Here's a recipe from Barbara Milo Ohrbach's book, "The Scented Room", which I have made dozens of times. Men seem to like this as much as women. 5 oz lavender flowers 2 oz blue malva flowers 1 oz cornflowers (I often use larkspur) 3 oz whole cloves 1 oz cinnamon sticks, broken 1 oz cassia chips 1/2 oz powdered allspice 1/2 oz powdered cinnamon 1 oz powdered orrisroot 15 drops lavender oil She also has a recipe called, "Cherchez's Old English Rose Potpourri" which is my favorite. Get her book from the library. It was printed in 1986

I use a net but lots of winter debris still works it's way into the pond. I net it out or water vac it out because it is a lot easier to remove stuff that is not stinky, rotted and stomach turning. Actually it is broken down just right to add to some potting soil for texture. I haven't had to deal with the fuzzy algae so many ponds get. In fact, I think my pond is in too much shade to grow it. However, the stuff that is composed of rotted food and poop will work it's way into any crack or crevice and under anything sitting on the liner. whenever I pick up a pot or the terracotta tiles I stack to raise pots to the correct level, there is a cloud of stuff that billows out. I try to keep the cloud to a minimum because it scares the little fish and sometimes makes them sick so I move things around often enough that it doesn't happen at once. Sandy

Hi all! My first Post - I've been getting into my Greenthumb side of life and have been looking at the possibility of benefits of Precious Gems and Stones, even the Semi-Precious Minerals. I've found a few ideas and insights in the few posts I read. I wanted to add a note of interest for everyone here. I found on Ebay a few listings for Paydirt, that contains Gold, Silver, Quartz, Malachite, and according to articles on the www that I found through Google - they are all Calcite Minerals. And, most specifically - they are all "Diamonds in the Rough"! My question at the moment is whether the Stones and Crystals that are damaged by water, are less damaged by water if they are still in there rough form? My ideas that sparked my interest in using the Precious Minerals and Ores in, on, and around my Plants/Flowers/Trees is an attempt to create a Lucious, Enriched, And Humid Soil! I know for a fact, that if the Soil Contains Rocks, especially Rocks that absorb Heat. Roots love a nice Warm and Humid Soil. Especially seeds! Rocks keep the soil warm over the cool and frosty nights. I found some Rocks, down by the Railroad Tracks that have a High Iron Content and can actually hold a Magnet to them. I'm sure that they're some sort of Falling Star or Meteorite of some sort and even more so probably falling debris from Haleys Comet. And, Yes - My Plants love them. For the Iron Chellate they produce and for the Large Amounts of Heat they collect and store. I also use rocks for my plants in the sense that I can't use the clay soil around here very well. It just holds water. My solution, was to place a large rock down in to the soil, close to the plant or in the same container - so that I could lift the rock to check the moisture content of the soil. It works great, I can let the top layer of the soil dry out completely, and without scraping the dirt or guessing. I just lift the rock and look. It's usually still rich dark looking dirt just below the crusted top layer. My Problems with using Goold Ole Dirt from the Yard for Planter Pots is solved. I hopeing that the Precious Minerals and Ore Paydirt will not only look really nice and add another later to watch dry out, but will hopefully add some nice missing nutrients to the soil. I've read that the Calcite's will in fact break down nitrates and turn them in to usuable nitrogen, faster. For example, grass cuttings, pine needles, fall foliage of dry leaf material will break down with calcite faster then without. May most likely be from the heat that the rocks produce, agitating moisture in the compost mixes and causing the soil to dry up then break apart. Wish you all well! Moonshine~

Pix. Dan