 Tagetes lucida aka Texas Tarragon Usually, when I think of an herb garden, I have visions of lovely knot gardens, an expansive kitchen garden, and sometimes I even see with my mind's eye a medieval monk carefully tending a small plot of land. Different scenarios, yes, but always a specific patch, box, or space. Except where my own garden is concerned. When I say "my herb garden" or "our herb garden", I'm referring to all the herbs growing out there as a collective. They're growing in almost all the raised beds, in pots, and directly in the ground, along the back hedge, and in the welcoming garden. They're all over the place and I couldn't be happier. What can I say? I love herbs. I love their fragrance, their usefulness, their history, and their wild beauty. "Wild", you may ask? I think it's the right word. Widely-cultivated as they are, many of our favorite culinary herbs grow abundantly in the wild. Mediterranean herbs like lavender, basil, oregano, and rosemary thrive in the dry summers of the Mediterranean coast. They don't like humid conditions. While parts of Texas are dry, southeast Texas is humid year-round. Very humid. All the same, the herbs soldier on. For the most part, well-draining soil and a sunny, open location make these tough plants happy enough. As of now, our herb garden boasts zataar, marjoram, a few different thymes, a few different basils, culinary sage, and plenty of other sages. There's lemon grass, anise hyssop, lavender, and rosemary, Apple mint is barely contained in a large, raised box. Speaking of barely contained, one variety of basil is coming up everywhere this year. I think it might be Cinnamon Basil? I'll certainly transplant a few, but we will likely have to pull a great many. For now, I don't mind it any more than I mind purslane. Purslane, by the way, might be considered a weed by lots of gardeners and even more non-gardeners. But it's an herb and a superfood, rich in omega-3, and delicious in salads. It will attempt to blanket our raised beds throughout the warm season. We'll fight our traditional losing battle against its domination. But as long as it doesn't choke out anything -- and it usually doesn't -- we'll also leave much of it alone. It's just easier that way. It's actually a very efficient green mulch. It's not even May yet, of course. July will look very different! Ha. I really can't stress that enough. For now, I'm going to hang onto the dazzling image of our garden overflowing with flowers and edibles! Happy Gardening!
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 The garden in spring... Looking around, I am pleased to see fruits. Wildlife and weather usually take a significant toll on our harvest, but perhaps this year there will be enough peaches for all of us. Figs look promising, too, and even our small persimmon tree has more than a couple of fruits. Pepper plants have begun to yield even though the plants are still small. We'll eventually have to stake many of them. Our one tomato plant, a cherry variety, is comically tiny, but it seems to always have an offering. Our blackberries have never produced much while trying to take over our garden and, possibly, the world. We tried to yank them, which I regret it because, well, that's very nearly impossible. Tenacious doesn't begin to express their staying power. Ah, well, what can I do but salute them? I only wish they'd give us berries. But they won't, especially this year. It's all new wood. Our few grape vines are growing, untrained and exuberant. This year, we even have a volunteer wild grape growing in our front garden. We'll have to get them all under control! We eat the leaves (stuffed grapeleaves) and never really worry about the grapes, which is just as well as birds and possibly other creatures harvest them long before we can. There is work to be done. It's a happy prospect. Wishing you beautiful days ahead!  Can any garden resist Spring? Mine certainly can't. Even with gentle neglect, flowers are blooming, seeds are sprouting, and on the whole, it looks a lot less embarrassing than it did a month ago. That's not to say there aren't weeds. There are so many! And I won't be keeping up. I'm hoping that the flower seedlings will be able to take care of themselves. Zinnias are pretty dauntless, after all. But I will have to keep an eye on the vegetables. I want to show you the progress, but you wouldn't be impressed with the small seedlings fighting fighting for their lives against the weeds. I wanted to write a post about the hedge, but it's really not much to see or talk about just yet. So... Let's enjoy a few blooms! Bulbs have always been great around this garden. Powerhouses. Roses haven't fared nearly as well, but those that have survived are grand performers. There's one, Belinda's Dream, that even fades magnificently. The deciduous plants have leafed out. Those that died to the ground in winter, like lantana and salvia, are back and clearly preparing a takeover. We'll probably work in the garden this weekend. And isn't that a happy thought? Happy gardening! :)  |
Our GardenFor years, my husband and I worked at creating a series of gardens on our four-acre lot in a rural, Texas subdivision west of Houston. I have to say, it was a fantastic experience. Now, I have a pocket garden on a golf course. Archives
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