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The Best Companies to Purchase Cut Flower Seeds for your Backyard Flower Farm

November 30, 2019

You’ve been stalking your favourite flower growers on Instagram and you’ve decided that it’s finally time to take the plunge–you’re going to grow your own backyard cut flower garden.

But where do you get annual cut flower seeds? The ones in the big box stores and garden centres are nice, but they’re usually not the Floret-style-Instagram-friendly ones that stole your heart and made you want to grow flowers.

Don’t worry. I’ve compiled a list of seed companies that sell annual cut flowers to the backyard gardener–for Canada, the US, and Europe. Being from Canada myself, the Canadian list is the most extensive, but there is enough in the other lists to get you started on your cut flower gardening journey.

How to Choose Which Flower Seed Company to Buy From

After you read my list of companies to purchase flower seeds from, you’re going to likely get overwhelmed. While it’s nice to order a little bit from everyone, it’s also the fastest way to completely blow your budget. Here’s a few of the questions I ask myself when I’m trying to choose which 2 or 3 companies I will order from that year.

  • Is the company in my geographical region? (Not a requirement, but it is a big consideration if you are buying perennials.)
  • Could I also purchase my vegetable seeds there? Sometimes it’s nice to order both your flowers and vegetables from the same place.
  • Which company has 75% or so of the items on my must-have list? I will often go with the company that has the bulk of the flowers that are on my wish list, then buy smaller orders from one or two other companies. And usually a small fall purchase of something or other makes it’s way into my online cart too.
  • If you’re ordering from a different country–Does the price of exchange make it worth buying? Sometimes that specialty flower is just not worth the 30% markup that the exchange brings.
  • Also if you’re ordering from a different country–Will the seed be allowed over the border? The laws between the Canadian and American border are tightening, and sometimes the flower company can not honour your order because it gets stopped at the border. Perennials are a no-go in general.
  • Do I really want specialty colours and varieties, or am I happy with basic cut flowers? If you’re happy with basic cut flowers, you can likely find a decent-enough selection with the company you order vegetables from. If you need the special colours and varieties, then it is 100% worth it to order the bulk of your order from a specialty grower.

There is no right or wrong answer in deciding where to purchase annual cut flower seeds for the year. I hope these questions will help you clarify your answer.

When is the Best Time to Purchase Annual Flower Seeds?

If you are reading this in April or May, it is likely too late to get the best selection. The most popular varieties of cut flowers go out of stock within days of the seed company opening the website for business. If you love a company, you must get on their email list and stalk them on Instagram. It’s the only way to ensure you will know when their shop is open for business.

If you’re looking for perennials, dahlias, or ranunculus, flowers like these will often go on sale in the fall around September/October and will be shipped out in the spring. You can still usually purchase them in the spring, but the most popular varieties are usually not available.

Want to start a backyard flower farm on the cheap? Here’s how one flower farmer did it.

Now, on to the list!!

Please know that I have not personally purchased from all of these companies, although I have from most of the Canadian companies and a few of the American ones. In the case of companies where I have not personally purchased, I have researched their site with the thought in mind, “If I could purchase from this company, does it have enough selection and specialty varieties for me to want to do so?” If the answer is yes, it made the list.

Finally, if there’s a company you think should be on this list, please let us know in the comments!

This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase something by after clicking one of these links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about it here in my Privacy Policy.

Canadian Companies

1. Incredible Seed Company

The selection may not be as large as some other companies, but what is there is very on-trend, and all seeds that the Incredible Seed Company sells are heirloom varieties, so you know you can save the seeds. The Tower Chamois Asters and Charbaud Picotee Dianthus mix are on my must have list.

Also, they stock cracker jack marigolds, which are not the most common cut flower, but one of my favourites for its versatility in both the cut flower garden and the vegetable garden. My baby also enjoyed ripping up the blooms I gave her to play with last summer. 🙂

2. Edgebrook Farm

I might be making a pretty big claim here, but I would consider Edgebrook Farm the Floret Farm of Canada. They are completely revamping their cut flower selection and I am marking my calendar for December 2nd, 2019. If you are wanting to get into flower farming for profit, the seed selection at Edgebrook can’t be beat.

I really appreciate that you can filter their cut flowers by colour or form, and that they have an extensive selection of dahlias. New to cut flowers? I highly recommend the Garden collection of dahlias. Its a small but beautiful collection that will get you hooked on the wonderful world of dahlias. No ugly big-box-store-varieties here!

3. Veseys

I personally love Veseys because it is truly one-stop-online-shopping for everything plants. The selection of vegetable seeds, cut flower seeds, and perennials is all really good. New to flower gardening? The perennial kits are a no-brainer way to start a flower bed.

Veseys is also one of the few places that has bulk quantities of seed and perennials that you can order as a gardener and not a farmer.

Last year I ordered calendula, zinderella peach zinnias, and my queen lime series of zinnias with great results.

(Slightly unrelated–if you do order flowers from there, you must hop over to the vegetable section and order yourself a packet of Sunset Orange Paste tomato seeds. Amazing fresh taste, great for making tomato sauce less acidic, each plant has TONS of tomatoes, and if you ripen them indoors they do not go bad quickly.)

4. Whistling Prairie

Whistling Prairie is a flower farm in Southern Saskatchewan and Dawn has one of the most beautiful & honest accounts on Instagram. When she opens the cart for seed, bulb, or dahlia sales, the flowers fly off the shelves. This year I was able to score two varieties of ranunculus, and I hope to purchase more if I can just get it together and get on the site immediately when it opens! It’s worth the trouble, as the tulip and dahlia varieties she carries are so gorgeous.

Related: The 36 Best Cut Flowers You Can Grow

5. Antonio Valente Flowers

I wish I new Antonio in real life, because when I read his captions on Instagram, I want to cheer for team flowers every time. And I’d love to sit down, drink coffee, and chat flowers. Oh who are we kidding, I’d want to see the farm! Anyway. . .

Antonio Valente Flowers carries a Floret-style assortment of dahlias, tulips, ranunculus, anemones, and narcissus. His offerings usually sell out fast, so get online ASAP when the shop opens for best selection. My favourites are the Cornel Bronze dahlias and Renown Unique tulips.

6. Dahlia May Flower Farm

Dahlia May Flower Farm is a family farm offering bulbs, corms, subscriptions, and bulk flower purchasing for DIY wedding flowers in the summer. The tulip bulbs always go quickly, but I was surprised to see when I was researching this post that almost all the ranunculus varieties were still available. If you haven’t grabbed any yet this season, head on over and order yours.

7. Brecks

Looking for perennials as part of your cut flower garden? Brecks is the place. You can filter the perennials be zone, exposure, colour, height, bloom time, and usage. Make sure to check the Cut Flowers box under usage to make sure the perennials you buy will have long enough stems. The Super Saks are a great deal if you have a large space to fill.

As for my favourites, the Pink Hawaiian Coral peony, October Sky dahlia, and Creme de la Creme phlox are on my must-have list.

Brecks is a Canadian company, but they also ship to the US and internationally.

8. Unicorn Blooms

Unicorn Blooms is another flower grower with a swoon-worthy Instagram account. They have large quantities for flower farmers, and smaller quantities for home gardeners. If you’re a Canadian Flower Farmer, this is one of the go-to places for Floret-style flowers in large quantities in Canada.

The offerings were quite small at the time I wrote this post, however, I know that they are continually updated depending on when its time to plant a certain flower. Get on their mailing list or check back often for availability.

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American Companies

As a Canadian, I am always very excited when American companies ship to Canada. I have included a note about the ones that ship here. If you are a Canadian purchasing from an American company, please note that you will not be able to purchase any perennials, some annuals, and occasionally your order will not be allowed to cross the border.

If you are an American reading this list, I would love to know what companies you would add.

1. Floret Flower Farm

Due to the popularity of their small-scale flower farming book, Floret Flower Farm is the go-to seed company for beautiful, on-trend flowers. If you are planning to purchase anything from Floret, I highly recommend signing up for their newsletter so you can mark your calendar when flowers and seeds are available for purchase.

The most popular varieties sell out FAST. So fast that if you don’t purchase on the opening day, you might not get what you want. They also ship to Canada, but some varieties are not allowed to cross the border–bread poppies & peony poppies, I’m looking at you!!!

If you loved the first Floret book, you’ll want to get on the waiting list for the second, A Year in Flowers, and the third book about Dahlias coming soon.

I couldn’t resist including a pic from my Floret-style photoshoot!

2. Johnny’s Seeds

Didn’t get your order in fast enough at Floret? Go to Johnny’s Seeds where you’ll find just as beautiful and on-trend colours and varieties. Excellent selection and good prices. Get your vegetable seeds there too, as the selection is very impressive. Johnny’s Seeds offers different quantities of seeds for flower farmers or home gardeners and they also ship to Canada!

3. Harris Seeds & Garden Trends

Harris Seeds has every type of cut flower seed you could possibly want in large quantities for flower farmers. Its sister company, Garden Trends, offers a similar selection in quantities more suitable for the home gardener.

I like the Double Click Rose Bon Bon Cosmos, Larkspur Cannes Mix, and their beautiful collection of Ornamental Kale.

Related: How to Create a Beautiful Cut Flower Bouquet

4. Select Seeds

Select Seeds also has an impressive variety of unusual and on-trend cut flowers. The Apricot Lemonade Cosmos are a must-have that I haven’t seen on any other seed companies page. There are over 50 varieties of zinnias and I really need the Eldarado one in my life (a double flowering salmon colour). The rare finds section is also worth a look. They also ship to Canada for a flat rate of $15

Double flowering buttercream and apricot stock.

5. White Flower Farm

No annual seeds here, but a very impressive selection of beautiful perennials. If you want to focus on perennial cut flowers, White Flower Farm is an excellent mail-order option. I’ve found over the years when I’ve researched them, that the website is always up to date, and whatever is seasonal and on offer looks so good, making me wish I could order there!

My American readers assure me that the quality of the perennials you order is second to none. I also appreciate how you can filter perennials by price, zone, growing conditions, colour, and more.

6. Swallowtail Garden Seeds

Swallowtail Garden Seeds is based in the US, but will ship to both Canada and Internationally for a reasonable flat fee. The selection is impressive and there are quite a few varieties that I didn’t see anywhere else in my research.

Must-haves for me include cupcakes pink zinnias, Queen lime with blotch zinnias, Gypsy charmer sunflower, and anything in the twinny snapdragon series.

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European Companies

I’m sure there are many other growers whose websites are in different languages, but these are the English-language ones I could find. If you know of any good growers whose website is in another language in Europe, please let us know in the comments.

1. Chiltern Seeds

They have over 1000 cut flower varieties for sale. Enough said.

2. Seedaholic

I love that Seedaholic has separate sections for cut flowers, dried flowers, edibles, and flowers that are good for natural dyes. Also a good selection of wildflowers and bee-friendly options.

3. Sarah Raven

A beautiful selection of unique cut flowers in trendy colours. I especially love the cut flower garden kit, which is a selection of easy to grow cut flowers perfect for the beginner gardener. There’s just enough of each variety to keep a backyard flower gardener in bouquets all season long.

4. Suttons

The Cut Flower Wall Chart and Growing Guide is very helpful for trying to plan your backyard garden. Even if you don’t live in the UK and the timings don’t quite apply to your situation, its still helpful for planning out enough filler, thriller, and spiller flowers for your garden.

Got all your flowers and looking for vegetable seeds? Here’s 20 more companies me and my readers recommend.

There you have it, 18 different cut flower places to order cut flowers online! I’d love to hear if there’s a hidden gem I’ve missed.

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Filed Under: Uncategorised Tagged: annual flowers, cut flowers, flower garden, flower gardening

Naturally Sooth a Sore Throat and Cough now with these 6 Best Drinks and Non-Alcoholic Hot Toddies

November 10, 2019

Cold and Flu Season is here and nothing is more frustrating than being knocked out by a sore throat, cold, or the flu.  While there is no cure for a sore throat and cough, there are natural remedies that can make it feel better or get you through a presentation at work or other occasion where you need to use your voice.

You may know me as a garden and food blogger but, in my non-online life, I’ve been a private voice and choir teacher for the last 15 years.  I’ve also sung in many amateur and professional competitions and productions, and know first hand how terrifying it is to try and power through vocally when you’re sick.

I’ve compiled my go-to tricks and non-alcoholic hot toddy recipes to help get through a cough, cold, or sore throat this winter.

Next time a cold has got you down, remember these natural solutions.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase something. You can read more about it in my Privacy Policy. Thanks for supporting Shifting Roots!

Rest Your Voice

The best way to sooth a sore throat is to not talk at all.  *Wah, wah*

Not what you wanted to hear, right?  But it’s the truth.  Talking anymore than the bare minimum is going to do more harm than good.  Don’t whisper either.  Whispering is actually worse for your voice than talking.

Avoid saying anything more than necessary, write more emails, or just call in sick if it’s really bad.

Stay at home Moms and Dads, this is going to be much harder for you.  I confess that it felt practically impossible to rest my voice when my son was a toddler, especially when he was in speech therapy and I had to be constantly on him to use his words.  If at all possible, try to arrange for a babysitter or a trip to Grandma’s so you can relax and get some much-needed rest.

Get Lots of Sleep

I used to be one of those people who just downed a bunch of cold medicine and powered through a cold.  Often my colds took 7 days to heal.

Now, I take the day off and sleep all day the first day of catching a cold.  My cold is usually gone in three days.

The chores, work, etc can wait.  Get some sleep!

If you can’t afford to take time off from your job, go to bed as early as you can, and do as little as possible once you get home for the day.

Make a Non-Alcoholic Hot Toddy

I’m no stranger to lemon-based drinks when I have a sore throat, however, I had never heard of this recipe.  Once of my voice student’s parents suggested it and I’ve been hooked ever since. It’s a lovely mixture of honey, lemon, and cinnamon that is surprisingly effective for a sore throat.

Get the recipe here

You could also add ginger or orange juice for flavour and extra soothing properties.

Want to get rid of a cold or sore throat fast? Try this lemon cinnamon honey hot toddy and naturally cure yourself--or at least get a little relief!

David’s Tea Cold 911 Tea

If vocal rest is going to be next to impossible, you need to get some Cold 911 Tea--stat!  The tea itself soothes your throat, and the vapour the tea gives off helps clear your sinuses.  I have personally used this tea to get through the odd singing gig or voice lesson where I wasn’t super sick, but my voice wasn’t at 100% either.

Do not drink this tea if you are pregnant, as it contains juniper berries.

Drink Warm Apple Juice

I love the way warm apple juice feels on a sore throat.  Try and pick brands that contain 100% apple juice (no apple drinks), or warm up your own homemade apple juice if you have it.  Here’s how I make mine, and a couple easy ways to make apple juice if you don’t have a steamer juicer.

Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat Tea

Every classical/opera singer I know swears by this tea.  You can literally tell who is sick in a room full of singers, because they are the ones chugging down this tea like it’s the elixir of life.  If you feel a sore throat coming on or it’s almost over, drinking this tea can sooth it just enough so you can speak easier.

I’ve also tried Yogi Throat Coat Tea, but I don’t like the taste and smell as much. However, I know people who love the Yogi version and don’t like the Traditional Medicinals version, so to each their own.

There are tons of other non-alcoholic natural remedies you can take for colds and sore throats, but these are the ones I personally use.  You can make your own elixir with ingredients like lemon, honey, apple cider vinegar, ginger, cinnamon, or turmeric that will make you feel better.  Some singers I know also swear by slippery elm cough drops.  They make my throat feel terrible, but worth a try if you are in dire straits.

Here’s to a speedy recovery!

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Filed Under: Uncategorised Tagged: Cold, Cough, Hot Toddy, rest, sore throat

Calm Your Cough with a Four-Ingredient Hot Toddy

November 8, 2019

Feeling sick?  You’ll want to try my four ingredient, non-alcoholic hot toddy to sooth your cold, cough, or sore throat.  It’s so much better than cough drops!

For the last month I have been sick.  Like hacking-out-a-lung-no-voice-the-doctor-is-my friend-sick.  I think my issues are finally getting sorted out, but I’ve cracked a rib from coughing so hard in the process, so renovations probably won’t be happening until after Christmas.

Update: I did not actually crack a rib, but it sure felt like it!  Apparently I strained my intercostal muscles.  Considering I’m a classical singer and use them more aggressively than most of the population on a regular basis, my cough was extreme.

Learn how to make an easy hot toddy recipe for colds with honey, lemon, and cinnamon. It's one of the best natural remedies for coughs or sore throats. Non-alcoholic, so you can serve it to your kids and feel better in no time. #hottoddy #hottotty #cold #cough #sorethroat #naturalremedy #nonalcoholic #easyrecipe #drink #drinkrecipe
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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged: 4 Ingredients, Cinnamon, Cold, Cough, Honey, Hot Toddy, Lemon, simple

20+ Gift Ideas for the Gardener in Your Life this Christmas

November 2, 2019

What do you get the gardener who has everything?  Sure, tools or gardening gloves are the obvious choice, but they will probably only be appreciated by the most serious of gardeners. I’ve come up with a list of pretty and practical Christmas gifts for beginners and advanced gardeners alike, as well as a few options for kids who love tagging along in the garden.

Bonus—Most of these gifts are $30 or less!!

A selection of the best gardening gifts for the gardener in your life this Christmas.

So start making your 2019 Christmas gift list and checking it twice with these finds for the plant lover in your life. I’ve linked to Amazon for all of these gifts, but I’m sure you can also find some beautiful local options as well.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase something.  You can learn more about it in my Privacy Policy.  Thanks for supporting Shifting Roots!

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Filed Under: Gardening, Uncategorised Tagged: Christmas, Garden, garden tools, Gardening, gift ideas, Herbs, Mother's Day, seeding square, succulents

How to Cook a Big Christmas Dinner When Your Kitchen is Depressingly Small

October 30, 2019

It’s your turn to host Christmas dinner for a large crowd and suddenly you realize how small your postage stamp sized kitchen really is. And how little counter space you have. And how much you curse the fact that your countertop depth is 5 inches less than standard, forcing you to have a bar sink as your main sink. (Just me on that last one?) Seriously, how are you going to host this huge holiday meal?!

Don’t call the whole thing off. I have a depressingly small kitchen with a laughable amount of counter space, and I’ve still been able to host parties with up to 30 people. Here’s the strategies I use to make our small house work when it’s time to cook a meal for the holidays.

Once you’re done reading these strategies for hosting a large meal in a small space, head over to this post about making the rest of your small house or apartment work for a large party.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase something. Thanks for supporting Shifting Roots! You can read more about it in my Privacy Policy.

Plan the Meal Around the Appliances Everything Will be Cooked in

In order to create a Christmas dinner menu that won’t leave you tearing your hair out and yelling at those you love, you need to allocate each dish to a different cooking appliance. For example, meat in the oven, potatoes boiling on the stove, dressing in the slow cooker, something else in the instant pot, and a couple fresh salad or vegetable items that you made the night before waiting in the fridge.

Don’t have one of these appliances or need an extra? Borrow from friends or hit up the thrift stores and garage sale pages. I’ve included links if you’re in the market to purchase.

Also, slow cookers and instant pots don’t need to take up precious counter space. You can easily plug them in and set them on the floor in an out of the way location. (We have to do this out of desperation, but it works and allows me more space to chop vegetables, mix food, etc.)

Think of Your Table as an Extra Counter Space

As long as you use cutting boards to protect the surface, there’s no reason you can’t use your table as an extra prep space.

Prepare Vegetables In Advance

Chopping and cleaning vegetables is one of the biggest time sucks in preparing a meal for a large crowd. Thankfully, vegetables can be chopped and stored in the fridge a day or two before, so all you have to do the day of is take them out and use them.

Even potatoes can be peeled the day before and left in a pot of water. Or if you’re making baked potatoes, you can poke the holes in them and wrap them in tinfoil, so all you have to do the day of is tuck them around the roast in the oven.

Salads can be completely chopped and ready to go–just leave the dressing to the side so lettuces and other tender greens don’t wilt.

The more tasks you can do ahead of time, the more time you’ll have on Christmas day to relax and actually enjoy your company!

Wash Dishes as You Go

When space is at a premium, precious real estate can not be taken up with dirty dishes. Immediately wash the dishes from one food item as soon as you’re done with it. If you have help, designate that person the dishwasher and their only job is to wash and put away every dish as it is used.

When company comes and they ask if there’s anything they can do? Send them to the sink, and don’t feel bad about it.

Consider Paper Plates

Paper plates are not the most environmentally friendly option, but if you have no help and no dishwasher, they will save your sanity. Look for compostable options like this one, to minimize the waste.

Make it a Potluck

You don’t have to do it all. If you simply can’t make a giant meal for everyone, make the main course, one side dish and supply the drinks. Everyone else can contribute a salad, dessert, vegetable side, and the like.

Make sure that you know what everyone is bringing so you don’t end up with 5 pies and no salad.

Sample Menu

So let’s pull this all together. How do you properly plan out a holiday meal for a large crowd so you don’t lose your mind? Here’s what I’d do. . .

One Week Before. . .

  • Confirm menu
  • Purchase non-perishables, like pop, alcohol, baking supplies (like flour, sugar, etc.) and large freezer items like the turkey.
  • Order any parts of the menu that you will not be making yourself, or confirm with guests what they’re bringing if it’s a potluck.
  • Ask to borrow any crock pots, instant pots, or other large serving dishes you might not own or not have space for.

Two Days Before. . .

  • Make dessert and store in the freezer. You can warm it in the oven after the meat comes out.
  • Purchase the rest of your groceries.
  • Pick up any items you are borrowing.
  • Figure out how long the meat needs to defrost and cook. If you’ve never cooked a large turkey before, you might be surprised at how long it takes to both defrost and cook. Depending on the size of your meat, you might need to set it out today.

The Day Before. . .

  • Chop and prep all vegetable dishes.
  • Assemble casserole dishes and salads so they are ready to go.
  • Rearrange your furniture for the party (if needed). I chat more about what works for our small home in this post.
  • Set out drink station
  • Defrost meat

The Morning of. . .

  • Start slow cooker items.
  • Take the dessert out of the freezer to defrost.
  • Get yourself ready for the party. You won’t have time once you start preparing dinner. One exception–don’t put your outfit on until 30 minutes before everyone is scheduled to show up. Aprons are great, but I find I always get a bit sweaty running around the house all day and it’s nice to change into a fresh outfit.
  • Set an alarm on your phone for what time you need to put the meat in the oven–or any other alarms so you don’t miss the window for time-sensitive stuff.

The Afternoon of. . .

  • Start cooking!
  • Work backwards, starting with the items that take the most time, and ending with the items that need to be served fresh (like salads) or need to be fried.
  • Ask for help! Once your guests start arriving, don’t be ashamed to put them to work.

I hope you’ve found this post helpful and its inspired you to cook Christmas or another holiday meal for a large crowd. Your small, depressing kitchen and lack of counter space doesn’t have to stop you!!

Have any tips to share about how you make hosting a large meal work in a small space?

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Filed Under: Christmas Tagged: Christmas, entertaining, meal

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Welcome!

Hi, I'm Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

P.S. First time gardener? You'll want to download the quick start gardening guide below!

Recent Posts

  • The Best Companies to Purchase Cut Flower Seeds for your Backyard Flower Farm
  • Naturally Sooth a Sore Throat and Cough now with these 6 Best Drinks and Non-Alcoholic Hot Toddies
  • Calm Your Cough with a Four-Ingredient Hot Toddy
  • 20+ Gift Ideas for the Gardener in Your Life this Christmas
  • How to Cook a Big Christmas Dinner When Your Kitchen is Depressingly Small

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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Instagram post 2192292281407280453_2204272319 DAY 4:  12 Days of Christmas Baking⁠
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Sometimes, I feel like I am a terrible neighbour.  The Hermit and I rarely get to the communal shovelling of the winter snow for our neighbours first.  There's always some weird garden experiment going on, and it feels like we've been renovating forever.  How do I make up for it?  Fresh tomatoes, jars of jam, the odd bouquet of flowers, and finally, a box of this fudge that magically shows up on their doorstep at Christmas.  I make about 8 batches of the stuff in all different flavour combinations, cut each batch into 8 large chunks, then I package them up in little sampler packs that I give out to said neighbours, Dominic's teachers, Aulaire's babysitters, or whoever I want to give a little Christmas gift to.⁠
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The recipe is super simple and it's fairly idiot-proof.  No crumbly fudge here!⁠
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3 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels⁠
1 can Eagles Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk or homemade recipe (which I used)⁠
Dash of salt⁠
1.5 tsp vanilla⁠
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Optional toppings/decorations⁠
1/2 c nuts (stir in, or crush and sprinkle on top)⁠
Mini marshmallows⁠
White Chocolate chips to melt and drizzle for decoration⁠
Coconut flakes⁠
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Melt chocolate in a bowl over a water bath. Stir in sweetened condensed milk, salt, and vanilla. Combine until smooth.⁠
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Add any additional optional ingredients you want IN the fudge (nuts, marshmallows). Pour & spread evenly into an 8×8 pan lined with wax or parchment paper. This is a great time to add optional toppers.⁠
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Refrigerate 2 hours, or until set, and then remove from pan & paper and cover tightly with plastic wrap to avoid it drying out. If cutting into several pieces at once (& sometimes mini cookie cutters are nice for this), set it out on the counter for 20 minutes or so to soften enough for neater, easier cuts.
Instagram post 2191567720172943549_2204272319 DAY 3: 12 Days of Christmas Baking⁠
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So today's recipe isn't actually baking that you would put on your tray per se, but it is super crucial to many recipes you might want to make and will save you money.  It's. . . *drumroll please*. . . Homemade sweetened condensed milk!⁠
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Seriously, this stuff is worth the extra effort and it tastes so much better!  You'll want to make a batch for tomorrow's recipe, where I share my no-fail fudge. (Well actually, it's one of reader's no fail fudges, but I feel like it's mine now because it's been my go-to for 3 years!)⁠
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1 cup powdered milk⁠
2/3 c white sugar⁠
1/3 c water⁠
1/4 c butter⁠
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Combine in blender until extremely smooth⁠
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Also, let me know if you make any of this stuff.  I would love to see your pictures of any of your creations during the 12 days of Christmas baking.  Tag me @shifting_roots and I'll be sure to share your baking in my stories.
Instagram post 2190842732075560326_2204272319 DAY 2: 12 Days of Christmas Baking: Rice Krispie Trees⁠
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Back in the day when I baked for almost 200 people over 4 Christmas recitals with 60 students, plus one choir that required some baking too, my goals were this: make things that are pretty, tasty, and kid friendly.  Because what's the point of making all this baking if the kids in my music studio don't eat it?!?⁠
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That's how these Rice Krispie Christmas Trees were born.  They are a tiny bit fussy in the fact that there's melting chocolate and sprinkles, but they make the eater feel like they are getting something really special.. . and they are!⁠
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If you use big enough cookie cutters (you don't have to be limited to just trees) you could even use them as a classroom present for your students, as these should be free of most common food allergens.  Just get the gluten-free Rice Krispies if you have any kids with Celiac.⁠
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Ingredients⁠
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6 cups Rice Krispie cereal,⁠
40 large marshmallows,⁠
1/2 cup butter,⁠
1 tsp vanilla,⁠
1 1/2 cups white chocolate melting wafers⁠
sprinkles⁠
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Instructions⁠
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Melt butter, marshmallows and butter in a large bowl in the microwave for approximately 5 minutes, setting the microwave one minute at a time and stirring in between.⁠
Add Rice Krispies and press into a large cookie sheet. Allow to cool. Cut Christmas tree shapes with cookie cutter.⁠
Melt chocolate wafers and dip in Rice Krispie treats. Add sprinkles if desired. Work fast, as the chocolate dries quickly!
Instagram post 2190118109285570760_2204272319 DAY 1: 12 Days of Christmas Baking⁠
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Let's start off the season with one of my favourite, easy, I-keep-coming-back-for-more-even-though-I-probably-shouldn't Christmas treats--Almond Roca.  You may also know it as Christmas Crack, or in our family, "that thing that Auntie Sandy makes."⁠
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Whatever you call it, make sure you make an extra batch, because there won't be leftovers!⁠
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Ingredients⁠
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1 sleeve soda crackers (2 for a large cookie sheet)⁠
1 cup butter,⁠
1 cup brown sugar,⁠
3/4 cup slivered almonds,⁠
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, melted,⁠
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted.⁠
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Instructions⁠
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Line cookie sheet with tinfoil. Spray with Pam.⁠
Layer crackers.⁠
Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring often.⁠
Pour over crackers and bake in a 325 oven for 10 minutes. Turn off oven. Sprinkle with almonds and return to the oven for 5 minutes.⁠
Cool. Drizzle melted milk & white chocolate chips, alternating colours.⁠
Cut in squares and serve.⁠
Instagram post 2189707999618969478_2204272319 Get ready friends, tomorrow is the start of my 12 days of Christmas baking!  I’m sharing all my favourite recipes—most of them simple and a few of them more complicated but worth the extra steps.  Until then, what’s your favourite Christmas treat?
🎄
On a more personal note, today would have been my Grandma’s 96th birthday.  Back in the day when my voice studio involved 60 students in 4 different communities with multiple recitals, my Grandma and I baked 2 or 3 things every Tuesday from November to mid-December.  While sometimes I got annoyed that she was constantly reminding me to do this or that, I really miss her help with the recipes that are better with two people, her insistence on doing the dishes as we go, help decorating, and her silly little jokes as she loved to tease me.  Baking will never be the same, and I’ve always felt a little bit lonely every Christmas as I make my recipes.  Hopefully my kids will someday enjoy baking with me, and I’m sure that I’ll constantly make them check if the cookies are burned or not.
😉
#12daysofchristmas #christmasbaking #christmasbakinghasbegun
Instagram post 2188987970396974336_2204272319 Nobody cried, I deem this Santa photo a success!  Poor Dominic has either been too afraid or cried for every Santa picture except the one when he was a baby.  He was still a little scared, but he told me that he would be brave for Aulaire.
🥰
#santapic #christmastradition
Instagram post 2186776470932643960_2204272319 Decorating with live greens doesn’t have to be complicated.  A gold hoop (grabbed this one at the dollar store) a bit of florist tape (also purchased at the dollar store) and you’re done!
🌲
Does even a wreath seem too complicated?  No worries!  Set your clippings straight on the mantle, or in a blown with a candle.  I’ve done this some years when I’m pressed for time and it works just fine.
🌲
I’ve found greens last about 3 weeks indoors, but you can extend their life by misting them every day or two with water.  The more you know...
🌲
Do you decorate with live greens?  Or is it more of a pipe dream for you?
🌲
#evergreens #christmasdecor #naturalchristmas #naturalchristmasdecor #imadethis #dollarstorefinds #minimalistchristmas
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