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  • Where Gratitude Grows: Garden-Themed Friendsgiving Ideas – Garden Therapy

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    Why settle for a stuffy dining room when you can host Friendsgiving under the open sky? This year, I took to the garden, complete with cozy vibes, fall bulbs, and a few picture-worthy Friendsgiving ideas. Whether you’ve got a big backyard or a small patio, here’s how to turn your outdoor space into a magical fall gathering.

    In every garden space I’ve had the pleasure of calling home, I always prioritize an area for entertaining. Some of my favourite memories are those long, lazy afternoons and twinkle-lit evenings spent outside, surrounded by greenery, laughter, and the people I love.

    When I first moved into this house, I had a very specific dream: a big table right in the middle of the lawn, set for an outdoor dinner for 12. I don’t have a dining room in the house so the big dinners move outside. And garden-side entertaining is magical.

    Fast-forward to now. The deck is done, the veggie garden is thriving, and Lola (my stylish, vintage trailer sidekick!) is tucked into her corner like she was always meant to be there. It finally felt like the perfect time to throw a little garden gathering.

    Friendsgiving ideas for setting the tableFriendsgiving ideas for setting the table
    Friendsgiving with my chosen family seemed like the perfect opportunity to get everyone together and enjoy the abundance and beauty of the fall garden.

    This year, I wanted to switch things up and reflect not just on what we’re thankful for now, but also on the gifts we can give our future selves. I planned a little magic for my garden table, and perhaps it will inspire you to create your own unforgettable evening with these garden-themed Friendsgiving ideas.

    wine for Friendsgivingwine for Friendsgiving

    This post will cover…

    Tulip bulbs at FriendsgivingTulip bulbs at Friendsgiving
    Having a gift/activity for your guests is a great way to add to the event.

    Sponsored: This post is sponsored by Flowerbulb.eu, who graciously provided the bulbs we used to write our intentions and gift to our future selves. Flowerbulb.eu aims to educate those on the beauty and joy of flower bulbs. Go to Flowerbulb.eu for inspiration and education!

    Friendsgiving Décor in the Garden

    When I designed the garden, I always planned that the lawn would become an outdoor dining area for the bigger events. I combined three folding beer garden tables to make one square table big enough for 12, with benches around so 4 people could sit on each side.

    The invites were clear that it would be an outdoor dining event and to dress accordingly. And, of course, that’s part of the fun! Everyone dressed stylishly warm in wool and velvet fabrics, brightened by the rich colours of fall. I also provided blankets for everyone on the bench seating to ensure the guests did not get chilly.

    friendsgiving table decorfriendsgiving table decor
    Even in the summer, blankets are appreciated for outdoor hosting.

    Lights are the number one way to set ambience. Outdoor string lights with Edison bulbs are strung from the deck to the large hazelnut tree, so they light up the table and Lola. The table lighting was simple as well: an array of candles to set the mood.

    Friendsgiving decorFriendsgiving decor
    Lola, my vintage trailer, was a great backdrop.

    To set the table, I layered tablecloths. Each setting had different vintage, colourful plates. All together, it perfectly matched the vibrancy and eclectic nature of the garden.

    friendsgiving decor ideas for table set upfriendsgiving decor ideas for table set up
    Layering mismatched patterned tablecloths is a beautiful way to create depth and texture.

    On the table, I set out flowers freshly harvested from my cutting garden, In this season it is filled with zinnias and sunflowers, but the garden gives flowers from early spring in succession from the bulbs I planted: tulips first, then ranunculus. Next summer, I plan to include dahlias for a huge selection of flowers through to the fall.

    friendsgiving bulbs and zinniasfriendsgiving bulbs and zinnias
    There are usually some long-lasting flowers you can trim from your garden in the fall, like these zinnia.

    I filled in the center of the table with other items harvested from my garden: acorn squash, rosemary sprigs, and dried hydrangeas. Truly celebrating the abundance that can come from the garden.

    Finally, I added pretty 1-litre Mason jars filled with tulip bulbs. These make for cute and useful gifts that each guest can take home. These also became an activity later in the night.

    a smiling Stephanie holding jar of bulbsa smiling Stephanie holding jar of bulbs

    A Gift for Your Future Self

    At all my dinners, I like to host an activity to bring everyone together and share my gratitude for friendship. For Friendsgiving this year, my theme was “A Gift to Your Future Self.” When we finished the main course, I thanked everyone for being part of my family and then explained the reason there were jars of tulip bulbs on the table.

    This gift was how we could collectively explore appreciation for a period of winter’s rest and acknowledgement of our future selves. Giving fall planting flower bulbs is the example.

    tulip bulbs in Mason jarstulip bulbs in Mason jars
    I used fabric rather than the metal snap lids to allow air flow for the bulbs.

    If you plant fall bulbs now, such as tulips, daffodils, crocus, and other showstoppers, they bloom in the early days of spring. Exactly when you need a reminder that winter does, in fact, end in a new season, spring. This is a very personal concept for me, and one that I experienced in full colour this past year.

    When I first moved into the house, it was fall. I planted a lawn full of fall bulbs that brought me so much joy in the following spring when I didn’t have any other plants or flowers yet. Since I hadn’t been able to do any garden work yet, having those bulbs come up in the spring was a really lovely gift and kick-started my year of gardening ahead.

    I loved it so much, I planted more tulip bulbs last fall so I could have even more flowers. I harvested so many tulips to use as bouquets, thanking past me for this abundance and feeling such joy that I gave this small gift to myself.

    At Friendsgiving, I wanted to pass on this abundance and joyful feeling so that my loved ones could nourish themselves over winter.

    bulb planting instructionsbulb planting instructions
    Ensure your guests know how to plant and use the bulbs by cutting up the planting instructions from the package and including them in the jars.

    Every couple or family got a jar of tulip bulbs alongside some pieces of paper. I encouraged everyone to write an intention and what they hoped spring would bring them. What gift would you love to receive in the spring that you’re nourishing now?

    Once written down, we folded the pieces of paper and put them in the jar. When they bring the bulbs home, they can plant the paper with the bulbs. After a little winter rest, the flowers will grow in the spring alongside your intentions. And you’ll remember the gift you had given yourself.

    friendsgiving acorn dessertfriendsgiving acorn dessert

    Friendsgiving Foodie Feast

    In the center of my vegetable garden beds is the Gardener’s Table. Like a Chef’s table, it is set for just two people to enjoy an intimate meal.

    friendsgiving ideasfriendsgiving ideas

    It’s framed with a U-shaped vegetable garden and a bean arch. I removed the two chairs for this party and tossed a tablecloth over top of the table to serve wine and a cranberry-themed cheeseboard. After dinner, I set dessert on that table as well. It kept everyone moving around the garden for the different courses.

    friendsgiving cheeseboardfriendsgiving cheeseboard
    The cheeseboard featured cranberry chevre, brie, olive tapenade, burrata with cranberry balsamic, cranberry hazelnut crackers, and dried dates.

    For the main course, I cooked a turkey dinner. My friend, who happens to be an amazing chef, also cooked Chinese dumplings for everyone, which we enjoyed as a second course.

    friendsgiving feastfriendsgiving feast
    Keep the table clear and the food warm by serving the food inside the house.

    For dessert, I served hyper-realistic fall-themed cakes that looked like pumpkins, green apples, acorns, and mushrooms. They were absolutely stunning but 100% cake, so no worries about the mushroom being poisonous (it was pistachio raspberry-flavoured cake and mousse. Yum!). I got the cakes from a local bakery, making things simple for me and enjoyable for my guests.

    friendsgiving dessert ideasfriendsgiving dessert ideas

    What you serve at your Friendsgiving is personal and doesn’t have the follow the Thanksgiving norms. Collaborate to lessen the stress of doing it all yourself, and you can enjoy what your friends love to cook as well.

    Friendsgiving mushroom dessertFriendsgiving mushroom dessert
    The desserts featured realistic-looking apples, pumpkins, mushrooms, and acorns.

    The Joy of a Thanksgiving Garden Party

    Having friends over for any kind of celebration is a way to share your life with them. This Thanksgiving garden party was a way to share something meaningful to me: planting fall bulbs and the abundance they can provide next spring. I knew how much joy it gave me, and I wanted to pass that feeling and intention to the people who are important to me.

    Bringing them together, cooking them dinner, and gifting them these bulbs also allowed me to feel the abundance of their friendship. It is my hope that by passing on the gift of tulip bulbs to them, they’ll be reminded that they’re special to me.

    And better yet, inspire the intentions and dreams they’ve made this fall to come true next spring.

    friends gathered at Friendsgivingfriends gathered at Friendsgiving

    I hope you found some inspiration for garden-themed Friendsgiving décor, and most importantly, feel inspired to set your own intentions this fall. Be sure to check out Flowerbulb.eu for more bulb inspiration and tips!

    More Ways to Celebrate the Season

    Flowerbulbs logoFlowerbulbs logo

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    Stephanie Rose

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  • Check Out These Cool Characters! The Top Winter Garden Plants

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    Winter doesn’t mean it has to be all white in the garden. Even if there is a blanket of snow covering the soil, these winter garden ideas will add some pizzazz to cold and dreary days with their showy limbs, bright berries, and even some flowers! Here are some ideas for winter garden plants and when to get started planting them.

    While I am blessed with the fortune of a mild Vancouver winter, I know there are much colder places that have difficulty in finding beauty in the winter. From all the deciduous trees losing their leaves and flowers hiding away for the cold months, things can start to look a little brown before things turn white.

    Adding winter garden flowers and plants to your yard ensures that you get some beautiful colour even in the dead of winter. When planning your garden, try to remember to add some winter interest as well!

    Where to Start with Winter Garden Plants

    A tall evergreen tree or shrub in the corner of your garden is a good starting point. Then you’ll also want to include lower evergreens that stay above the snow.

    Some winter garden plants have interesting bark once their leaves are gone for the winter, others have berries and flowers.

    It’s all about getting a nice mix of greenery for every season out there.

    rhododendron bud in snowrhododendron bud in snow

    When to Plant a Winter Garden

    If you’re thinking about winter garden ideas, then chances are things are starting to cool down where you live. Don’t panic at the thought of losing all your summer lovelies. They’ll be back next year! For now, you can turn your attention to planting some perennials for the winter.

    Fall is actually a great time of year to plant perennials. First of all, they’re all on sale at the garden centre (booyah!) and they’re also going to have a couple of seasons to establish before the hot summer sun beats down on them.

    The key is to make sure you plant approximately 6 weeks before the first frost or when the ground completely freezes. Your perennial needs time to establish roots in order to make it through the winter. You can learn more about fall perennial gardening here.

    Keep in mind, young perennials may take a few years before they have their first blooms. So before planting, make sure to do your research on each individual plant so you know what to expect and what kind of conditions they prefer.

    6 Winter Garden Plants That Stay Green All Winter

    1. Emerald Colonnade Holly

    This beautiful evergreen makes a great topiary planting. Its regal shape responds well to pruning and it thrives in a container environment. In the ground, it’s also suitably planted as a hedge. This male holly won’t get berries, but it will stay evergreen all year.

    emerald colonnade hollyemerald colonnade holly
    emerald colonnade holly Photo Courtesy of Monrovia, credit Doreen Wynja.

    2. Burgundy Lace Japanese Maple

    Japanese maples are known for their graceful arched branches that swoop in organic shapes that provide structural interest to the garden in winter.

    This Japanese maple will not only look attractive in the winter but also has lacy burgundy red leaves that turn fiery shades in the fall.

    Burgundy Lace Japanese MapleBurgundy Lace Japanese Maple
    Burgundy Lace Japanese Maple Photo Courtesy of Monrovia, credit Doreen Wynja.

    3. Climbing Hydrangea

    Okay, I admit this one is a bit of a cheat! This hydrangea may not have any blooms, or even leaves, in the cooler months but the climbing brown peeling bark is attractive in winter.

    Allow this hydrangea to grow up a trellis, arbor, or wall and become a winter sculpture.

    climbing hydrangeaclimbing hydrangea
    Climbing Hydrangea Photo Courtesy of Monrovia, credit Doreen Wynja.

    4. Cotoneaster

    This low-growing ground cover is perfect to use in an area that doesn’t get a lot of foot traffic. It has small blue-green leaves, tiny white flowers in the spring, and red berries through the fall and winter.

    This evergreen is only 6 inches tall but it is fast-growing and can reach a width of 8 feet in a short period of time. The berries are also a good food source for winter birds.

    Cotoneaster’s bright red berries

     

    5. Sienna Sunrise Heavenly Bamboo

    Heavenly bamboo is another evergreen plant that provides for seasonal interest. While it’s slow-growing to 3 or 4 feet, the new growth is characterized by fiery red highlights on green older leaves.

    If you’re lucky enough to get the flowers in the spring you can get a nice crop of berries in fall and winter. Keep in mind that Heavenly Bamboo can be susceptible to freezing if not protected, so it is best grown in milder winter climates.

    sienna sunrise heavenly bamboosienna sunrise heavenly bamboo
    Heavenly Bamboo Photo Courtesy of Monrovia, credit Doreen Wynja.

    6. Jelena Witch Hazel

    Witch hazel is not just a medicinal superhero but also an unusual shrub that adds blazing colour to the winter landscape. Flowers have wild coppery petals with dark eyes that look like pom-poms adorning the bare branches. These flowers are also fragrant, so plant witch hazel near entries and patios where you can enjoy them the most.

    Witch Hazel in bloom JelenaWitch Hazel in bloom Jelena

     

    5 Winter Garden Flowers to Plant

    1. Cornelian Cherry Dogwood

    In late winter this dogwood produces showy, small yellow flowers that brighten up an otherwise dreary landscape. You can prune it into an attractive low-branching, multi-stemmed shrub or a small (15 to 20 feet tall) garden tree.

    Kornelkirsche - European Cornel Kornelkirsche - European Cornel

    2. Berry Poppins Winterberry

    This cousin of holly only reaches 3 to 4 inches tall but it packs a punch with a full set of bright red ornamental berries in the winter. Not only are these berries perfect for cutting and adding to decorative holiday flower arrangements, but they also provide a good food source for winter birds.

    berry poppins winterberryberry poppins winterberry

    3. Winter Jasmine

    Winter jasmine is a winter-flowering shrub with bright, lemon-yellow flowers that spill over a wall or a steep slope.

    Unsupported it will grow to 4 feet tall and 7 feet wide, but provide a trellis or wall for it to climb up and it will reach heights of up to 15 feet. Its slender, bright green stems make an attractive show in winter.

    Winter jasmine Jasminum nudiflorumWinter jasmine Jasminum nudiflorum
    Winter jasmine Jasminum nudiflorum

    4. Royal Star Magnolia

    This magnolia is such an early bloomer that it’s characterized as winter interest. Gray limbs, shiny green leaves, and fuzzy flower buds show in winter. The deeply fragrant double white flowers emerge in spring before the foliage.

    Magnolias are a good choice to plant where unexpected late freezes can occur as the flowers bloom so early.

    royal star magnoliaroyal star magnolia
    Royal Star Magnolia Photo Courtesy of Monrovia, credit Doreen Wynja.

    5. Lenten Rose

    Hellebores are all the rage in late winter. As they bloom in late winter or early spring they are often called a Christmas Rose or an Easter Rose (depending on when they bloom).

    The winter jewels apricot blush hellebore has a gorgeous peachy-apricot shade with dark rose speckling and edges. These large flowers are 3 to 4 inches in width and last for weeks. Plant these in a sunny garden for the best blooms.

    Winter Jewels Apricot Blush helleboreWinter Jewels Apricot Blush hellebore
    Winter Jewels Apricot Blush hellebore Photo Courtesy of Monrovia, credit Doreen Wynja.

     

    Thank you to Monrovia for helping me curate the winter garden plants for this list and providing the beautiful photos.

    More Posts to Read:

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    Stephanie Rose

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  • Three-Ingredient Pumpkin Dog Treats Recipe That Fido Will Love

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    Looking for a fun way to share the festivity of fall with your favourite furry friend? Look no further than this 3-ingredient pumpkin dog treats recipe This healthy snack will not only provide your pup with protein and fiber, but it helps with digestion issues too. 

    Pumpkin is a healthy source of fiber and nutrients for dogs. It helps them digest meat and bones, especially when they are on a raw food diet.

    Moreover, pumpkin is also a natural remedy for, well, flatulence in dogs. It’s not a pretty subject to read about, but it’s even less pleasant to experience in person.

    So if you have a Windy Mindy who loves to cuddle with you on the couch, then perhaps these 3 ingredient dog treats will make TV time more tolerable (and her tummy will feel better, too).

    Benefits of Homemade Pumpkin Dog Treats

    I feed my dog a raw food diet, which consists mostly of ground-up raw meat, bones, and offal. It’s full of nutrients and very close to the diet of wolves.

    My pampered pooch isn’t much of a hunter and, as such, he needs a bit of roughage added to his diet. That’s how this simple pumpkin dog treats recipe was born.

    Not only are they easy to make, but they are great for your pup too! Pumpkin is so good for your dog. Here are just a few of the benefits pumpkin provides for dogs.

    Adds Fiber

    The reason I made these treats in the first place was to infuse my pup with a healthy dose of fiber. Canned pumpkin is an easy, economic way to help ease upset stomach and constipation.

    While digesting, the fermentation process of the fiber creates fatty acids that help to lower the acidity in your dog’s large intestines. Pumpkin also contains prebiotics to help keep the important bacteria in the digestive tract.

    Helps with Runny Stools

    For stomach troubles on the opposite end of the spectrum, pumpkin is still an invaluable tool for your dog. In fact, many people recommend adding a bit of canned pumpkin to your dog’s food if they have diarrhea.

    It has the added bonus of adding hydration back into their diet too, which can be essential during bouts of upset stomach.

    Reduces Flatulence

    Here’s the other reason I wanted to make these pumpkin dog treats. My little buddy was rather gassy from the raw food diet he got, and these treats helped our cuddling sessions to be much more pleasant.

    Helps Promote a Shiny Coat

    If your dog’s fur is looking a bit dull, I highly encourage you to whip up a batch of these 3 ingredient dog treats! The high water content within pumpkin as well as the vitamins within it will make your pup’s coat gleam and shine.

    Just like kale or blueberries are a superfood for humans, pumpkin for dogs is their version of a powerful snack. By eating pumpkin, dogs will get plenty of micronutrients and fiber. It contains Vitamins A, C, E as well as potassium and iron.

    Pumpkins next to hayPumpkins next to hay

    How Much Pumpkin Should I Give My Dogs?

    Like any food, you want to use pumpkin for dogs in moderation. Too much fiber can be a bad thing after all!  It’s recommended that dogs have anywhere between 1-4 tbsp of pumpkin a day. Dogs should start off small while they get used to the pumpkin. 1 tbsp for a large dog and 1-2 tsp for a small to medium dog is best.

    These 3 ingredient dog treats contain a total of 1 cup of pumpkin. There are 16 tablespoons in 1 cup. Depending on how big your treats are, they will contain different amounts of pumpkin. Either way, a few of these treats a day should be no problem.

    Pumpkin Dog Treats Recipe

    I originally developed these to add a little healthy fiber into my dog’s diet. And I was completely surprised at the response! At first, I thought my pup would just sort of tolerate them enough to eat them and get some much-needed fiber. I didn’t expect him to love them!

    I didn’t add any flavouring or strong-smelling ingredients like peanut butter or bacon, and yet he went absolutely crazy for these cookies! It’s a treat just being given a biscuit that is made with simple, real ingredients.

    Here is how to make them for your favourite four-legged friend.

    Ingredients

    There are just three simple ingredients needed for this dog treat. You probably even have most of these at home already!

    Make it!

    First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and get your ingredients ready.

    This pumpkin dog treats recipe uses 1 cup of cooked and pureed pumpkin. If you choose to use canned pumpkin, be sure to get an unsweetened pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix that has added sugar and spices. Measure out the pumpkin and add it to a mixing bowl.

    pumpkin to add to homemade dog cookiespumpkin to add to homemade dog cookies

    Next, beat the egg and add it to the pumpkin. Mix together well. Add in the flour, stir, and then transfer the mixture onto a non-stick surface.

    Then, use your (clean) hands to kneed the pumpkin dog treat mixture until just mixed. Use a rolling pin to make it ½” thick.

    Tip: use a little extra flour on the non-stick surface and the rolling pin to prevent sticking. This will make rolling out the dough so much easier!

    Transfer the dough onto a cutting board and cut it into a grid of biscuits that are approximately ¾” square for a small dog or 1” square for medium and large dogs. I found it easiest to cut with a pizza cutter, but a knife works fine a well.

    homemade pumpkin dog treatshomemade pumpkin dog treats

    Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until golden brown. These biscuits will be a bit hard for your human teeth, but pooch will love the crunch!

    baked pumpkin dog treatsbaked pumpkin dog treats

    How to Store These Pumpkin Dog Treats

    Store these dog treats in an airproof container, and they will last for about a week on your countertops.

    If you want to make a double batch or need these to last longer, store the airtight container filled with the pumpkin dog treats in your freezer, where they will keep for six months. Just make sure to let them thaw before giving them to your pup!

    Gift these Treats

    Another fun thing to do with these dog treats is to gift them to fellow puppy parents. I added a few scoops into a kraft food bag. You can even make a personalized label as I did in the first image above!

    homemade dog treats in gift bagshomemade dog treats in gift bags

    More Dog-Friendly Posts

    Simple 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Dog Treats

    Pumpkin provides so many benefits for your pup including digestive health, a shiny coat, and an infusion of vital minerals and vitamins. This simple recipe has just three ingredients. Your dog will thank you!

    Prep Time5 minutes

    Cook Time30 minutes

    Total Time35 minutes

    Course: Dog treats

    Cuisine: Pet food

    Keyword: dog treats, pumpkin

    Servings: 30 treats

    Calories: 33kcal

    Cost: $2.50

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

    • Put 1 cup of pumpkin in a large mixing bowl.

    • In a separate bowl, whip the egg. Then, add it to the pumpkin, and mix well.

    • Add in the flour, stir, and then transfer to a non-stick surface.

    • Knead the dough with your hands until well mixed. Then, roll it out on a floured surface until it is 1/2″ thick.

    • Cut the dough into squares using a pizza cutter or knife. I recommend a 3/4″ square for small dogs, and a 1″ square for medium to large dogs.

    • Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

    • Let cool before allowing your dog to enjoy a few treats!

    Serving: 1treat | Calories: 33kcal

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    Stephanie Rose

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  • How to Protect Plants from Frost and Get a Late Harvest

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    Dreading the end of the growing season? Fear no longer! I’ll show you how to protect plants from frost so your edibles can continue to thrive in any weather.

    Fall is in full swing, which means that many of us have accepted that the growing season is coming to an end. Some of us, however, refuse to accept that because we just aren’t ready to say goodbye to all the hearty, yummy, homegrown produce we’ve been feasting on.

    There are a few ways to extend the growing season of your favourite veggies and herbs. Try out these methods for frost protection for plants and keep on enjoying that garden produce well into the colder months.

    Vegetable cold frameVegetable cold frame
    Cold frames can be great for starting seeds and extending the season in the fall.

    How to Protect Plants from Frost

    Here are some simple things you can do to keep your garden growing and producing into fall and winter. The following methods will help to keep your plants as warm as possible when jack frost comes calling.

    Mulch

    Mulching keeps the soil at the base of a plant warm so that it takes longer than usual to freeze when the temperature drops. A few items you can use as mulch include:

    • dried leaves
    • bits of bark
    • wood chips
    • cardboard
    • straw

    The thicker the layer, the more protection your plant has against freezing.

    Mulching is a great, very simple way to protect plants from frost, and it is also a good way to shield more delicate plants such as herbs over the winter.

    Keep Plants Toasty with Water

    During the day, fill some plastic milk jugs with warm water and put them outside to heat up in the sun. Right before dusk, place your jugs next to the plants you want to protect and place a cover over them.

    The soil and air will lose heat quicker than the water will, allowing the milk jugs to emit some warmth to its neighbouring plant.

    You also may want to water your plants right before an anticipated frost. While this may seem counter-intuitive, wet soil actually holds heat better than dry soil and works to protect the plant’s roots. Water during the day so the wet soil has time to soak up some heat from the sun.

    watering the gardenwatering the garden
    Wet soil holds heat better than dry soil.

    Use Frost Covers for Plants

    Without a doubt, frost covers are the most effective way to protect your plants from frost. This will require good timing on your part, so pay attention to the weather and notice any anticipated dips close to freezing. Here are a few tips to help you:

    • Cover your plants before dusk. By the time darkness arrives, all the stored heat in your garden will have disappeared.
    • Make sure your cover extends all the way to the bottom of the plant. However, do not gather your covering to the trunk or stem of the plant. The soil is what is providing the heat!
    • Try to keep the material from touching the leaves of the plants. If your covering is fabric or doesn’t have shape, you can use stakes to help support it.
    • The next morning after the frost has thawed and gone away for the day, remove any of your covers. It’s important to let them grow normally during the day so they don’t break dormancy. Otherwise, they will start to grow again and become even more susceptible to frost damage.

    There are a ton of different ways to cover your plants. I’ve detailed some methods down below!

    Cloche

    These domes come in many varieties, from plastic to glass to fold-up umbrella-style cloches. Place one over top of an individual plant to shield it from early frost and keep it warm, happy, and growing longer.

    Cloche frost protectors are a great option for plants that are spaced out or if you want extra protection for each plant.

    Cloche plant cover to protect plants from frostCloche plant cover to protect plants from frost
    Plastic cloches are inexpensive and work great for covering up single plants.

    Row Cover

    Row covers are simply large swaths of a breathable, lightweight material used to cover and protect multiple plants in a row or bed. You can use lightweight, flexible plastic, netting, fabric, or garden-specific covering material draped gently over the plants you wish to protect.

    This is a great option if you are taken off guard by cold weather and need something really quick and easy to protect your plants from frost.

    You can also build a more substantial “hoop house” over a garden bed by draping your row cover material over a structure made of PVC pipes bent into horseshoe shapes.

    Cold Frame

    Cold frames are raised beds with a removable cover, often attached by a hinge. They are a great way to begin your growing season early because you can plant directly in them in the early spring when it is still cold out, and the cover will keep plants protected.

    These frames are also great for growing winter veggies and will allow you to harvest and eat some vegetables well into the holidays or even all winter long, depending on your zone.

    cold frame with removable cover to help protect plants from frostcold frame with removable cover to help protect plants from frost
    Cold frames can easily be made out of recycled wood.

    Greenhouse

    I think it is every gardener’s dream to have their very own greenhouse! Greenhouses, of course, are the most effective way to extend the season as they offer a ton of protection.

    This dream doesn’t have to be so far-fetched, as there are plenty of ways to have a greenhouse, big or small, expensive, or more budget-friendly.

    There are also many different versions that you can make or buy for home use, such as this upcycled window greenhouse. Your plants will be happy year-round with this high level of protection.

    upcycled windows turned into a greenhouseupcycled windows turned into a greenhouse
    Greenhouses allow for year-round gardening.

    While these options are great investments for the avid gardener, it’s also important to remember that frost covers don’t need to be expensive to be effective.

    There are a ton of DIY options out there. Use sticks to prop up your covers and cover with newspaper, bed sheets, towels, or whatever you have on hand. You can also make your own little domes for individual plants by sticking an upside-down pot over the top or a plastic container such as a milk jug with the top cut off.

    Outdoor greenhouse filled with plants to keep them safe from frostOutdoor greenhouse filled with plants to keep them safe from frost

    How to Protect Flowers

    We want to hold onto flowers for as long as possible! If you have flowers in containers or hanging baskets, try to bring them inside at night when you expect a frost. Plants that are in containers are much more susceptible to root damage as the cold can come from all directions.

    Before you bring them inside, ensure they don’t have any insects or diseases on them that could spread to indoor plants. Placing your plants inside a warm garage or shed is another good alternative.

    fall annuals in a containerfall annuals in a container
    Move any containers you’d like to protect indoors or in a shed.

    The first frost doesn’t have to be the end-all for your plants this year. Give these tips a try and see just how long you have thriving greenery into the winter!

    More Fall and Winter Garden Projects

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    Stephanie Rose

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  • Deliciously Sweet and Salty Rosemary Pumpkin Seeds

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    Whether you are cooking with pumpkins or carving a Jack-O-Lantern, it’s likely that you’ll find yourself with some extra pumpkin seeds on hand this fall. Don’t throw them out! With just a little prep, these rosemary pumpkin seeds make the perfect tasty, healthy snack.

    I should warn you, though, you’d better make a LOT of these sweet and salty rosemary pumpkin seeds. You will eat them all. You will burn your mouth tasting one out of the oven, then burn it again because you can’t believe these are so good. Yeah, yeah, they are just roasted pumpkin seeds. Try them. Just once. You’ll see.

    Sometimes I put together recipes from the ingredients that are freshest and calling out to me. Sometimes I just use whatever I have around. And sometimes it comes from a craving. I first made these pumpkin seeds years ago, and they’ve turned into a yearly staple.

    It started when I first bought a fresh pumpkin, and I let Kiddo, who was a baby at the time, get his little hands in the gunky insides and play around. What a wonderful sensory experience for him!

    We had fun digging out the pumpkin, sitting near the herb garden where the rosemary was growing like a crazy, fragrant octopus that is trying to strangle all the other herbs. The smell of rosemary was the jumping-off point here. I just love rosemary with a hint of sweetness, and thus this highly addictive recipe was born!

    toddler putting his hand inside a hollowed-out pumpkin to play with the gutstoddler putting his hand inside a hollowed-out pumpkin to play with the guts
    Find ideas on what to use with the rest of the pumpkin at the bottom of this post!

    Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

    In addition to being scrumptious, pumpkin seeds are just plain good for you. They are full of fibre, minerals, and healthy fats, which can help to improve bladder and prostate health, regulate blood sugar, reduce the risk of heart disease, and aid in digestion.

    Now, without further ado, here is my absolute favourite way to eat these healthy little seeds.

    a bowl of pumpkin seeds next to a bowl of pumpkin flesha bowl of pumpkin seeds next to a bowl of pumpkin flesh
    Scoop out the pumpkin guts, then separate them from the seeds.

    Sweet and Salty Rosemary Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

    This recipe calls for a little sugar, but if, like me, you live a sugar-free lifestyle, you can use stevia as an alternative, natural sweetener. See how to grow and use stevia here.

    Ingredients

    Makes 1 cup

    Make it!

    Preheat the oven to 375°F.

    Rinse seeds under cold water until they are no longer sticky. Dry well and add them to a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Stir to coat and spread the seeds on baking sheets.

    rosemary pumpkin seeds spread out on a pan, ready for roastingrosemary pumpkin seeds spread out on a pan, ready for roasting

    Roast for 15-20 minutes, removing after 10 minutes to shake the pan and move the seeds around a bit, flipping some of the crispier ones. Remove from the oven when they are golden brown.

    roasted rosemary pumpkin seeds on a pan, fresh from the ovenroasted rosemary pumpkin seeds on a pan, fresh from the oven

    Allow them to cool before you start snacking.

    roasted pumpkin seeds with a sprig of rosemaryroasted pumpkin seeds with a sprig of rosemary

    More Pumpkin Fun!

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    Stephanie Rose

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  • Serenity Now! Encouraging Deep Relaxation with Homemade Lavender Eye Pillows – Garden Therapy

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    Lavender eye pillows are a wonderful way to promote sleep, relieve anxiety, and they can even help reduce headaches and chronic pain in some people. They create a gentle weight and soothing aroma that promotes deep relaxation.

    If you’ve never used an eye pillow, you don’t know what you’re missing! These lavender eye pillows are meant to promote relaxation, thanks to their relaxing scent and weight.

    Eye pillows are often used in yoga practice for savasana, where I first discovered the bliss of a lavender eye pillow. With basic sewing skills, they are easy to make yourself in a few simple steps.

    Grab some dried lavender buds and some popcorn (yes, popcorn) and see just how easy it is to create a calming lavender eye pillow for insomnia and stress relief.

    essential guide to lavenderessential guide to lavender
    Lavender is known for its calming properties.

    The Benefits of Eye Pillows

    For many years in my recovery program, I did a gentle Restorative Yoga class where we would hold relaxation poses for a long time. In each 90-minute class, we would only do 6-7 poses in total. The idea was to allow the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) to take a break and strengthen the connection with the parasympathetic nervous system. I suffer from PTSD as a result of childhood trauma, and because of this, my nervous system is pretty much always in fight or flight mode.

    I still do restorative yoga poses every evening as I wind down for bed. At the end of practice, the final pose, savasana (or “corpse pose”), is deeply calming. There is nothing like lying on your back, feeling the ground strongly below, and shutting out all other sensations. This is where the lavender eye pillow comes in. The shape and weight of the pillow form to your eyes and create darkness and gentle pressure.

    It reminds me of weighted therapy blankets. The heavy fabric is weighted to help you feel protected and comforted. That’s kind of what these pillows do, but for your eyes. The popcorn inside gives them weight and allows them to form perfectly to your face, so they gently and comfortably press down on acupressure points that can help to relieve pain and decrease stress. We carry a lot of tension in our facial muscles without realizing it, especially when we are stressed, and the weight of these eye pillows helps to decrease that tension.

    Meanwhile, the dried lavender and lavender essential oil offer aromatherapy that promotes relaxation. Lavender is one of the most commonly used scents for tension relief and sleep. Its calming fragrance can help you to wind down, de-stress, and get a restful slumber.

    These pillows are often made with flax seeds, but I chose to use popcorn because it doesn’t have the oil content that can make the flax go rancid. I also like the weight and roundness of the popcorn. This could also be achieved with dried beans.

    DIY lavender eye pillow for sleep with the text "Serenity Now"DIY lavender eye pillow for sleep with the text "Serenity Now"
    I like the round feeling of the popcorn kernels, but you can also use rice or dried beans.

    How to Make Lavender Eye Pillows

    Makes 1 eye pillow

    I have included the template for the design “serenity now…insanity later” which may bring you back to 1997 sitcom hilarity along with the instructions to print it on fabric using an inkjet printer. You can certainly skip that step and use any fabric that speaks to you in some way.

    Equipment and Materials

    • linen or other scrap fabric measuring 10”x 10”
    • 1 cup dried popcorn
    • 1 heaping tbsp dried lavender
    • Sewing machine or needle and thread

    Materials for Printing “Serenity Now”

    dried hops, lavender, and other herbs for a sleep pillowdried hops, lavender, and other herbs for a sleep pillow
    Use dried lavender that was recently dried to retain its fragrance.

    Make it!

    1. To print the design on the fabric, fold the fabric in half and print one of the sides following the directions here.
    2. Fold and iron a hem on the sides of the fabric.
    3. Fold the fabric so that the back is on the outside (print inside), and sew the long side of the rectangles together.
    4. Turn right side out, fold the ends of the fabric in 1/2″, and iron flat. Sew one end together.
    5. Fill the bag with 1 generous cup of popcorn and 1 heaping tablespoon of lavender. Adjust quantities for your personal tastes.
    6. Push all the filling toward the end of the bag, and pin about halfway to help prevent popcorn from creeping towards the open end. Sew the open end closed, and you’re ready for serenity.
    homemade lavender eye pillowshomemade lavender eye pillows

    Lavender Eye Pillow FAQ

    Do you heat the bag?

    Yes! I like to put my bags in the microwave for 15-30 seconds. Never any longer, as I don’t want the popcorn to pop. I like popcorn because the feel of the round kernels, almost massaging the eye. That being said, others prefer to use rice, flax seed, or dried beans.

    How long does the lavender last?

    The lavender can last anywhere from 6 months to a year before it starts to lose its fragrance. At this time, you can gently use a seam ripper to open one end of the bag, replacing its contents before sewing it back up.

    More Herbal Remedies to Try

     

     

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    Stephanie Rose

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  • Wood Burned Coasters with Floral Pyrography – Garden Therapy

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    Using a wood burning pen is a simple way to make some floral pyrography. Coasters are one of my favourite creations to make with them, and it’s a super fun project that you can do in one weekend. Here’s how to make your own wood burned coasters!

    Wood burned coasters are a great creative project that can be done no matter what time of year it is. Pyrography is the art of decorating wood (or leather) with a heated pen that burns the image into the wood as opposed to using paint to embellish it.

    Better yet, it requires only three materials and some practice to find your groove with a pyrography pen. I’ll warn you now though, it can be very addictive!

    Here are my top tips for those just getting started with pyrography.

    wood burned ornamentswood burned ornaments
    I’ve also used this to make Christmas ornaments!

    How to Make Wood Burned Coasters

    You can get your design inspiration from almost anywhere, but adult colouring books have some lovely line drawings that are easy to copy with a wood-burning tool. I used some of the designs from the Garden Therapy Colouring Book as inspiration for these coasters.

    Materials

    wood burned coaster projectwood burned coaster project
    You’ll need some practice wood too, so don’t start on your favourite pieces first.

    Make It!

    Making branch slices into coasters is a fun project that can be done easily from found wood or trees cut down from your property. There are full instructions here if you would like to make your own. Wood slice crafts are so popular these days that you can also purchase wood slices online very easily.

    Cut and sand the coasters as in the instructions above, but don’t stain them yet.

    Wood burned coastersWood burned coasters
    Make sure your wood slices aren’t too small or too large to be coasters.

    Set up the wood burning pen according to the package instructions and test out the different types of pen tips. I found that I definitely preferred the cone tip, but you get different results with each of them. Grab a block of wood that is well-sanded and test out some of the tips and designs.

    making wood burned coastersmaking wood burned coasters
    Different pen tips will give you different effects.

    If you prefer to try something a little bit more structured, choose a drawing and use transfer paper to transfer the image onto the wood before using the wood burning tool.

    I prefer to freehand the drawing and see what takes shape. As I work on the projects, I learn new techniques and designs that work well with a wood burning pen.

    pyrography coasterspyrography coasters

    Once you are finished with the line drawing, include embellishments and shading to really add depth to the artwork.

    One of my favourite “moves” with the wood burning pen is to make dots. The dots are perfectly round and have a little halo around them. You can also use the side of the wood burning pen to lightly burn parts of the wood and add a little bit of shading.

    floral pyrographyfloral pyrography
    Add embellishments and shading to take your design to the next level.

    Use a spar urethane sealer to protect the finish of the wood once your design is complete. Sand and varnish the spar urethane as directed in the instructions on the packaging.

    You can also add a few non-stick feet or glue a piece of felt to the bottom of the coasters to protect the tabletop that you’re using them on. My coasters are sanded so smoothly that they are fine directly on the table. I will say that my tables are not precious, though, and a few scratches never bother me much.

    Wrap up a set of four to give as a gift, or set them out in your own home to enjoy.

    set of wood burned coastersset of wood burned coasters
    Seal your coasters to prevent cracking.

    Wood Burned Coaster FAQ

    How do you keep wood slices from splitting?

    If you are making your own wood slices, you must let them dry for quite an extended period of time before you can make anything with them. The key is to dry the wood very slowly in a cool, dry space. You want them in a location with limited moisture and heat. I put mine in my basement for the fall and pulled them out a year later. But really, the amount of time depends on how wet the wood was, how fresh it is, and where it dries.

    How safe are wood burning pens?

    I haven’t had any issues burning myself with the pen. You can wear heat-resistant gloves if you’re worried about burning yourself. Never touch the metal part of the pen when it’s plugged in, and use a stand to set it down. Never leave the pen unattended when it’s plugged in.

    How do you sand the coasters?

    If you want to sand your coasters ahead of time, use a heavy grit sandpaper first, then a finer grit to smooth out the surface. If there’s bark on the edges, do not sand it.

    More Creative Projects to Try

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    Stephanie Rose

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  • Naturalizing Bulbs in Lawn: My Bulb Lawn 1 Year Later – Garden Therapy

    Naturalizing Bulbs in Lawn: My Bulb Lawn 1 Year Later – Garden Therapy

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    A year ago, I planted 1500 bulbs in my front lawn in an attempt to create an epic spring showcase. But how did it turn out? I’m sharing the dirt on the successes, challenges, and all the things I learned in my first year of naturalizing bulbs in my lawn.

    Crocus bulbs.

    Last fall, I planted over 1500 bulbs in my front yard. Yes, 1500!

    Catch up on that project here: planting of the bulb lawn.

    Since fall bulb planting has delayed gratification, I had to wait a whole season to see if my hard work would pay off.

    I’m happy to say that I had one of the most beautiful springs thanks to all of the flowers.

    Oh,didn’t I mention? Instead of grass, I planted wildflower seeds over the bulbs.

    DOUBLE FLOWER LAWN!

    Let’s dive into what you need to know about naturalizing bulbs in a lawn, and how my first year flower lawn turned out.

    Sponsored Content: I’m so happy to be working with flowerbulb.eu once again after they sponsored the first planting of my bulb lawn last year. They don’t sell flower bulbs, their goal is to spread information of bulbs. They’re truly an amazing resource to learn about spring and summer flowering bulbs, with plenty of tips on how to plant them.

    bulbs poking up amongst top soilbulbs poking up amongst top soil
    The very first of the bulbs to come up were iris and crocus. While a turf lawn would have green grass by this time, my wildflower seedings were just sprouting.

    My Bulb Lawn Design

    My front lawn was a mix of patchy grass, weeds, and moss. The grasses were struggling, so to keep some green and avoid a winter of mud, I dug out little shapes and islands throughout the lawn. I didn’t weed, top the soil up, and grade the lawn at this stage, I just added the bulbs.

    I made my own mix of ten different bulbs, including narcissus, anemone, dwarf iris, snowdrops, muscari crocus, tulips, and Lucile’s glory-of-the-snow. In true chaos gardening style, I added handfuls to the planting holes, turned them right side up, and placed the lawn chunks back over them.

    I have an entire post about how I planted and designed my bulb lawn, including the complete bulb mix I used. Read all about that part of the process here.

    planting tulip bulbs for a bulb gardenplanting tulip bulbs for a bulb garden
    My bulb design last year consisted of digging quick patches and covering them back up with the turf grass.

    A Warm Winter

    In February, it was so warm with El Niño that we started to see some early signs of spring. I thought, why not follow Mother Nature’s lead?

    Once again I skipped the weeding and removing the grass. Instead, I opted for a chaos gardening approach. I loaded in tons of topsoil and put it over the existing lawn and graded the lawn. Once I raked it all out, I spread the wildflower seeds on top. Just in time, as the bulbs began to come up.

    In no time you could see all the bulbs beginning to come up and the little seeds germinating.

    The successes were certainly the narcissus and grape hyacinth. They grey in plentiful clusters and looked striking together. At that same time the anemones were blooming but they grew quite short. Since they are a similar colour to the grape hyacinth they got a bit lost. Such a shame, they are one of my favourite flowers.

    I was surprised how few snowdrops, crocus, and iris came up. These are so often the bulbs that thrive in mass plantings. Perhaps I planted the bulbs too deeply or perhaps the poor showing was due to the big deep freeze we had. Probably, they simply need a few more years to naturalize and really give me the wow factor I’m looking for.

    The Bulb Lawn in the Summer

    After the bulbs had their spring welcome party, they went dormant for the summer. Since I don’t mow my lawn, it allowed the bulbs to recharge (my wildflower lawn doesn’t need mowing either).

    I started the wildflowers from seed, so there was a constant flush of flowers on my lawn well after the bulbs were gone. The bulbs really steal the show in the spring, and give my seedlings a chance to germinate and grow. A perfect pairing!

    From spring to summer, I had people stopping to admire my lawn and all its beautiful flowers.

    Filling in the Gaps

    What are the jobs to do one year later? Not much! I’m adding 200 assorted crocus bulbs to add a bit more colour to the early spring.

    While 200 isn’t very many, it’s a boost to the spaces that were looking a bit bare. My lawn also isn’t super large, so it will be enough to make a difference.

    power planter drilling into ground for bulbspower planter drilling into ground for bulbs
    A power planter can help speed up individual bulb plantings.

    To plant the crocus bulbs, I used a Power Planter auger attachment for my drill to loosen up the soil and make planting holes. It even would up a few buttercup vines at the same time! I moved the wildflowers aside gently and planted where there was some bare space. I planted the crocuses in groups of 8-10, pointy side up and about 4” deep. Next year there will be a wave of flowers that will fill out more each year.

    crocus bulbs next to packagecrocus bulbs next to package
    I planted 200 assorted crocus bulbs for some more early spring blooms.

    What I Learned Growing a Bulb Lawn

    Sometimes, it was rainbows and sunshine, and sometimes, it was shade and mud. Here are my biggest takeaways from my first year.

    The Challenges of the First Year

    Since it was the first year, it did look a little sparse. While 1500 bulbs may sound like a lot, it does take a few years for the bulbs to naturalize and multiply to really fill in the lawn.

    Because this was the first year of my wildflower lawn, I also had that period where I just had bare soil with seedlings coming through. It didn’t look that great while I waited for things to sprout and bloom.

    On the other hand, with 1500 bulbs planted, so many flowers sprung up that visitors didn’t notice my muddy mess beneath. Takeaway: people only notice the blooms. While I, the gardener, noticed the bare spots and mud, the folks who walk by just see the flowers, smile, and tell me how much they enjoy my yard. Love!

    This is the most beautiful result of my bulb lawn: the joy it has brought to my neighbourhood. Every time I went outside, people would stop me to talk about the flowers. Those who have lived in this neighbourhood for years talked about how they watched the previous owners struggle with the turf grass and that they appreciated my new direction.

    lawn with bald patcheslawn with bald patches
    The bare spots of my lawn in the fall.

    Cutting Flowers

    Last fall I didn’t even think I was also planting a lawn full of cut flowers! As the bulbs grew in and bloomed, I has so many tulips, narcissus, and muscari that I began to cut some and bring them inside rather than purchase a bouquet at the grocery store.

    While most are short stems, a bulb lawn can still be a creative way to have a cut flower garden with little fuss. They won’t take up room in the flower bed, and you can choose to cut them or leave them as you wish. Tulips and daffodils are some of the best cut flowers for spring.

    Planting Design

    The effort of planting that many bulbs is also a consideration. I was experiencing a flare-up of so I didn’t quite have the mobility to individually plant each bulb. It was a faster solution to mix the bulbs and plant those randomly in the sections of lawn we cut out.

    Even with the help of two other people, it took me three hours to plant these bulbs, even in this accelerated way.

    If I had done the work of planning an intricate pattern throughout the garden, it would probably have looked more “designed”. But in reality, it would have taken me about five times as long. Chaos bulb planting for the win!

    My design all along was to plant a meadow of spring bulbs spotted with wildflowers, and I’m eager to see it come together next spring.

    A Flowing River of Muscari grape hyacinth bulbsA Flowing River of Muscari grape hyacinth bulbs
    It’s always beautiful to try and make a rive of grape hyacinth (muscari).

    My DIY Bulb Mixture

    For my bulb lawn, I mixed ten different kinds of bulbs together. I loved how easy it was for planting and that you got such a mixed, dotted lawn.

    That said, if I were to do this again, I wouldn’t mix 10 types of bulbs, I would only choose 4-6 varieties, max. Same amount of effort, but there is more impact with many of the same flower rather than a smattering of 10 different types.

    Even better, I would purchase a mixture of bulbs designed specifically for naturalizing bulbs in lawns. I made my own mixture, but bulb sellers do a great job of curating mixes for succession blooming and naturalizing.

    bulbs to naturalizebulbs to naturalize
    Photo courtesy of flowerbulb.eu. A naturalized lawn often has a perfect combination of blooms and bloom times.

    Low Maintenance for the Win

    My bulb lawn was incredibly low maintenance. After the work of planting the bulbs, I pretty much did nothing else! It didn’t require any supplemental water, which is amazing.

    I only watered my entire lawn once this summer, so the wildflowers did great as well.

    As I mentioned above, I also didn’t have to mow. Without turf grass, I didn’t have to worry about having long unruly grass while I waited for the bulbs to recharge.

    sweet alyssum in wildflower lawnsweet alyssum in wildflower lawn
    The sweet alyssum is still blooming on my wildflower lawn at the beginning of the fall.

    Weeds, Oh My!

    When I planted my bulbs and my wildflower lawn, I went for a chaos gardening approach. While most of this worked in my favour, the one thing I would do next time is to spend more time removing the weeds.

    I didn’t pull out the weeds in my first go of planting, but they started taking over this summer and crowding out the wildflowers. I spent a couple of hours pulling out all the weeds so it wasn’t a huge job, but it is easier before they spread. While not every weed is a problem and I leave many to naturalize, I would recommend removing the really stubborn, difficult ones ahead of time.

    buttercup weeds in wildflower lawnbuttercup weeds in wildflower lawn
    The weeds in my lawn this fall.

    What’s Next for My Bulb Lawn?

    In the next couple of years, I will continue to learn what a bulb and wildflower lawn looks like as it starts to mature. A few more bulbs, a bit of seeding, and some clean up here and there to keep it tidy. That’s all this lawn needs. No water or mowing needed and still I get the most beautiful flowers for most of year.

    fern and soil after bulbs were plantedfern and soil after bulbs were planted
    I enjoy my mixed lawn of bulbs, wildflowers, and the odd native plant or two.

    My key learning is that 1500 bulbs in a 600 square foot, small urban front yard still didn’t have as much wow factor as you would think.

    You can never have too many bulbs. However many bulbs you think you’ve going to plant, double it, heck, triple it! You can’t get too many bulbs.

    For a smaller budget, I would only go for one or two kinds of bulbs rather than ten. This way, the bulbs will all grow at the same time, and you’ll get an impressive display.

    front lawn container and dry riverfront lawn container and dry river
    My front lawn today, with the containers, herb garden, and dry river next to my wildflower lawn.

    So now, my next steps are really to do nothing, just as I’ve done for the rest of the year. Which is truly the dream from a regenerative gardening, chaos gardening, and permaculture standpoint.

    I’m going to let the garden naturalize, sit back in front of the fireplace, read some wonderful books, and expect to be wowed with flowers next spring!

    More Resources for Growing Bulbs This Fall

    Flowerbulbs logoFlowerbulbs logo

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    Stephanie Rose

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  • Tea Tree Oil Antifungal Treatment Stick for Red Spots and Rashes – Garden Therapy

    Tea Tree Oil Antifungal Treatment Stick for Red Spots and Rashes – Garden Therapy

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    This homemade tea tree oil antifungal treatment stick helps to soothe red spots and rashes in a gentle but direct way. While it’s always best to look for the underlying cause of skin redness or irritation, this healing balm in a stick allows for quick relief of small spots to stop pain and itching while healing from within.

    I consider myself a fan of fungi, except when it’s growing on my body. I’m not talking about sprouting mushrooms out of my ears, although that would actually be pretty funny! I’m talking about when fungus takes up residence somewhere on your skin. It can show up as red patches, acne, itchy skin, and more. We all have microorganisms that colonize our skin.

    It’s called the microbiome, and it’s a good thing! Similar to the soil microbes that make healthy soil or the gut flora that makes up a healthy digestive tract, microbes on our skin help protect our bodies and keep us healthy.

    But like all things, occasionally, there can be an undesirable fungus or bacteria that takes up residence. In general, skin is self-healing and the best practice is to use natural products on your skin and eat a healthy diet with complete whole foods.

    If your skin is flaring up, then it could be a message that something else is going on. I encourage you to go get it looked at by a healthcare professional to investigate the cause rather than treat the symptoms. That being said, if you’re doing all the right things, you can still occasionally have some spots pop up.

    That’s where this tea tree antifungal treatment stick comes in handy! This post will cover…

    Tea Tree and Lavender Antifungal Treatment StickTea Tree and Lavender Antifungal Treatment Stick
    Lavender and tea tree and both powerful herbs with antifungal properties.

    Herbal Antifungal Treatment Stick Ingredients

    The main ingredients in the antifungal treatment stick are tea tree essential oil, lavender essential oil, and calendula herbal-infused oil.

    Tea Tree Essential Oil

    Tea tree oil is native to Australia and comes from melaleuca shrubs and trees, or paperbarks. The leaves and twigs are steam distilled to extract the essential oil.

    Tea tree essential oil is widely used in skin care products, and I dare say it is overused. While it has antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, overuse can also cause skin irritation. I also don’t want to remove all the beneficial bacteria, fungi, and organisms that live on our bodies.

    So creating a treatment stick with a bit of tea tree oil, is a way to use it in an intentional, directed way, avoiding overuse and the potential complications that come from it.

    Lavender Essential Oil

    I’ve written much about lavender and skin care because it also has similar properties to tea tree oil while being gentle and calming for the skin. Its potency depends which plant variety is made into essential oil, with Lavandula angustifolia being the gentlest. Adding a few drops of lavender essential oil helps to balance out the tea tree, and soothes the skin.

    Herbal Infused Oil

    The herbal oil that I used for this recipe is also infused with calendula. I’ve also written extensively about calendula and how to make infused oils. I grow calendula in my garden, harvest the flower heads liberally, dry them, and then turn them into a wonderfully potent herbal oil that I use in many skin care recipes throughout the year.

    The blend of tea tree, lavender, and calendula-infused oil, makes it a wonderful way to help bring some relief and healing to the spots on your skin that need a little extra attention.

    Lavender buds and BeeswaxLavender buds and Beeswax
    You can also infuse lavender buds directly into the grapeseed oil as well.

    Tea Tree Oil Antifungal Treatment Stick Recipe

    My son had a mysterious itchy spot on his chest, at first I thought it was a bruise when it didn’t go away and it continue to itch I knew that it was something else. Certainly not something that causes too much discomfort, but he did scratch it several times a day, so I wanted to try to ease the spot with a bomb that was gentle, easy to apply, and long-lasting.

    I came up with this recipe as a gentler way to apply tea tree oil than using a roller bottle. Making it into a solid balm allows it to stay in place longer and requires less application. Putting a balm into a tube is the perfect way to apply an antifungal treatment to the spot and something that he could do on his own.

    When I first made this recipe, I tried it on a few of my spots first. One spot in particular had been on my body for more than a year. It didn’t bother me, so I didn’t think much of it, but when I tested the balm on it, it went away in four days! It was clearly a perfect match. I made a bunch more and handed it out to others for testing. After a few tweaks to the formulation, this is now the balm that I use to treat mysterious little red spots, naturally.

    Ingredients

    Makes 3 x 10 ml sticks (lip balm tubes). See recipe card below for exact measurements.

    Jump to Recipe

    Materials

    Weighing Beeswax Pastilles or PelletsWeighing Beeswax Pastilles or Pellets
    Weigh all your ingredients ahead of time.

    Make it!

    Melt the wax, over medium-low heat in a Turkish coffee pot, double boiler, or a small pot with a pour spout.

    Turkish Coffee PotTurkish Coffee Pot

    Add the oil when the wax is liquefied and melt all of the ingredients together. Stir constantly and keep a watchful eye on the oils. You want them to just reach the melting point and not overheat. When the oils have melted and combined, add the essential oils and stir well.

    You can store this recipe in small pots or tubes. If you are using pots, pour the hot liquid into the pots and leave untouched until set.

    Antifungal salveAntifungal salve

    If you are using tubes, fill each tube halfway full and let cool slightly. This will set the bottom of the tube so that a hole doesn’t form in the top of the lip balm when cooled. Before the balm is fully set, fill the rest of the way.

    Leave untouched to set for an hour, then apply as needed.

    NOTE: always do a spot test before using widely on your skin. Test a small area on the inside of your arm and wait 24 hours to see if you have a reaction.

    How to Make a Antifungal Treatment StickHow to Make a Antifungal Treatment Stick

    Fungal Treatment Stick FAQ

    Can this be used on the face?

    Yes, you can use this on the face. It should be okay for both dry and oily skin. I recommend doing a spot test first and waiting 24 hours to see if there is any reaction.

    Can I add shea butter to this recipe?

    You could add shea butter to this recipe since it is also known to be antifungal. It would stay on the skin topically more rather than go into the skin, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

    I decided to omit using any kind of butter for this recipe since I wanted to absorb it better. I tried a variation where I used 55g of calendula-infused grapeseed oil and 10g of shea butter, but I didn’t like it as much as this recipe—this recipe gets drawn right into the skin.

    More Healing Recipes for the Skin

    Tea Tree Oil Antifungal Treatment Stick

    Use this all-natural antifungal stick to treat red spots, pimples, and rashes.

    • Melt wax over medium-low heat in the Turkish coffee pot or a small pot with a pour spout.

    • Once melted, add in the oil, stirring constantly. Once combined, stir in the essential oils. Do not let oils overheat, and only heat until combined/reached melting point.

    • Pour into small lip balm tubes. Alternatively, pour into small pots. If pouring into tubes, pour until halfway full, let cool slightly, and then fill the rest of the way.

    • Leave untouched until fully cool.

    • Test a small area on the inside of your arm and wait 24 hours before applying to other parts of your skin.

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    Stephanie Rose

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  • Herbs in Winter: Learn How to Overwinter Herbs – Garden Therapy

    Herbs in Winter: Learn How to Overwinter Herbs – Garden Therapy

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    Wondering what to do with herbs in winter? If you have a thriving herb garden, you can proactively protect them by employing some of these ideas. Here’s everything you need to know about how to overwinter herbs and keep them happy all year long.

    Homegrown herbs are wonderful to have on hand for culinary purposes, natural beauty recipes, and for their natural healing properties. Just because the cold season is beginning does not mean that you have to say goodbye to your herb garden.

    There are many different perennial herbs, some that can remain outside completely. Many herbs can overwinter outdoors if cared for properly. You can also preserve herbs in creative ways and overwinter them indoors.

    Learn how to overwinter herbs with these simple tips.

    Herbs in Winter that Can Stay Outside

    Some hardy herbs do well outdoors in all seasons. If you follow the care guide below, you can leave these plants outdoors and trust that they will be back once the snow thaws. Perennial herbs such as rosemary, sage, chives, winter savory, thyme, oregano, and mint can stay outdoors over the winter in many zones.

    Herbs by Zone

    Of course, as the weather varies greatly between different zones, so do the herbs in winter that can stay outside. Here’s a quick guide broken down by zone (read this post for more on gardening zones)

    Perennial Herbs up to Zone 4

    • Angelica
    • Anise hyssop
    • Bee balm
    • French tarragon
    • Garlic chives
    • Lemon balm
    • Lovage
    • Sage
    • Sweet cicely

    Perennial Herbs up to Zone 5

    Perennial Herbs Up to Zone 6

    How to Prep Outdoor Herbs to Survive the Winter

    Follow these steps to ensure that your herb garden is ready to face the elements.

    Weeding

    Start by removing any weeds growing up around the base of your herbs, so that they are not choked when they begin to grow again in the spring.

    Pruning

    Oregano, rosemary, lemon verbena, thyme, and sage can all overwinter outdoors and will benefit from a good prune in the fall. Trim away the uppermost leaves and any dead flower heads, and prune back all dead wood on the plant.

    You’ll probably find that you’ve pruned away lots of usable herbs—see different ways of preserving them for use over the winter.

    herb garden being prepped for the winter monthsherb garden being prepped for the winter months
    Shape and prune your perennial herbs in the fall.

    Protection

    All herbs will benefit from a two-to-four-inch layer of mulch to prevent the ground from freezing and to shield them from the harsh winter cold. Some herbs will need extra coverage in the form of a burlap wrap, cardboard box, or horticultural fleece over them to keep them insulated.

    Herbs in Winter that Need to be Moved Inside

    Annual herbs such as basil, pineapple sage, dill, borage, parsley, nasturtium, stevia, chamomile, and lemongrass are sensitive to cold temperatures. These herbs will likely not survive the harsh outdoor conditions.

    Instead of digging these up completely, try propagating them from cuttings and growing them indoors. Growing basil from cuttings is particularly easy to do.

    basil cutting in jar of waterbasil cutting in jar of water
    When the roots are at least 1 cm long, you can transplant the herb cuttings to soil.

    Both annual and perennial herbs can be planted in containers and brought inside before the first hard frost of the season. There are a ton of creative ways to grow herbs indoors. Not only will these plants look pretty on your kitchen windowsill or counter, but it’s a practical solution too. It is great to be able to harvest fresh herbs right from your kitchen as you are cooking!

    Parsley can be difficult to dig up, as it has long roots that are easily disturbed. Dig deep beneath the plant and pot it in a container with a lot of depth, about ten inches.

    Mint, thyme, and oregano are easy to dig out of the ground and take well to growing indoors.

    How to overwinter your herb gardenHow to overwinter your herb garden
    Use fresh soil to avoid bringing in any pests.

    Rosemary can thrive indoors, but it can also be difficult. Your best bet is to place it in a window where it will be cool and get a lot of natural light.

    Before bringing any herbs indoors, be sure to check them carefully for pests and pest damage. If you see any, spray the plants with a bit of soap mixed with water to get rid of unwelcome creepy crawlies.

    overwinter herbs by bringing them indoorsoverwinter herbs by bringing them indoors
    Herbs will need lots of natural light in the winter, so keep them by a sunny south-facing window.

    Amend Your Garden Soil

    If you dig up your herbs and bring them indoors for the winter, it is the perfect time to add nutrients to the soil for next spring when you replant your herbs. Dig compost material into the soil and in the spring your bed will be richer and more nutritious, producing healthier, more prolific plants.

    The good news is that amending your soil is inexpensive and eco-friendly. For my book Garden Alchemy, I spent quite a bit of time experimenting and studying natural soil amendments and found the results fascinating. I think you will, too—see my post here about how to amend soil naturally.

    FAQ About Growing Herbs in Winter

    Can I replant herbs that I bring inside the following spring?

    Absolutely. Just remember to make the transition easy on the plant. Bring them outside when all threat of frost has passed. Leave them in their containers and allow them to adjust to being outside for a few days before planting them back into the ground.

    Should I cut back thyme for the winter?

    Thyme benefits from being pruned back in the fall. For all perennial herbs, you want to leave the tough woody parts of the stem behind since this is where new growth will come from.  Cut off the top leaves and flowers, as well as any dead stems.

    Can you overwinter basil?

    Basil is considered an annual herb, so it will not survive the winter. Instead, I like to propagate my outdoor basil plant through cuttings and bring it indoors. To do this, you’ll want to cut off stems from the top of the basil plant with four sets of leaves growing.

    Once cut, remove the bottom two sets of leaves from the stem and place your cutting in a cup of water. Leave in a sunny location until roots are at least 1 inch long. Then transfer your cutting into a pot of soil and keep it well watered until established.

    My indoor herb garden one winter.

    More Ways to Enjoy Herbs

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    Stephanie Rose

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  • Harvesting Herbs, Healing, and How to Make the Perfect Cup of Herbal Tea – Garden Therapy

    Harvesting Herbs, Healing, and How to Make the Perfect Cup of Herbal Tea – Garden Therapy

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    There is an art to steeping tea, especially when it comes to herbal tea grown right in the garden. There are many herbs for tea you can grow in the garden to make a healing and soothing cup right at home. Here’s how to harvest, prepare, and enjoy your herbal tea.

    There are few things as satisfying as the ritual of harvesting fragrant herbs and then using them to make wonderful herbal tea. Preparing a cup of tea signals your body to focus inward and heal what ails you.

    When you also grow the herbs in your garden, the ritual expands to a full experience. Growing herbs and enjoying their aromas, beauty, and attractiveness to pollinators allows you to feed your body, and it makes sipping tea much more savoured.

    The careful harvest and preparation of herbs for tea becomes part of the tea ritual and ensures that you get the perfect brew.

    The warmth of hot tea can warm cold bones, comfort an upset tummy, soothe a sore throat, or help you fall asleep. Iced herbal tea can quench your thirst, cool your body temperature, replace lost electrolytes, and help with digestion.

    The temperature of the tea doesn’t matter, it’s the match of the herbs you include with what your body needs (I wrote more about that in this post on the medicinal plants to include in an herbal tea garden).

    Today I will share more about harvesting herbs, drying or preserving their flavours, and how to steep the perfect cup of herbal tea.

    How to Harvest Herbs for Tea

    If you feel inclined, take a moment before harvesting to appreciate your plants. They have worked hard to offer so much goodness to the world, and gratitude is good therapy.

    Cut herbs for tea with clean, sharp pruners first thing in the morning before the day heats up. This will maintain the most freshness in the leaves as well as cause less stress to the plant. If you are using leaves for tea, cut the stem off the plant and then remove the leaves from the stem (as opposed to plucking leaves off the plant and leaving it with bare stems).

    Some herbs, like mint, lemon balm, and basil, can handle having one-third of the plant removed. Cut the stems down to one-third of the full height, just above a set of leaves. The plant will send out new shoots from the cut branch, making a fuller, bushier plant.

    When using flowering herbs for tea, wait until the flowers are fully formed and remove all of the flower heads that are mature. Avoid harvesting the buds for chamomile and calendula (go for open flowers instead), but harvest the buds before they bloom when cutting lavender.

    All herbs are different, so for best results research the best practices to harvest the particular herbs that you are growing.

    a cup of tea on a table full of fresh and dried herbs and flowersa cup of tea on a table full of fresh and dried herbs and flowers
    You can use fresh or dried materials to make your tea.

    Herbal Tea Infusions and Decoctions

    Infusions are made from plant leaves and flowers, while decoctions are made from tougher parts of the plant, such as roots, stems, or seeds.

    To make an infusion, pour boiling water over the tea ingredients and allow them to steep. Most herbal teas will not become bitter if steeped for a long time, so you can allow the herbs to infuse for 15-30 minutes or drink it sooner if you are happy with the strength of the tea.

    To make a decoction, place the ingredients into a pot, cover with water, and simmer for 15-30 minutes. Again, you can strain out the herbs and drink it sooner if you are happy with the strength of the tea.

    Dried Sage on outdoor herb rackDried Sage on outdoor herb rack
    Herbal tea doesn’t usually get bitter from oversteeping.

    Fresh Herbs for Tea

    Fresh herbs can be used for making a great cup of tea. After harvest, inspect the leaves for any disease or pests (you don’t want to steep those!) and wash the leaves if you like. I grow all of my plants organically so there is really no need to wash them.

    To make the perfect cup of tea from fresh herbs, bruise the leaves with a mortar and pestle. Next, place a tablespoon of bruised leaves in a cup and pour hot water over them. Allow the leaves to steep for five minutes or longer if you want a deeper flavour.

    mug of tea with fresh herbsmug of tea with fresh herbs
    Some herbs, like lemon balm, are best enjoyed fresh.

    Drying Herbs for Tea

    To dry herbs for tea, you can use a food dehydrator or air dry them. Herbs are delicate and need gentle heat, so even though many do dry them in the oven on low, I still find that too high for herbs.

    Whether you’re using a food dehydrator or the air-dry method, space out herbs well to get plenty of air circulation. When the herbs are completely dry, store them in a pretty, airtight container like a vintage Mason jar. Replace any unused herbs the following year when the herb harvest is ready again.

    To make the perfect cup of tea from dried herbs, you can use a paper tea filter or loose tea ball to keep the herbs contained. Start with five minutes of steeping and taste to determine whether it is ready to drink. The tea will become more flavourful the longer it steeps.

    dried herbs and flowers for tea in glass jarsdried herbs and flowers for tea in glass jars
    Use dried herbs within a year, as they lose flavour and properties as they age.

    Freezing Herbs for Tea

    You can also pop fresh herbs in the freezer for use in teas. Put whole leaves into freezer bags and store them in the freezer for three to six months. The act of freezing will preserve the flavour and thawing will bruise the leaves and release their flavor. Discard the leaves if they become freezer burnt or begin to take on an odd odour.

    To make the perfect cup of tea from frozen herbs, add frozen leaves to a cup or teapot and pour hot water over them. The hot water will quickly thaw the leaves and begin infusing them with flavour. Steep for five minutes or longer to achieve the best flavour.

    steeping herbal tea in a mugsteeping herbal tea in a mug
    Frozen tea leaves help to retain flavour and properties for herbs best enjoyed fresh.

    How to Make the Perfect Cup of Tea

    No matter what the season, I start my days by making a big pot of herbal tea to drink throughout the day. I have a few teapots and an amazing thermos that keeps the tea fresh all day.

    I find that making just one cup at a time uses too much energy—both my own efforts and the heat required to boil water multiple times a day. In the morning, I decide on what type of tea I will drink for the day and experiment with flavours.

    Herbs can be steeped directly in water and then strained out when you store the tea for the rest of the day. Or you can use a variety of different products to contain the tea: paper tea filters, tea balls, a tea pot with a tea filter, or even a coffee press.

    mug with fresh herbs for making teamug with fresh herbs for making tea
    Make one pot of tea a day, and reheat if necessary…or enjoy cold!

    Hot Tea

    To make hot tea, pour water that has just reached boiling over the herbs in a large teapot and steep. Strain out the herbs and pour the tea into a large thermos to keep it piping hot throughout the day. Tea should be drunk or discarded by the end of the day (12 hours).

    Iced Tea

    To make iced tea, pour water that has just reached boiling over the herbs in a large teapot and steep. Strain out the herbs pour the tea into a glass bottle and move to the refrigerator. Iced tea will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

    Sun Tea

    I also enjoy making sun tea when I’m out and about in the garden. This involves letting the sun steep the tea! See how to make sun tea here.

    FAQ About Using Herbs for Tea

    Is herbal tea okay to drink during pregnancy?

    There are certain teas that can be very beneficial during pregnancy, while some herbal teas should be avoided altogether during different parts of pregnancy. It’s best to get a personalized plant from your healthcare provider or herbalist.

    What is a good herbal tea to drink before bed?

    Lemon balm and chamomile taste delicious together and are a great tea to have before bed to send you off to dreamland. Chamomile contains a compound known as apigenin that works as a mild sedative and helps to calm nerves. The mint family, such as lemon balm, can help to soothe a sore tummy as well as relax muscles.

    Is it better to use fresh or dried herbs for tea?

    Fresh herbs contain the most healing properties from the plant, so fresh is best. However, dried herbs also work well and will still contain lots of flavour and properties from the plant. Use fresh while you have them, and dry whatever you have left at the end of the season to enjoy until the following year.

    Herbal tea is a wonderful and simple way to add a little ritual, health, and mindfulness to your day. I hope you add it to your routine and enjoy it as much as I do.

    More Ways to Enjoy Garden Herbs

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    Stephanie Rose

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  • Cold-Process All-Natural Handmade Soap

    Cold-Process All-Natural Handmade Soap

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    If you have ever been curious about the world of handmade soap, chances are you have heard of cold process soap. This type of soap making produces an artisanal-looking handmade soap that can be scented with natural essential oils and botanical elements. Grab a few friends and learn how to make soap!

    I’ve been making cold-process soap for many many years. You’ll find a gazillion soap recipes on the blog for all the soap creations I’ve made over the years. Just call me the soap lady.

    Cold-process soap is part science and part art. You certainly will need to follow the step-by-step directions carefully, but if you do, you can produce the most lovely bars scented with essential oils and coloured with botanical elements.

    These handmade soap bars are a project you can make at home that looks like it came from an artist’s gallery. Plus, cold-process soap has no additives that are bad for the earth and it is gentle on sensitive skin.

    If this is your first time making soap, I’ve provided plenty of detail. Once you understand the basics, you can try some of my other recipes for different variations!

    Let’s get into it.

    four cold process soap moulds ready to be cut
    I make my soap in big batches to hold onto and gift.

    How to Make Soap for Sensitive Skin

    Many bath and body “soaps” that are commonly sold are not actually soap. You will notice that they are called a beauty bar or body wash. These are detergents, not soap.

    Real soap (such as the cold process soap in this tutorial) goes through the saponification process. This is a fancy term for converting fats, oils, lye, and water into soap and glycerin. After the chemical process has been completed, the soap is completely safe and gentle on the skin.

    Even better, the glycerin coats the skin and gives skin a silky, soft feeling.

    Handmade Soap Methods

    There are many methods to making handmade soap such as melt and pour, cold process, hot process, milk soap, and rebatching.

    There are pros and cons to each of these methods. I have made soap all of these ways, and each produces a very different type of soap.

    Personally, I like the hot process method for making beer, wine, and tea soaps. I melt and pour for quickly making fun, decorative soaps which you can see some examples of in my melt and pour soap idea book, Good Clean Fun.

    Good Clean Fun soap making bookGood Clean Fun soap making book

    How to Make Cold Process Soap

    I like cold-process soap the most as my everyday soap. I usually make soap in big batches every year, so I have plenty to choose from throughout the year and plenty more to give away.

    Cold-process soap makes a wonderful gift for yourself and others, but it does require following the instructions to the letter. If you are a first-time soap maker, partner with a friend and make handmade soap together—it helps to have a buddy system, and it’s a lot of fun!

    If you are an experienced soaper, there are three recipes down at the end for the soap shown in this post:

    • Lemongrass Ginger Coffee Kitchen Soap
    • Rosemary Spearmint Energizing Shower Soap
    • Orange Vanilla Cinnamon Soap

    All are made with natural vegetable ingredients, pure essential oils, natural colours, and herbs from the garden. You can feel good about taking care of those who use your handmade soap.

    Natural botanicals and colourants can create some seriously stunning soaps.

    Ingredients for Cold Process Soap

    All cold process soap will have fats and lye ingredients. Start with a basic soap-making recipe such as this moisturizing olive oil soap.

    Mix temp 115°F

    Oils

    Lye mixture

    Step-by-Step Soap Making Instructions

    If you are not using a kit, the first and most crucial step in cold-process soap making is to weigh the raw ingredients (fats, lye, water) precisely. Prep everything that you will need and lay it out accessibly before you begin.

    Soapmaking measurements are done in weight, not volume, so be sure to get a good kitchen scale and weigh out the ingredients.

    I weigh everything in grams for my recipes.

    Safety reminder: It’s best to wear protection when making soap as lye can burn your skin. Until the oils and lye have turned into soap (48 hours after making the recipe) it’s best to protect yourself. Always wear rubber gloves, safety goggles, and keep your work area free from kids and pets.

    Heat the Oils

    Gently (slowly) heat oils in a stainless steel pot on the stove. Alternatively, use a microwave and heat for two minutes on high, and then at shorter intervals until you reach the temperature listed in the recipe.

    double boiler with oils for soap makingdouble boiler with oils for soap making
    Using a double boiler can be useful to help retain the oil’s healing properties.

    Prepare Lye Ingredients

    Using room-temperature distilled water, weigh the amount specified by the formula into a heat-resistant glass bowl or large Pyrex measuring cup. While stirring, slowly add the measured amount of lye. I repeat, SLOWLY.

    It’s important to note that you add the lye to the water, not the water to the lye.

    Stir until dissolved. This mixture will get super hot quickly so be mindful of that. Also, the fumes are terrible, so if you can stir from below the fumes (with lye on the counter and you crouching below as you stir) outdoors or at least with windows open, that would be best.

    Place glass container in an ice-water bath and cool to the required temperature. For this basic recipe, it’s 115 degrees. Get accurate temperature readings with a candy thermometer in the middle of the solution.

    When both oils and lye/water are at the required temperatures (as stated in your recipe), slowly pour lye/water into the oils while rapidly stirring in small circles. Always add lye/water to oil, not the other way around.

    Mix first with a spatula, then an immersion blender.

    Thicken the Mixture

    Continue to rapidly stir the mixture until it thickens to the consistency of pudding (called “tracing”). The mixture is ready to be molded when a drizzle mark from the spatula remains for a few seconds on the top of the mixture.

    Speed up the tracing process by using a hand blender to mix. Be careful not to over mix.

    immersion blender for soap makingimmersion blender for soap making
    An immersion blender will help you get to trace much quicker. Otherwise, you’ll be stirring a LONG time.

    Add Essential Oils and Colourants

    Add essential oils, natural colourants, and herbs or exfoliants at this stage (see recipes below). Work fast as the mixture will quickly start to thicken.

    There are many options for colouring and scenting soap, but I avoid perfumes, fragrances, and artificial colours. I like handmade natural soap scented with pure essential oils and coloured with natural dyes.

    As you can see by these three recipes, it looks beautiful and it smells even better!

    Pour into Mould

    As someone who has been soapmaking for years, I use 42 oz soap moulds and they make things super simple.

    For a beginner, you can also use milk cartons. Pour mixture into 1L milk cartons and staple the tops shut.

    Wrap the mould (or cartons) in a large towel and set it somewhere warm for 48 hours, like the top of the fridge. The moulds will feel warm and will get hot as the mixture neutralizes and turns into soap.

    Make sure your milk cartons are clean and dry before using.

    Unmould and Cut

    For my moulds, it’s easy to remove the inner silicone and flip the soap out. I then cut the soap into equal pieces.

    To unmould your soap in cartons, peel off the milk cartons and cut each full 1-litre carton lengthwise into 3 equal sections for shower soap, and 4 equal sections for hand soap. Flip each section so that it appears to be a square from the top, and cut into 3 equal sections.

    soaps ready for cuttingsoaps ready for cutting
    Sometimes using a wavy cutter can produce fun rectangular bars.

    Cure

    Place each bar on a wire rack in a cool, dark place to cure for six weeks. After six weeks, soap can be buffed with a cotton cloth and wrapped for gifts.

    Curing allows for the water to evaporate and the soap to become more firm.

    Cold Process Soap Recipe to Try

    Once you master the basic recipe, you will discover that it’s incredibly versatile! Here are just a few ways you can “dress up” cold-process soap.

    Lemongrass, Ginger, and Coffee Kitchen Soap

    • Add 1 tablespoon dry, finely ground coffee at trace
    • Scent with 15ml lemongrass and 5ml ginger essential oils
    • Colour with turmeric

    To get the two-toned look in this soap, I filled half of the milk carton with one color and topped it with another. This makes each of the bars unique. The purple in the above soap was lavender-scented soap coloured with ratan jot and mixed with dried lavender buds.

    Don’t be scared to get creative with your colouring and add-ins.

    Rosemary and Spearmint Energizing Shower Soap

    To get the two-toned look in this soap, I filled half of the milk carton with one colour and topped it with another. This makes each of the bars unique.

    Sprinkle dried flowers or herbs on top of your soap to easily elevate their appearance.

    Orange Vanilla Cinnamon Soap

    There are many natural colourants in your kitchen, like the cinnamon and cocoa powder in this soap.

    Even More Handmade Soap Recipes to Try

    How to Make Cold Process Soap

    This handmade soap recipe will show you exactly how to make a batch of cold process soap at home.

    Lye Materials

    • 78 grams sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
    • 215 grams filtered/distilled water room temperature

    • Weigh and measure every ingredient ahead of time. It is imperative that items are weighted and measured precisely.

    • Wear gloves and safety goggles, and keep your workspace clean – lye can burn skin.

    • Heat the oil ingredients slowly in a stainless steel pot until you reach a temperature of 115 degrees.

    • Pour the room-temperature water into a large pyrex measuring cup. Stir, and SLOWLY add the pre-weighed lye. It’s important to note that you will add lye to the water, not the other way around.

    • Stir until dissolved. Then place the glass container in an ice bath and cool to 115 degrees.

    • When the oils and lye mixtures are both at 115 degrees, slowly pour the lye into the oil mixture while rapidly stirring in circles.

    • Stir until the mixture becomes thick, and similar to the texture of pudding.

    • Add in the botanicals and/or essential oils – see the blog post for ideas.

    • Pour the mixture into molds (I use 1L milk cartons), and staple the tops shut. Then, wrap the molds in a towel and set on top of the fridge for 48 hours.

    • Unmold the soap and cut into even sections. Then, place the bars on a wire rack and let them cure for 6 weeks.

    • Buff with a cotton cloth, and wrap to give as gifts or use yourself!

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    Stephanie Rose

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