Herbs

I don't know when I started growing herbs.  I think my brother gave me a book about herbs for Christmas one year, long long ago.  Maybe I started growing them while I still had a vegetable garden.  At any rate I grow herbs.  I have one side of the yard that gets mostly sun so that is where I planted herbs when I moved into this house (yes, I actually dug up nice green grass to make the beds for the herbs...what was I thinking?).

I like having the herbs to cook with, it is nice to run outside with the scissors and snip whatever I need when I need it.  You can't beat cooking with fresh herbs or vegetables when you can get them.  But I also grow herbs for their scent.  I love to touch them and then smell the fragrance of the herb.  They are so soothing and so peaceful!  Basil, mint, oregano, rosemary...each is distinctive in their fragrance and each so delightful.

Last winter was brutal.  The chives and rosemary survived, the large lavender bush did not.  The parsley didn't make it.  I had mint planted in a nice size pot last year.  I kept it well covered, and even though it was on the north side of the house it managed to survive.  It didn't look like much when I uncovered it, but I trimmed it back and gave it plenty of water and once the freeze danger was over put the pot at the edge of the deck to get lots of light.  Now it is back to being a nice size plant.  Tonight as I watered it I touched the leaves and enjoyed the minty smell.  Mmmmm, how relaxing.  Just one of life's small, simple things!