A Seasonal Riot for our Senses
Contributed by Sammy Taylor, Meadow Lakes Bloomers Garden Club
The joys of the season are upon us!! Baby green leaves are popping out everywhere in all shades and scents. What a wonderful time to be here.
Our summer nesters keep flying in to reclaim their favorite places to raise their Chicks. They bring us wonderful Bird songs and the excitement of the new generation coming.
After the shades of green have been explored and exploded, we see the colors expand to the blues of Lupines and Arctic Blue Butterflies. We’ll have the yellows and pinks of Swallowtails, Rose blossoms and Dandelions soon.
Our taste buds will not be left out! Fireweed sprouts are hand-high and perfect for salads and stir fry recipes. I’m ready to throw some Dandelion greens into my next salad, too. We can gather still-folded Devil’s Club leaves and Fiddlehead Ferns for delightful taste treats.
After all that we’ll be ready to make our own contributions to taste treats by getting that garden planted. Don’t forget to check out local garden club plants sales like the Memorial Day weekend events from Meadow Lakes Bloomers (Friday and Saturday at Meadow Lakes Center) and Valley (Saturday only at the Boys and Girls Club) garden clubs. They will have to starts you still need for greenhouse and garden.
By utilizing your own gardening skills and harvesting from Alaska’s wild bounty you can truly say to yourself, “bon appetit” and help keep Alaska food secure.