Happy Easter - 2014 updating

Happy Easter!

Long live the Easter Bunny and all who hunt his/her Eggs!
Long time, no blog. Lots of things happened in the past few months, mostly good things... some annoying things, others just part of life. We are entering into another Autumn, and I cant believe we are almost half way through 2014. The time just flies.

The garden has suffered in the past few months, lots of water, not enough time to do the weeding, and a lot of self sown natives. Ive taken to potting up the natives, and have managed to catch some of the seeds from the new varieties. I have pink larkspur and tall blue delphiniums, Flanders poppy,and a few others on the way this year. Mexican sunflowers and cerise and pink cosmos drifts are still flowering in this mad wet Autumn weather where floods are the major hassle at present... So much water on the ground here in Christchurch, especially where the red zone houses have been removed.

Still planting - I have a good crop of Kale (Red Russian) and Broccoli (Waltham) growing this Autumn. The cuttings I have taken from the berry bushes are in position, hopefully their energies are growing sturdy roots under the ground. The separating of the rhubarb went well, and I have around six new plants to pot up for sale eventually. The lettuce we have growing to seed are an oakleaf that has red edges, but is crunchy and greeny-brown, and some of the heirloom Freckles, which is green and cos-type. It has been our stop gap while the Buttercrunch and the Austrian Greenleaf take a rest...

Strawberry (Chandler) still prolific even in Autumn!

Blue borage has spread throughout making a fine display of bees on the very limited fine days, and the calendula sprout whenever the wind takes them... I love the nasturtium that have decided to wind their way through the pea straw amongst the last of the tomato plants... Ive just taken out the grey crown pumpkins that lasted once the landlord went through with the whacker to clear the side garden. We got two plants out of 17 but they werent nearly as good as they have been, despite being hand pollinated this year.

Ive planted out my beautiful Christmas pot that my son Gee gave me.
I put the purple ruffled petunias in it, and in the middle planted a Lavender (grosso) that has just had a wee trim to keep it tidy.
It looks lovely!
The new pots I got this weekend for Easter are a green glaze that has trickles down the side... so Im thinking of some ideas to plant out in them...

This is our new baby - well, not ours. But he lives with us at the moment, and we love him!~ Brutus is almost six months old, and is about five times the size of what he was at Christmas. He is a bull mastiff X anatolian shepherd and his mother is huge! Im thinking although he has almost grown into his paws, he still has extra skin everywhere else, and he very long! Hes a very gentle, proud dog who loves cuddles and is motivated purely by FOOD. Its so nice to have somebody to walk with, even in the rain!

So thats it from me for now,
Im hoping to get back to blogging a little more regularly than once in a blue moon :)
Take care
XX

Updated Seed lists... 2013

Hello! Im just updating my seed list. All seeds listed are available - see my sales on Trademe  HERE

Sunflower Russian Giant
Nigella Blue
Forget me not Blue
Snapdragon - Magenta Mist
Swiss Chard
Golden Beet
Lima Bean
Soy Bean
Kale - Winter
Sweet Cicely (Myhrris Odorata)
Marigold - various
Strawberry Chandler
Pumpkin Autumn Crown
Pumpkin Winter Squash
Lavender
Ladybird Poppy
Poppy - Opium Red
Lettuce - Buttercrunch
Lettuce - Austrian Greenleaf (frilled)
Broccoli - Waltham
Bean - Borlotti
Bean - Scarlet Runner
Tomato - Yellow Pear, Black Cherry, Missouri Love Apple (pink)
Parsley - Afro Triple curled
Fennel - Bronze AND Green
Mizuna Green & Red
Anise Hyssop

Calendula Orange & Yellow
Calendula Sunshine Flashback
Calendula Orange Resina
Broad Bean Aquadulce
Allium schoenaoprasum (Chives)
Digitalis  White & Purple
Echinacea Majus - purple coneflower
Hollyhocks - many colours - please ask if you dont see it - pink, red, purple, yellow, white, blush, salmon pink, pink ruffles
Aquilegia - single white, double purple
Figwort
Balm of Gilead
Rainbow Thai Chili
Bunching Onions
Carrot - St Valery - French Heirloom

Dont forget your companion plants :)

I also have Aloe Vera pups for sale, and usually small plants of clumping herbs, eau de cologne mint, costmary, tansy, figwort, balm of gilead, some strawberries and yam & Ulloco starters which grow quicker than planting some seeds, please ask
Happy Gardening!
Blessings

Lynne
  earthbutterflyseeds@gmail.com

Broccoli Waltham - Brassica oleracea - GREAT GREENS!

0015 BROCCOLI - Waltham - Brassica oleracea

BROCCOLI - Waltham is a Tall sturdy variety that tolerates the cold well. 
It is also drought tolerant. 

A great way to get nutrition - Broccoli is full of fibre, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants - Boil heads, or eat raw - salads, stir fries etc. 

Blue-Green medium sized heads on long shoots - offshoots also head up, freezes well.
Dont forget to collect seeds to have again next season... 
Heirloom named in 1950 - 74 days approx to maturity
Full sun, Fertile soil - Direct sow or plant in pots until plants have 2-3 leaves.

SEE MY LISTINGS on Trademe HERE

BALM OF GILEAD seeds - Mint Family - BEES LOVE IT!

0014 Balm of Gilead - Cedronella Canariensis

 BALM OF GILEAD - 
Attractive strongly scented herb that looks great in a pot.
Growing 2-3 ft,Tall bracts of light pink/lilac flowers in Summer. The plant releases its pleasant camphor scent when brushed or pruned. 

Medicinal uses include reducing  the congestion of  the lungs when used as an inhalant, as a balm to ease sore joints and muscles,  or a cream to aid healing of scratches, bites and sunburn.

Seeds are small, black and hard. Scarify lightly by rubbing them on sandpaper, sow in pots, keep moist until the plant is through,  plant out (full sun) when frost is past, soil is warmer & plant has started to grow leaves. Likes moist, fertile rich soil. Full sun.
Seed pods are formed as long bracts that brown and dry, then expel the seeds into the soil below which if conditions are ideal, continues your Balm supply through to the next season. 
Cut back lightly (shape) in Autumn, plant does not like the cold and will not survive extreme (temps in the minus!) cold, but it will survive with mulch if roots are kept warm (in a pot) 

Note, there is also a tree known as Balm or Balsam of Gilead. This is the HERB that is known by the name Balm of Gilead.

Have a look at my listings HERE on Trademe

Strawberry - Fragaria x ananassa - CHANDLER - Sweet Large Fruit, Easy Grow

0013 STRAWBERRY - Chandler

Strawberry - Fragaria x ananassa - CHANDLER is a very desirable productive strawberry, with large sweet fruit. 

Plant seeds inside, keep moist and plant out once the plants have four good sized leaves and frosts are past. 

Plant out in moist well-drained fertile soil with a Ph of 6, in full sun. 
Plants must be given regular water to produce the best fruit. 
Strawberries grow and multiply, and the runners can be cut off, or planted alongside. 
CHANDLER has a high yield, but needs a little love (potash, mulch,and fertilizer) between flowerings.
Snuggle plants into a bed of pea straw over Winter, it lifts the fruit off the wet ground, avoiding slugs and other sucking pests.

SEED LISTINGS HERE on TRADE ME

Website in Progress - EARTH BUTTERFLY SEEDS

Thanks for viewing my website.
I am currently listing seeds I have available on this site in depth, but until that is complete, please check out my Trade Me Listings HERE - I will be adding to both sites as seeds become available.

Many Thanks for taking time to look :)

Lynne Absolum
Earth Butterfly Seeds
Avonside,
Christchurch

SWEET CICELY - Myrrhis Odorata - Sweet Aniseed

0012 - *Sweet Cicely* - Myrrhis Odorata 

An under-rated Sugar-saver herb, something a little different! 

Sweet, aniseed-scented leaves and stalks (fresh or dried) add a very pleasant flavor to sweets and desserts, saving about half the sugar. (enhances the flavour of rhubarb and gooseberry especially, I have found) Of particular interest to diabetics. 




Because the seeds NEED to undergo a period of cold and wet to germinate, they are BEST SOWN IN AUTUMN OR WINTER. Like to be planted out in dappled sunlight, will co-exist under berry plants for example. 

Seeds can be saved in the second year of growth. Attractive lacy white flower, fern-like leaves. Prolific once growing, dies down in Winter, remove brown foliage. Mulch.

Check Listings HERE