HappyAtHome's Gardening Journal

[happyathome]

Whew! I got LOTS accomplished today and there is SO much more to do.....as always!
Here is a list of herbs I am growing....I planted these off the kitchen patio so they are close to the house..I don't really get enough sun to put the tomatoes up here, so those are down along the driveway, along with the peppers, cukes and some garlic that is soon to be harvested.
These herbs are planted in between my roses (which barely get enough sun here) geraniums, Gerbera Daisys, a couple of violets, volunteer HollyHocks and, as of yesterday....a mole...maybe the cat sent invites to the deer as well and they can come on over and we'll all have a party
Sorry...lost my temper there.........
So...here is the list:
5 types of Thyme-lemon, creeping, silver, regular shrub(?), and a tiny leafed kind my DH snipped off from the old County Agriculture office garden before they tore it down.
French Tarragon
Majoram (didn't know it was invasive 15 years ago...one 4 inch pot has spread all sorts of places!)
LOTS of oregano (it tends to wander around as well!)
Stinging Nettles (in a pot to keep it contained)
Peppermint
Curly and Flat leaf Parsley
Sage
Basil (had lots of old seed packets of this that I tossed in during the winter and it seems to have taken hold)
Dill (came in the same herb packets as above)
Cilantro (in a pot because it can't stand the heat..so I try to prolong it by moving it into the shade later on)
Rosemary ( a Topiary I made from a stick my girlfriend gave me about 10 years ago)
German Chamomile
Rue
Bee Balm
Comfrey
Echinacea, Purple
Golden Feverfew
Chaste-Tree ( it is about two inches tall right now!)
Rue
Lemon Balm
Red Clover
Provence Lavandula
and the plot has some lettuce and swiss chard in it as well. I also put a pot with Ginger in it to see how that goes...I found it pretty easy...just stuck it in the ground and water...should pop up in a little while...harvest before winter, dry and then use...hope it works!
All of these, with the exception of the Rosemary, Marjoram, Oregano and flowers, are tiny plants that I bought at my friends' herb farm down the valley from my house.
I will post pics of the new herb garden soon!

[braided-rug]

That is pretty impressive happyathome. I am thrilled you started a garden journal too.

Alot the herbs I learnt about for the first time doing herb of the week, you will have first hand knowledge of.

I am fascinated with the rue, I haven't seen it since it was in my Nana's garden. I try smelling this similar bush with red flowers, but they are never the same. Rue smells I still like it though, it is a very pretty but large bush.

I am impressed that you were able to buy stinging nettles, that is, I think you bought them. Wow. I have seen them here in farmers paddocks, still trying to work out how I will get some. I realised I know one of the farmer's wives, (he only has one lol) so if their farm has nettles I could ask her perhaps.

All the thymes sound lovely. I am trying to get comfrey again. I heard it is great for the chickens planted near their pen.

I would love feverfew, I saw some growing the other day. Is it that cute small daisy?

I am impressed about the topiary.

I hope you have a lot of fun with your herbs.

[violet]

Very impressive, happyathome, and you're not kidding when you say you've been busy!!

[happyathome]

Yes, I bought Stinging Nettles as they are a good tea ( add some Red Clover to it as well) for hayfever allergies.
I would like to have found some growing wild, but I don't recognise it anywhere around here and I want to be sure it hasn't been sprayed with any pesticides, ect.
Everything is very small right now...as you can tell by this picture, you can hardly see anything! But it is all there, 'cept the lavendar and peppermint which is to the left, on the other side of a sidewalk that divides the two small plots. This was taken looking from where I sat yesterday( looking westward)....there is a grassed-over driveway that I can walk up, arrive on this sidewalk (next to Mickie's kennel) and walk straight into the kitchen. That is a Black Walnut tree holding up the fence, some sort of succulent that lovesliving in the old orchard bucket DH found and to the right of it a very old almond tree that still produces, but the blue jays and woodpeckers slick them up so we don't get any from it. That is the cilantro in the pot in the lower right hand corner. I only get sun here for about 4-5 hours, then it is a doppled sun for a few more, but that keeps the hot summer sun from frying everything completely!

This is the view from my kitchen slider (looking eastward)into the "jardin de la maison"...I have a tin sign in my veggie garden that says that...I may go retrieve it for this one instead!
I am told the little tree int he front is a type of Japanese maple. My British friend bought it at a garage sale when it was about 6 inches tall and it's doing well..our soil is VERY much clay and if anything survives in it, even with lots of compost, it's a hardy sort, indeed. The small bowl in front is basil and dill my Mom-in-law gave me to care for till they get back from Arizona next month. To the right is a small orange tree and behind that is the lavendar. The peppermint is planted at it's base and as well at the base of the tiny tree in the back is a Pluot tree a cross between an apricot and a plum tree someone gave us about 7 years ago...I actaully got three last year and they were ok..the deer usually slick them up before they are ripe! When I was little, my Gram had planted mint at the base of a huge willow tree in our backyard because her mother like mint in her tea...so I thought I'd honor them both by planting it there.

[braided-rug]

I would love to be able to buy stinging nettles. I did have some that came up in a pot from soil my Mum had, at the time she had sheep, it seems to live in places the sheep sleep at night under trees.

On the board somewhere is stinging nettle gnocchi, it would be interesting to try.

Your area of planting is very pretty. My ideal house is where there is someone to sit outside with a bit of privacy just to enjoy it.

The pluot tree sounds interesting.

[braided-rug]

How are they coming along? Are they primroses I see, I love those.

[braided-rug]

Mar 29, 2008 8:45:15 GMT 10 braided-rug said:

I would love feverfew, I saw some growing the other day. Is it that cute small daisy?

Wow, it is amazing that I got some and it grew so well, I didn't remember saying this back in March.