As mentioned in this week’s episode of Gardens ‘n Plants podcast, here is the recipe for the lemon verbena cookies.
Lemon Verbena Cookies
1 cup butter softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh, young lemon verbena leaves, minced
2 cups flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Cream butter, sugar, lemon verbena, vanilla, and eggs together. Then add dry ingredients. Chill for at least one hour. Roll into balls, flatten a little, and place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Makes about 4 dozen cookies. Use young, small lemon verbena leaves that have not developed the hairs so leaves are smooth.
Here are the photos from River Farm, home of the American Horticultural Society, in Alexandria, VA. It is open to the public Monday through Friday now. I saw beautiful tall sunflowers and very lush, toothache plants (Spilanthes acmella), which I have been trying to grow from seed myself but mine are not this large. I also saw a very spiny plant that is a member of the tomato family called purple devil or five-minute plant (Solanum atropurpureum).
sunflowers in front of the American Horticultural Society office
Purple devil plant (Solanum purpureum)
toothache plant (Spilanthes acmella)
Here is a photo of the new miniature Knock Out rose called Petite. You will find it in nurseries in a light green plastic container with the words “Meet Petite” on it. This is part of the Star Roses and Plants Knock Out rose series so has the same disease resistance but is about 18 inches tall with red flowers and dark foliage.
Don’t forget to read the Monthly Events tab on my website to obtain the details on the upcoming gardening events I mentioned in this episode of Gardens ‘n Plants podcast. Tune in next week to learn about plants, gardens, and gardening in the Washington DC metro area.
