This is the winning recipe for our first herb cooking competition in the category of snacks or appetizers. CREAMED THYME MUSHROOMS -- 3-4 dozen, button mushrooms, med. to large., 4 tbsp. butter, 1/2 tsp. minced garlic, 1/2 tbsp. thyme, 8 oz. heavy cream or sour cream, salt and pepper to taste, 1 tsp. lemon juice.
In a large skillet, saute mushrooms in butter, cap side down. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover. When mushrooms begin to soften, add heavy cream or sour cream. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice just before removing from heat. Spoon mushrooms into bowl or casserole, adding all liquid from skillet. Stir so all mushrooms are covered with liquid. Serve immediately.
This recipe was submitted by Norma Eckrote.

Actually, we sampled these cold and still found them very good and my granddaughter (age 13) loved them.

If you would like to participate in next months competition the information is on www.hearthstonegardens.com. Just click on the button. Our category is dips, sauces or spreads.

Need a recipe for lemon verbena? Try this Quick lemon cake. 1 pkg. yellow cake mix, 1 cup water, 3 tablespoons dried lemon verbena, crushed, 1 pkg. lemon instant pudding, 4 eggs, unbeaten, 1 tsp powdered rosemary. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingredients, and beat 8 minutes. Pour into 13 x 9 x 2 pan lined with brown paper. Bake 45 to 50 minutes. Yumm!!
Of course, lemon verbena makes great tea or add to your fruit salad.
Tip--to dry quickly place on paper towel and zap with the microwave. Do it by seconds so as not to turn it to cinders!! You can also use your coffee grinder to powder the rosemary.

Did you ever wonder what someone means when they say they carry herbaceous perennials? Herbaceous means the plant dies down and does not leave behind a woody stem that will eventually grow again. These perennials store their energy in the roots.

Bergenia cilata will grow in dry soil, dappled to partial shade. Slugs, deer and rabbits hate it. Partial shade are areas that receive full sun early in the am or late in the afternoon. Dappled shade is the area under trees where the light peeks through post of the day.

Drying flowers

If you have ever considered raising flowers for your own designing needs the following are perennial and very easy to do.
Achillea-coronation gold or the pearl, aconitum, alchemilla, artemesia, astilbe, tansy, delphinium, echinops, gypsophila, hydrangea, lavender, lunaria, liatris, german statice, sea lavender, peonies, poppy pods, roses, solidago, stachys, centaurea, catananche.
All can be dried successfully by hanging upside down in a hot, dry, dark environment.

Ground covers

I have just read an interesting article on ground covers. Some of the varieties suggested to use are:autumn fern, Christmas fern for shade as they stay evergreen(mostly). Also tiarella cordifolia grows well in dry shade and comes in many varieties and has the benefit of being a native. For a sunny spot try blue-eyed grass (also a native) and Blue star creeper and sedums. Sweet woodruff is a favorite of mine because it has pretty blossoms early in the spring but the foliage stays nice all summer--also a shade plant. Mazus reptans, thyme, crested iris and oregano also do well in the sun. One I am trying in shade is ceratostigma plumbaginoides because it has wonderful blue flowers and leaves turn red in the fall. Another variety I am trying this year is stachys macrantha also referred to as big betony, has crumpled green leaves with blue flowers.

Dye garden

If you would like to try dying your own fabric or wool here are some plants to try: bedstraw, fennel, foxgloves, hollyhocks, hyssop, lamb's ear, larkspur, marigold, sage, sorrel, spiderwort, sweet woodruff, woad and marguerite. Even if you never dye anything it would make a pretty theme garden for you herbies out there.