APRIL FOOL'S DAY! Garden Truffles!

Here's something for April's Fool's Day that would be great to make today: GARDEN TRUFFLES. These garden truffles are for planting - not for eating! April Fools!

I love to garden, and I love chocolate. These garden truffles are balls of clay, compost, and seed wrapped in a lovely "chocolate" package. They're perfect for the chocoholic--but don't eat them!

Seed balls aren't new, but this presentation is. The compost in the seed balls provides nutrients to the seeds and the clay holds it together and protects against insects. So toss them into the garden or indoor container. Find a sunny spot, add water, and watch them grow!

The first recipe is adapted from Heavy Petal, but I decorate differently. Since it's April Fool's Day, I love the idea of making 'faux truffles" today! It's a fun activity to do with kids, too!

GARDEN TRUFFLES #1

Ingredients
5 parts dry red art clay (you can buy this at the pottery store or nursery)
3 parts dry organic compost
1 part seed (wildflower, edible flowers, herbs? your choice-but use small seeds)
1 – 2 parts water
Candy cup/wrappers
Candy box
Ribbon
Coffee grounds or cinnamon (to roll some bon bons in--prevention against insects)

Directions
Measure out three parts of dry compost or soil. This provides a growing medium for the seeds.
Measure out five parts of dry powdered clay. Once mixed with water, the clay will hold the seed balls together.
Add one part seed.
Add one to two parts water, and combine. The mixture should be moist, but not wet. Add water as you go.
Roll the seed ball mix into balls 1-2 inches.
Roll some 'bon bons' in coffee grounds or cinnamon (good against insects and for variety in your 'display'
Set aside to dry (use cookie sheets) for a few days before storing or using.

To package: Put individual "Truffles" in candy cup/wrappers. Place in box and tie box with ribbon.

Don't have all the 'special' ingredients?  Here's another recipe!

GARDEN TRUFFLES #2

Mix up dirt from the garden with water so you have a smooth but grainy consistency. (kind of like cement).
Roll ball of mud and press into the shape you want with your gingers then poke a seed (seeds) into the center and seal with mud. Work into shape you want and smooth texture on top.
Put in candy wrapper cup.
Garnish: here's the fun part! Find some pieces of nature in the backyard and press in top (moss, leaves, etc)
Box up for presentation..

How to plant them? Just place them on top of the soil in a sunny location. Don't bury them!

THE CHOCOLATE GARDEN

Chocolate Cosmos

A little diversion today from Chocolate recipes, Chocolate holidays and Chocolate reviews. Perfect for the Summer Solstice. I'm an avid gardener, mainly roses (including Hot Cocoa), and I am lucky to have several different garden areas on my property.

I've always wanted a dedicated 'chocolate-scented' garden. Since I'm in a fairly temperate zone of California, it's certainly possible. I've always used cocoa bean hulls as mulch, and there's nothing that smells more like chocolate than this mulch, but if you have dogs, you'll want to skip the mulch which is dangerous to dogs.

But as for real chocolate smelling plants, I've been given (and time to get more) Cosmos atrosanguineus. This is a lovely maroon cosmos that actually has a heavy chocolate scent. Originally from Mexico, this plant reblooms in the San Francisco Bay Area Mediterranean climate.

I have Chocolate mint, a very hardy perennial, well it's mint, after all. Warning: it will take over the garden. Plant in containers or monitor its spread. It doesn't taste like chocolate, but definitely smells like it.

There's a wonderful article online: Growing a Chocolate-Scented Garden by Deb Babcok in Steamboat Today. Her climate in Steamboat Springs is harsher than mine and the growing season is shorter, but she has a great list of chocolate scented plants. I decided to add to this list, so here are several plants that smell like chocolate. What could be more delightful than a chocolate garden? Be sure and check that these plants will grow and flourish in your zone. Be sure and check before planting.

Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata) Looks like a daisy with yellow petals and a dark chocolate center. The aroma from the flower can be detected as far as 30 feet away. This is a night-bloomer, so the garden will smell like cocoa in the morning.

Nicotania Chocolate Smoke

Nicotiana 'Chocolate Smoke' This is a Chocolate Flower Farm exclusive and replaced Nicotiana 'Hot Chocolate'. It has a very dark flower.

Decidious (to semi-evergreen) twining Chocolate Vine (Akebia Quinata): climbing plant with purple-red flowers that smell of milk chocolate. Warning: Can be invasive. Keep it trimmed.

Chocolate Mint (Mentha piperita): Some people think this tastes like a combo of chocolate and peppermint. Nice bronze-green leaves.. and as I mentioned, it can be used as a tea and as one of the main ingredients in Chocolate Mint Pots de Creme.

Delphinium "Kissed by Chocolate"

Dahlia 'Karma Choc': Not certain of the scent on this but it has a very dark color like chocolate.

Gilia tricolor (Bird's Eyes): annual California wildflower with wonderful fragrance. Meadow plantings. Grows to 3' (not for a small garden patch)

Columbine chocolate soldiers

Columbine comes in a chocolate-scented variety (Aquilegia 'Chocolate Soldiers')

Foxglove (Digitalis 'chocolate') now this is literally a Dying for Chocolate plant as foxglove is a poisonous plant  also: Digitalis Lanata 'Cafe Creme'; Digitalis parviflora 'Milk Chocolate'

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum 'Chocolate')

Rudbeckia (R. 'Chocolate Drop')

Sweet William (Diantush 'Bittersweet William')

Carolina allspice (Calycanthus floridus): Deciduous shrub with maroon brown flowers (cinnamon-spiced, bittersweet chocolate fragrance)

Cosmos Astroganguineus: Plants form a medium-sized clump of dark green leaves, with deep maroon blooms that smell of dark chocolate.

Chocolate Cherry Tomatoes

Chocolate Geranium (Pelargonium 'Chocolate Joy')

Penstemon 'Chocolate Drop' How can you go wrong with penstemon?

One mustn't forget edible plants in the garden that smell (and sometimes taste) like chocolate:

Chocolate Corn, Chocolate Cherry Tomato, Chocolate Mini Bell Pepper, 'Velour Frosted Chocolate' Viola, Chocolate Nasturtium, and Milk Chocolate Calendula.

Cacoa Pod - UC Botanical Garden

If your local nursery does not offer the seeds or plants, contact Chocolate Flower Farm.They also have other chocolate scented products such as candles, bath and body products, chocolate teas, sachets and other gifts. They're located in Langley, WA.

Love to add to this list, so please comment on your favorite "chocolate" plants. Plants or seeds welcome.

And, here's a photo from one of the University of California Botanical Garden greenhouses of a chocolate pod. I do not have a tropical greenhouse on my property.