Sunday, August 2, 2009

Herbs on the Edge, part one

Inspired by the Blue Ribbon Herb Contest on Garden Bytes from the Big Apple, here is an overview, literally, of the terrace's herbs.

Here comes a mouthful, and how delicious it is:

From front left, clockwise: purple basil, in this case Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens "Purple Delight", with a little Salvia officinalis "Purpurascens" at its feet in the shadows; larger, grey-leafed common sage Salvia officinalis, Ocimum basilicum again, but this time sweet Thai basil, maybe "Horapha"; a corner of blue-flowered hyssop, a.k.a. Agastache "Black Adder", a drooping bronze fennel, Foeniculum vulgare "Purpureum"; a pot of two thymes: common - Thymus vulgaris and lemon, Thymus x Citriodorus, and finishing up with Calamintha nepeta "Montrose White". Bottom corner, just visible, is the leftover garlic crop...

What do I use them for? In short, everything. I cannot imagine my cooking life without fresh herbs straight from the terrace.

Basil, click here; thyme, here; sage, ici; agastache, there; calamintha? - you'll have to ask the bees. I grow it for them.

5 comments:

  1. So gorgeous. I am heartbroken that ours have done so poorly this year.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Jen :-) I feel lucky when I hear about other herb woes...did yours get too wet and not enough sun? Can you put any in a sunnier spot?

    ReplyDelete
  3. This puts my single measly pot of coriander to shame. If only more light would reach my little stoeptuintjie...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes, very pretty, Marie. Now may I go inside and sit down before vertigo lets me down?

    (Actually, being so high above exhaust fumes is a great bonus.)

    ReplyDelete
  5. The problem this year has been that there has been almost no sun at all - and when it has been sunny, things have been so wet it's just steamy. :( Our mint and chives are hanging on, the basil is wee but surviving, epazote is growing like a weed (hee), and the cutting celery is okay, but chervil, sage, thyme, bronze fennel are all kaput.

    ReplyDelete

Comments on posts older than 48 hours are moderated (for spam control) . Yours will be seen! Unless you are a troll. Serial trollers are banned.