Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 86 of Life On the Brink!
The day has finally arrived. It’s finally springtime again! Even if it’s still a bit chilly, the days are getting longer and bits of green and early spring blooms are popping up, and I’m just so excited for it. The end of every winter always feels like a bit of a wake-up for me. I feel reset and ready to be re-invigorated by the spring season.
With that in mind, today I’m focusing on two areas that always excite meat this time of year: spring reads and garden plans.
As you probably know, Josh and I have recently moved into our first home, which means that I’m entering my first growing season with a real backyard and garden. It’s definitely an upgrade from our apartment flowerbed, and though it’s going to require a lot more time and work, I’ve got lots of ideas brewing and can’t wait to share them with you.
And as always, seasonal reading is one of the simple joys of life, and this year I’ve acquired a particularly promising stack of whimsical, sensory, springy books. My hope is that this episode will invigorate all of us to embrace and enjoy this season as it comes. Also, my birthday is in April, so Happy Birthday to all the spring birthdays too!
What’s in my teacup? Jasmine green tea. It feels like drinking a flower, so I feel like a princess.
MY SPRING BOOK LINEUP
I’ve read a few books lately that are heavier, more intense or cerebral, and while that’s fine for a time, personally spring is about lightness. I’m here for garden scenes, tea parties, and fairytales.
*I talk a bit about each one in the podcast audio/transcript*
These are the reads I’ve collected to read this spring:
-Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
-Chocolat by Joanne Harris
-Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, translated by Carol Christensen
-Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach
-Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards
-The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
2023 GARDEN PLANS: new home!
Here’s an idea of the plants we’ve inherited from the previous owners:
-2 huge rhododendron bushes (can’t wait to see what color their blooms are)
-3 hydrangea plants
-a dogwood tree, a japanese maple, and a few crepe myrtles
-2 camellia trees (I’ve been enjoying the pink flowers this winter)
-several different roses
-a “butterfly bush,” which is new to me
-a few blueberry plants! At least one looks viable
-a lot of strawberries (I’ve transferred them to a large container)
-a mint plant (ditto).
-a bit of random hedge here and there
What a bounty! I am so thrilled to already have such a variety of blooming plants in our backyard. I’ve done a lot of weeding, replanting and leaf raking so far, but the real planting season is about to begin. I live in Zone 8 (either a or b, the maps differ), which means I can start planting in the ground around the start of April, but the planning begins now.
In my brainstorming for all that I hope to accomplish in this new yard, I need to remind myself that these things take time. Gardening is, by nature, an ongoing, slow and satisfying hobby. The first year of any garden will be a little sparse, and needs room to grow into itself. Keep this in mind as I present some ideas to incorporate into your spring garden.
This is for fun!
WAYS TO ENJOY A SPRING GARDEN:
1. Clean house. As I mentioned, I’ve already started with the first task, which is to clear away dead leaves, debris, and the first of the weeds. It’s not as creative or fun, but personally I love the feeling of moving outdoors again. I put on an audiobook and my overalls and just get lost for a couple of hours. By the end of a few days the yard is much clearer, and my ideas can form far better.
2. Bring in new herbs. Fortunately, my thyme, oregano, mint, lavender, and parsley have held on through a few winters at this point, but now is the time to gather some herb plants for this season, whether you’re adding to an existing garden or just getting started. A week or so ago at my local farmer’s market I purchased both a dill and a cilantro plant, which I’ve transferred to a container near my kitchen door, along with the parsley. I’ll still add new rosemary, sage, chamomile, and basil, in the weeks to come. Herbs just bring that bit of much needed life to our cooking throughout the warmer months, and I hope to continue drying and saving these herbs for next winter.
This year, most of my herbs will be in a garden bed, as I hope to let them get as big as they like, but containers also work great! A few terracotta pots in a sunny spot will supply you with herbs all season.
3. Consider cut flowers. Nothing is better than making a bouquet from flowers in your own garden. The few times I’ve been able to enjoy this have been so sweet and special, and I hope to grow more plants for the purposes of cutting flowers. The hydrangea, camellia, and rose plants are a great place to start, but I’m finally planning on growing more sunflowers this year. I now have a fence that they can lean against, plus I found seeds for a dwarf variety called “Topolino” that I’m going to try growing in a pot on our deck.
4. Pick one or two veggies, and prioritize their sun. Last year I had a successful run of some hot peppers, but my tomatoes suffered greatly (still don’t know why). I think this year I’m going to focus on radishes, greens and carrots for a spring harvest, then tomatoes and peppers for the summer. I don’t want to go overboard, as I am prone to do, and I’m also going to keep tabs on the strawberry, blueberry, and green onion plants that I already have set up.
It’s easy to get carried away in the plant nursery, I know, but I know that in the long run I’ll be grateful to only try a few things this season. Think about what you enjoy eating in the summer, and try one out!
5. Prepare to dine al fresco. I am beyond excited about this. Truly, one of the main factors that made me want to buy this house is the fact that there’s a back deck overlooking the sloping backyard, the trees, and the pond beyond. It makes the perfect place to enjoy a cup of tea in the morning, or eventually, once it’s warm enough, a small dinner party. To prepare that space, I prioritized some outdoor furniture and an outdoor rug. I was inspired by the tables seen outside French bistros and, after weeks of searching, I was able to buy secondhand (even though the pieces were brand new!). So if you haven’t yet made a space to enjoy a meal outdoors, consider even a two-chair/small table set to help welcome nature into your spring routine.
Now, I completely understand not having that space, as the apartment complex I just moved from had no individual outdoor spaces. In that case, I recommend investing in a quality quilt or picnic blanket, and the necessary dishes for a lovely picnic.
This season is so special every time it comes around, and I hope that with these book and garden ideas you’ll be able to enjoy the freshness, sweetness, and simple enjoyment that comes from the spring season. For more inspiration, check out these other springtime episodes:
Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful start to the season!
This Week’s Little Joy: It's a surprisingly simple recipe: Ina Garten's Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken, shared by Food 52. Roasting a whole chicken feels intimidating, but has been on my list to master in the last year. This recipe is going to be the catalyst to my chicken success, as it is truly so simple. And it's delicious! If you have a cast iron pan and a chicken, you can do this. I served it with roasted potatoes and radishes, plus the caramelized lemon and onion that cooks under the chicken, with a glass of white wine.
Also, here's the video I used to help me spatchcock the chicken. Again, way easier than I thought it would be!
What I’m Listening To: Come springtime I always dream of Paris (to the best of my ability, as I haven't gone yet!), and start listening to more French music. This album, “Chansons” by Jill Barber, is a beautiful collection of classics that I've long adored, plus some songs that are new to me. Every song is in French, and Jill's voice is sultry and spicy. Enjoy, mon ami.
Thank you so much for listening!
Leave me a comment if you like to let me know what you're reading this season.
I'll be back in two weeks with a new episode, so have a lovely spring day!