Gardening Out Loud
Gardening Out Loud
Episode 20: Slowing down
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Episode 20: Slowing down

Plus: In praise of asters
A honey bee perches on a purple flower with a yellow centre amidst a masses of similar flowers
Honey bee on the New England aster.

In this episode . . .

A tree full of birds. Tuning in by slowing down. The delights (and practicality) of the New England aster. Guest appearance by a marauding squirrel.

Specific plant varieties mentioned: New England aster


Otherwise this week, I’m . . .

Savouring: The abundance of dahlias. The tropical pops of ground cherry.

Tending: Deadheading, collecting seeds, some light weeding (admittedly I should be doing more, but this is a time in the season I let things go a little).

Harvesting: Dahlias, tomatoes, basil, beans, cucamelons.

Making: Fridge-pickled beans. My go-to recipe for any kind of fridge pickle is this recipe from the Food Network I’ve been making for years to much acclaim. You can knock it out in less than 30 minutes, no special canning equipment required.

A small bee with a gren metallic back perches on a white flower with a pinkish centre amidst masses off the same flower
The Toronto bee (Agapostemon virescens) on another aster (maybe the heart-leaved aster?)

Cross-pollination

In honour of slowing down . . .

“Coming Home at Twilight in Late Summer”

by Jane Kenyon

We turned into the drive,
and gravel flew up from the tires
like sparks from a fire. So much
to be done—the unpacking, the mail
and papers . . . the grass needed mowing . . .
We climbed stiffly out of the car.
The shut-off engine ticked as it cooled.

And then we noticed the pear tree,
the limbs so heavy with fruit
they nearly touched the ground.
We went out to the meadow; our steps
made black holes in the grass;
and we each took a pear,
and ate, and were grateful.


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Until next week!


Jen

Discussion about this podcast

Gardening Out Loud
Gardening Out Loud
Gardening Out Loud is a series of weekly audio love letters to, and conversations with, a little patch of soil. This isn’t an instructional podcast, but an experiential one: listen in for my reflections and observations as I experiment with sonic chronicles of the 2023 growing season. Grow along with me, in your imagination or in your own space, as I cultivate food and flowers, and soak up the beauty of this tiny urban refuge. Gardening Out Loud is restorative radio to help us all slow down, get grounded, and make a bit of space for connection and natural wonder.