Herbs

Peppermint, Fennel, Garlic Chives, Rosemary, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Epazote, Lemon Catnip, Lavender, Basil, and one other I can't remember. These perennials make up our new herb garden. This weekend I went to the Arbor Gate (big selection of healthy looking plants) and picked up 12 herbs. I had hoped to plant parsley, cilantro, and tarragon, but I couldn't find them. Even more disappointing was the cats' reaction to the catnip. They didn't seem affected by it at all. Perhaps it's because I got Lemon Catnip, which is reported to do better in our humid climate. It also wilted after Dr. B planted it, but she didn't water the herbs after tranplanting them. As of this morning, it looked like it was perking up very nicely, and all of the herbs have grown noticeably. In addition to the culinary value and unique scents, most of these are self seeding and attract beneficial insects.

I'm beginning to worry that some of these aren't actually perennial. The signs at the Arbor Gate said 'Perennial', but I noticed some of the little plastic labels on the plants said 'Annual'. We'll see what happens. Even if they are annual, we still get to enjoy fresh herbs all spring and summer long, and they're pretty cheap any way. And if they are truly self seeding, they won't need to be replaced next spring, they'll just come back in the same place.