitors and eager to follow us aound. It had been almost seven years and nary a sighting of any bluebirds before. Why were they here now?

* Collecting "still warm in your hands" just laid eggs from our happy hens. The indescribable golden goodness and taste of fresh organic eggs, and our sweet "Hollywood Girls" who laid them.

* A stunning perfect rainbow over our vineyard, and the Pacific Ocean to our west. Was the "pot of gold" here? It has happened just once.

* The excitement of our first vineyard harvest, so many years down the road from when it first was just an idea. All the time, classes, care, management, and devotion to our vines, culminating in the beautiful ink-black elongated syrah clusters gloriously dangling from our vines. The grapes were ripe, the brix (sugar %) was right, and each grape was so tasty, sweet, and juicy. Will these grapes transform into great wine?

* Last year's first bite into a delicious ripe fuji apple off of our espaliered tree. Our fuji apple trees had just limped along for years, and then last year, they produced the most "mouth-watering" sweet and crunchy fresh-freckled apples I have ever tasted. Will this year repeat?

* Hearing the first incredibly romantic banter of a pair of equally-matched barn owls. It sent tingling goosebumps up my spine. Will they be back this winter?

* The first sweet wafting scent from my spring blooming patch of sweet peas, so beautiful a natural perfume, and unexpected as I innocently walked by. It totally stopped me in my tracks. Could there by anything more divine at that moment?

*Finding my first hummingbird nest, so very tiny, and intricately engineered. We have some many wonderful and curious hummingbirds that greet and visit with us each and every day. It is reassuring that they make our gardens, their home, too.

*Watching the sun traverse the horizon in ever so gradual increments, day by day, month by month, moving north in the spring/summer, and south in the fall/winter, always setting perfectly into the Pacific Ocean, and reminding us to be grateful for every single day. We had been here several years before, right before our eyes, we saw two looming islands off our horizon. Dry and clear conditions have to be so perfect, we are lucky to see the islands once or twice a year.

*Understanding the art of growing an abundance of home grown vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes. Making our first summer-grilled pizza with fresh oregano pesto, aged gouda cheese, and sliced absolute-perfection "Jubilee" tomatoes.

I have not even mentioned our family and friends that have been so much a part of our time here, too, and shared in the many great times, celebrations, and experiences. Please know who you are, and how grateful, you are in our lives. I would have to write a "book" to cover it all.

These are only ten "firsts", and I could have mentioned so many, many more. Remember to embrace the simple joys and pleasures in your world and garden, as they are gifts for you.

Does your mom live a "stone's throw" away from you? Are you able to make her and all of your loved ones a delightful Mother's Day Brunch celebrating "her day" with your fresh eggs, delicately poached over heart-shaped polenta, melon-drizzled vinaigrette over arugula greens, blue cheese, and proscuitto, and gloriously ending with fresh berries and sour cream coffeecake? No, does she live out-of-state like my mom? Well, here is a great suggestion.

Stumped what to get your mom for Mother's Day? Say you "love her" with a symbol of love, a beautiful new rose plant for her garden. If you're a gardener, chances are you got your love of "digging in the dirt" from her.

If you haven't heard of Edmund's Roses before, you are in for a treat. Edmunds' Roses has an extensive selection of all kinds of bareroot roses, such as antique roses, floribundas, climbers, tree roses, hybrid tea roses and more. Once ordered, Edmunds' Roses sends out bare root roses, time-appropriate according to your plant zone you live in, so you receive your roses at their optimal time for planting. Prices and shipping are reasonable.

Edmunds' Roses is open year round for orders, and customer service, but actually ship their bare root roses from December through May each year. With Mother's Day less than a week away, you might consider sending your mom a gift certificate from Edmunds' Roses. Your mom can choose what type of rose she would like, what color, and when she would like it to redeem it. Gift certificates never expire and are available by phone only at, Edmunds' Roses, 1-888-481-7673, Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm CST.

A rose plant is something living, and keeps on giving year after year. It is a plant of beauty and emotion. Your mom will enjoy her rose and think of you, in her garden for many years.

Edmunds' Roses is a wonderful idea for other occasions besides "Mother's Day", such as the holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, new home, new baby, and thank you.

Please go to Edmunds' Roses for more information and online ordering.

My dear friend, fellow gardener, and incredible ceramic and mosaic artist, Kathy LaFleur, would only have a chicken coop as befitting as the one in the above photo for her lucky chickens.

Kathy has transformed this aviary into a "palais de poulet" for her hens. On the top of her roof she added roof tiles, and planted beautiful thriving blooming succulents. On the front of her chicken coop she has painstakingly created two unique mosaics. There are more colorful mosaics and mirrors adorning the inside. Notice the two rows of vintage hen nesting boxes in the chicken coop background, and that she uses hay as her preferred bedding material. Hats off to you, Kathy, your creative chicken coop is so inspiring and amazing!

Here are a few FAQ questions from the previous "Backyard Chicken Coop" Series:

What are the best chicken breeds for a backyard chicken coop? It really is your preference, and what your purpose is for having chickens.

My preference for backyard "homesteaders" is the heavy-breed chickens that generally lay brown eggs. Some of my favorites are the Buff Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, Silver-Laced Wyndottes, and the Black Australorps. The heavy-breed chickens are more docile, friendly, approachable, and are great layers. Ameraucanas lay a pretty blue-green egg, and are a nice choice, too.

If you are pinched for space overall, you might consider the Bantam chicken varieties. They are a smaller chicken that lay large eggs relative to their size. Their space requirements are 1 sq ft/bird inside coop and 4 sq ft/bird outside chicken coop, quite a bit less than the heavy breed chickens at 1.5-2 sq ft/bird inside chicken coop, and 8-10 sq ft/bird for outside pen. Silkies, with their head plumes, and Cochins with their heavily feathered legs are Bantams. I call them designer chickens, pretty and showy, but can be skittish and a bit aloof. You might want to get an assortment of breeds for your backyard flock for variety and fun, but preferably all about the same age.

What is the best floor for chicken coops? Chickens require dry, draft free housing with good ventilation. Ideally you want your chicken coop, raised off of the ground, with sunlight able to access underneath. However, this is not always possible, especially if you have a modified structure or building.

A concrete floor is acceptable, but you must provide ample bedding and make sure it is not damp. A dry, wood floor is acceptable, again with ample bedding. If you are using plywood or wood in general, make sure it is untreated, no chemicals used in manufacturing it. My preference for bedding is pine litter, available at feed stores, because it is manageable and easy to compost with. Hay is another nice choice of bedding. Sometimes your chicken coop design lends itself better to one kind of bedding over another.

An entire wire floor is not ideal, because it can be hard on hen's legs and feet, and manure is dropping where? Wire mesh over the top of your chicken manure box is fine, but not for an entire floor. It also leaves your hen house rather exposed to rodents and varmints.

Where do I position my chicken coop in my backyard? Ideally, you want a quiet corner or spot on your property that is away from your house. It needs to be preferably on a high, well-drained area. You want ample air movement without a draft. Fresh air means fresh oxygen and movement to remove excess moisture, ammonia, and carbon dioxide which hens naturally give off.

It should be an area where the south sun reaches the chicken coop, and the outside pen for a large portion of the day. We have our chicken coop nestled by our orchard, and generally close to our storage shed, and composting area. It is an area slightly removed, but accessible. Fun with landscaping helps muffle sounds from your chickens, and integrates your chicken coop with the rest of your garden.

Chickens are active, and can be remain in their outside pen all day. Remember, if they are laying hens, they will need access to their chicken coop and nesting boxes during the daytime, too. At night time, it is best to tuck your chickens in, by bringing their feed bucket inside the chicken coop, and closing up their outside pen, doors, and windows till morning. Make sure your chickens have adequate ventilation with their chicken coop closed for the night.

When I let my chickens out in my yard, they like to wallow in the dirt. What are they doing? I call it a "dirt bath". They enjoy creating a little basin and laying down in the dirt, flinging dirt over themselves and their feathers. It is a way of cleaning themselves, cooling themselves, and relaxing.

I have a hen who insists on sitting on a "clutch" of eggs for long periods of time. What is she doing? She is brooding, or sitting on her eggs to hatch them. If you have a rooster in your flock, most likely you want fertilized eggs and/or chicks. If your hens sit on fertilized eggs for 21 days, embryos will develop and eventually hatch as chicks.

Even if you don't have a rooster in your flock, some hens will naturally sit or "brood" on their eggs, usually in the spring time. You have a choice to let your hen brood, or collect your eggs as usual. I usually collect my eggs so I know they have recently been laid, and because a hen can actually become emaciated by not moving, eating, or following her regular routine for days and sometimes weeks. Just because you remove all the eggs a hen is sitting on, does not necessarily mean she will stop brooding, too.

I have a neighbor or friend who wants to give me one of her hens that is being picked on in her own flock. Is that okay to do? I have generally had good experience in adopting hens into my flock. I would encourage you to adopt a hen, if the circumstance is right for you, and the hen is generally healthy and in good condition. There is a difference in a hen being pecked at, and a hen that is sick. Introducing an older hen into a younger hen flock usually works well. The adopted hen, can become the "mother hen", and show the others "the ropes".

Why are certain hens being picked on in my flock, and how can I prevent it, stop it? Hens naturally have a pecking order they establish within a flock. Sometimes a hen is perceived as weak, or picked on for no reason at all. If you introduce younger hens into your flock this can be a problem because they are smaller and younger, and unable to defend themselves. Generally speaking, if your flock of hens are the same age, you will have less of a "pecking order" problem. This can be hard as your flock size shifts and you might want to add new hens. Hens like routine, and when new hens are frequently introduced, it shifts the flock dynamics. Also, make sure you are not overcrowding your hens, check your sq ft/bird to chicken coop and sq ft/bird to outdoor pen ratio.

Sometimes it takes just a few days for all of the hens to settle in, and adjust. Sometimes they never adjust, and you might have to separate them in another pen or coop, or isolate them for a period of time, or ask a friend about adopting your hen.

Do you have more questions, comments, stories to share about your chickens and chicken coop?

This is another spring blooming delight, Orchid Rockrose, Cistus x purpureus. Although this is a native Mediterranean drought tolerant shrub, something about it reminds me of an English country garden.

Former neighbors of mine had several one gallon Orchid Rockrose shrubs left over from a landscape installation, and asked me if I would like them. Not familiar with the Orchid Rockrose at the time, I boldly mass planted them in an informal hedge, in a sunny dry spot on our property. Besides a beautiful informal hedge, this shrub is suitable for rock gardens, fire-prone areas, erosion-control, and natural settings.

The hedge has grown to about 4' high x 4' wide. It blooms in the spring for about a month with 3" deep pink "happy face" flowers. Each flower has a deep burgundy spot at the base of each petal, with a yellow-orange yolk center. Their flower is very distinctive, and friends always ask me the name of this shrub.

When Orchid Rockrose is not demonstrating its showy bloom, its dark green evergreen foliage continues to please. It is an easy shrub to care for, thrives in full sun, requires little water, and grows quickly in poor soil and adverse conditions such as high heat, winds, and ocean salt air. It does not like a lot of pruning as a mature shrub, but can be top-tipped for fullness, and pruned easily as a young shrub.

It grows well in zones 6-9, and 14-24. There are a number of different species within the Cistus family, with different flower colors, and characteristics in appearance. You can find the Orchid Rockrose shrub in local Southern California nurseries, and online, too. Be sure and start with a small container size, and adequate spacing, as it grows quickly.

If you are looking for a low maintenance, drought tolerant shrub, you might consider the versatile and showy, Orchid Rockrose.

Vintage chicken planter cackles with character, and begs to be potted with succulent plumage. Round and rosette-like, I use my perennial favorite succulent, echeveria, planted at my hen's shoulder and back. Similiar to a perfectly shaped fleur-de-lis, is the handsome green, slightly uncommon ice plant relative, Smicrostigma viride. The chartreuse green notched strands, with a mind of their own, are Crassula mucosa, or Watch Chain succulent (formerly Crassula lycopoidioides). One couldn't ask for better plumage, that keeps on growing.

I love the "thrill of the hunt" at wonderful off-beat flea markets. You never know what you might find, and what treasure you were meant to take home. This is an unmarked vintage hen planter, probably anywhere from the 1930's to 1950's. I rescued her from a flea market existence, out of the midwest heartland. Her comb was broken, yet someone cared and patiently repaired.

In searching for treasures and beauties to re-purpose, don't overlook the wonderful vintage planters. You know the ones, the darling vintage "baby" planters, the mid-century 1950's "greenish" planters, the simple McCoy or Bauer pieces. These type of planters, even though they might have a chip or crack, work beautifully with the colors, textures, and look of succulents.

Clean up your newly acquired vintage planter. Remember a chip or crack just adds to the character of a piece, and chances are when potted with succulents will not even be noticeable. Put a few pebbles and potting charcoal in the bottom for drainage, fill with cactus potting soil, plant and design with succulents that extend the charm and look of the planter. Mist or spray with water sparingly, and your succulents will be happy. Place your newly potted vintage planter in a sunny window, an outdoor sunlit porch, or in other words, a protected spot with sun.

Succulents have become so popular today because they are drought tolerant, low maintenance, abundant in many colors and textures, and plain fun! Chances are you have one or more retail locations in your area that specialize in succulents. If you live in the San Diego area and love succulents, you must visit Solana Succulents.

I wanted to write about the Grey Honey Myrtle tree, because it is one of my stellar nursery choices, of the last two years. You know the ones. They catch your eye in their generic container. You have an inkling they could look nice in your garden or yard. You take them home, plant them, and you all settle in. Presto, you wonder how you ever lived without them. They do something incredible and unknown to you, such as a totally unanticipated explosion of color. Yes, it is a big deal, because there are many more lackluster nursery choices that seem to fizzle, and all with good intentions. Has this happened to you?

One of my favorite trees, and stellar nursery choice, is the petite but ever so charming, Grey Honey Mrytle tree, Melaleuca incana. This little darling can actually be grown as a shrub up to 9' tall and wide, or shaped into a small graceful tree. It has a very appealing weeping and lacy branch structure with blue-slate needlelike foliage. In early spring, it blooms profusely in a plethora of tiny "cream puff" flowers that beckon birds and bees.

The Grey Honey Myrtle Tree is a native of Australia, and part of the mammoth melaleucas family which has over 140 species. Optimum climate zones vary by species. It is safe to say that this melaleuca does well in zones 8,9, and 12-24. It will thrive in full sun to partial shade, and is drought tolerant when established. It is an easy tree to care for, and can endure poor soil, wind, heat, and low moisture conditions. In my opinion, the Grey Honey Myrtle tree is a moderate to slow grower, although melaleucas are generally thought of as fast growers. Lace pruning is a good idea to enhance its weeping style, and keep it off of the ground.

My Grey Honey Myrtle tree was planted as a screen, close to my fawn-colored brown stucco fence. Its contrasting grey foliage against this backdrop, and backlit with southern sunlight is stunning. This is a beautiful, very striking ornamental tree for your yard or garden. It too, could be a stellar nursery choice for you.

If you live in a Mediterranean climate, these trees (shrubs) should be available at your local nurseries. In the San Diego area, I have seen them for sale at a few places, but most recently at Buena Creek Gardens. They are also available online through various websites.

If you like spring greens, you will love to grow and cook with the asian mustard, Red Giant, Brassica juncea. Easily started by seed, it is a cool season annual which is slightly peppery in taste with magnificent green to dark purple textured leaves. Although it is "cold and bolt" tolerant, if allowed to flower, it has incredible yellow flowers that emerge as a tall spike out of its center, as a final encore.

I have to admit I was first drawn to Red Giant mustard for its magnificent beauty. At different times of the day, it even appears to have a copper glow about it. I bought seeds to make a winter to spring border in my kitchen garden, or potager. It is equally striking in a landscape planting, or even paired with the wonderful ornamental cabbage and kale in a cool-weather container design.

A part of the Mustard family, and thought to be originally from India, the asian mustard, Red Giant, is one of the most popular asian mustards. It is quite different in taste and texture from American mustards, you might have grown. It is extremely versatile, when it is harvested, how it is harvested, and how it is prepared. Do you like spring greens, harvest the young whole plants early, at 20 days for your spring lettuce and mesclun mix. Do you like Asian stir fry, take one or two mature leaves at a time for your recipe, and the plant will continue to grow. Try it as a replacement for chard in your bean soups, julienned, or a substitute for spinach in your quiche. It is nutritionally packed with abundant amounts of vitamin A, C, B vitamins, calcium, and more.

Depending on your climate, you can plant it in the fall, spring, or late winter. It prefers full sun, and light moist fertile-mulched soils. Seeds germinate in 1-2 weeks, young plants can be harvested at 20 days, mature plants at 40 days. For a continuous crop, you might want to sow seeds every three weeks in the spring. I find that it "volunteers" easily for me, and my chickens reap those tasty benefits.

At nurseries, I often see asian mustard, Red Giant, in mesclun mixes, rather than sold by itself. There are many seed companies who have it available online. I first purchased my asian mustard, Red Giant, from the fabulous seed company, Botanical Interests, located in Broomfield, Colorado. Their website is www.botanicalinterests.com.

Do you normally grow mustard in your vegetable garden? What is your favorite way of preparing it? Please share your comments.