Lagniappe: Is There a Perfect Choice?

FINALLY – some good weather has arrived in Glen Ellen and we’re able to get out in the yard and do some planting.  A lot of you know that we used to have a little flower business we called “MiniBlooms” (I know…we have a bit of an obsession with small things…mini blooms and little meals!  But we do like big cats and medium-sized dogs).

For this lagniappe (something extra) edition of BigLittleMeals I just want to talk about small little flowers.  We’ve had enough of food!

There are so many choices to make when you’re replenishing or starting a flower bed – and today’s news is filled with stories about the reblooming of people’s interest in gardening during this stay-at-home time.

The flower I’m focused on at the moment is Bidens.  I’ve never been crazy about them before, but I’m totally into them this spring.  Let me share a few descriptive phrases I found on all those gardening websites which describe these hybrid Bidens:

• They’re low maintenance and high-performing
• Strong and sturdy (we hope!)
• They’re sterile so they don’t waste energy on seed production
• They’re considered more of a filler than a thriller
• Bloom till fall (I do wish they bloomed longer…at least through November!)
• Very vibrant (well…that one is up for debate! 🙂 )

Admittedly, they’re also short-lived, but that can be dealt with.  I’ll have some impressive back-up blooms in the bed.  I’ve read good things about several daylily varieties:  ‘Elizabeth’s Magic’ is lovely.  ‘Gretchen My Darling’ is pretty fine too.  The daylily ‘Michelle My Belle’ –  so bright and bold – would be fabulous – the color blends amazingly well with the Bidens I’ve chosen, but it’s not readily available.

Daylily (Hemerocallis ‘Elizabeth’s Magic’)

Daylily (Hemerocallis ‘Gretchen My Darling’)

Just so you know – my current favorite Bidens variety is ‘Bidy Boom Bonfire’.  Who in god’s name came up with that name?  I definitely like the BOOM! part and BONFIRE! might be good too, though flaming orange isn’t necessarily a color I’m enamored with at the moment (wink, wink).

Yes, our choice is Bidens.  It’s ready to go.  Boom! (into our garden, that is).

And – because I have to constantly remind myself that we’re a food-oriented blog, here’s our choice for an orange-y kind of food:  it’s Orange Crud  I mean – Curd, not crud!  A Freudian slip.

Thanks to Katie, our dear 90-year-old Baton Rouge friend, for recommending this old Orange Curd recipe.  It is SO good.  Try it with the fresh strawberries that are just now hitting the market….or adorn your next cake with it.