Tim’s French Lemon Chicken Recipe - Mar 31, 2023
What's that tree with purple flowers?
Dear gardening friends
I've been to Melbourne today for the Flower and Garden Show. I'll tell you stories next week. But what I can tell you now is that the Cottage Garden is coming back!!!!
Flowers are back in fashion, but they have to attract bees and pollinators. We are going back to colour and nature.
Tibouchina Alstonville is flowering in suburbs closer to the city. It will be flowering in gardens all around Macarthur too.
They were originally sold as shrubs, but they really grow into a tree. I've seen them up to 6ms high.
They can be pruned to any height.
Even taller trees can be cut back hard in spring and they will be flowering again in autumn.
They are frost sensitive but they seem to grow in most suburbs here in Macarthur. There are smaller growing varieties. "Jazzie" grows about 2-3ms high and it flowers more often.
Tibouchinas like lots of water in summer, or the foliage gets burnt, and they don't flower so well. So water yours often, and mulch around the base with Woodchip to shade the soil.
We have both these varieties in the nursery today. If you've got a White House plant one of these.
It will pop!
If you love these flowers but you'd prefer one that grew smaller and flowers more often, we've got one called "Purple Star"
Come see.
I fell in love with this Waratah recently. It's called "Essies Gift". Essie Huxley hand carved a beautiful garden atop a lone ridge on a quiet rim of the world in Tasmania.
She became known as "The Waratah Woman" after she bred the first yellow Waratah.
Essie shared her plant breeding knowledge with Brian Fitzpatrick. He's from NSW, and he fell in love with Waratahs too. He bred this fabulous Pink flowering Waratah and named it "Essie's Gift".
This compact growing form gets absolutely covered in these big pink flowers throughout spring. It grows about 1.5ms high by 2ms wide. Its likes protection from the late afternoon, summer sun.
It's a beauty!!!!
We have plants in the nursery today for $23.99. They grow best in a raised garden bed so they get good drainage. They can be pruned after flowering, to keep them tidy. It's truly spectacular!!
Yes it could be grown in a large pot. Use Native potting mix.
I made the most amazing roast chicken dinner last night. No, it wasn't in the slow cooker, and not an Anchovy in sight.
Here's the recipe.
Whole chicken cut in quarters.
You could use legs or wings, but I think the entire chicken made a difference. Put pieces in a big bowl, then add, juice from 2x lemons, Olive oil, big handful of chopped fresh Rosemary, Garlic, Salt, Pepper, packet of French onion soup,
Roll chicken in this for several minutes.
Put chicken in baking dish.
Poor juice over chicken.
Add Carrots cut in quarters.
1x Onion cut in quarters.
1x cup of white wine.
Drink rest.
Cook on 180 using grill setting.
Cook for 50 mins or until chicken browns.
Chuck handful of black olives in at the end.
I forgot.
Serve with steamed Broccoli.
(It's time to plant Broccoli)
The lemon sauce was amazing.
The chicken was so moist.
Everyone said "wow this is amazing!!!!"
Even Dan.
If you don't have Rosemary, grow one in a big pot. I use Rosemary all the time. Use Tim's Best Potting mix.
Grow a Lemon Tree.
Eureka fruits all year, but "Kevin The Lemon" is a better Lemon. Thin skin, and full of juice. Grow it on a mound of Garden Mix improved soil. They hate clay soils so lift it up!
Share my recipe with a friend.
They might like it too.
Let's call it Tim's French Lemon Chicken.
Yes I'm French,
Oh La La.
We are having beautiful weather now.
Not too hot and perfect day time temperatures to be out in the garden.
You'll notice it's turned cold over night, that means it's time to plant winter vegetables and winter flowers. They will thrive now.
I've planted up my garden and it's growing so fast.
Come and see us for all your seedlings.
We've got everything you need.
If you're planting Broccoli then you will need to use Yates Tomato and Vegetable Dust.
This award winning product controls caterpillars without killing you. Simply dust the leaves every 4-6 weeks. It stays on the leaves, even when the dust gets hosed off.
I use this fabulous product.
It's brilliant.
Happy gardening
Tim