The Herb Garden

Everywhere I've lived I have kept some sort of herb garden. Nothing compares with the scent and taste of fresh-picked tarragon, rosemary or basil. It is amazing how productive even a small plot can be. I'm not much for regular gardening, but would find it difficult to do without the herbs.

We are fortunate in having a right-sized bed close to the walk down to the house from the drive. The builders of this house had a few perennials and shrubs, and it was a year or so before we started to change the space. We started with lavender - not a major herb, but I've always liked having it around. The next year we cleared a little more and set out some rosemary and oregano. 

Our favorite produce stand closed that year, where we had been buying corn, tomatoes and especially fresh basil. We haven't yet found a replacement for Aichholz's Farm Market. The next spring Nancy said "What about planting basil?" so we cleared a little more space and put two plants in. They were prolific, but not nearly enough, so the next year we planted four, plus sage, chives and thyme.

Each year in the early spring we review what has survived (the rosemary should last but never has, and there's never a prayer for the basil) and plan what the garden should have in it to help us through the fall.

This year our garden features a display of parsley, tarragon, mint (a mistake, though there are far more uses for it than I suspected), and cilantro (it grows too fast so we now have a lovely collection of coriander seeds). The dill has been useful. We found more uses for the basil, since it is not easy to make a pesto that is both satisfying and low-fat. And I'm waiting for some saffron bulbs to arrive .. not that I think I'll ever get enough to make it worthwhile, but they are nice. We've never harvested the shallots against the wall, but it is satisfying to know they are there. I'd like a bit of lovage, because it smells so nice.

the herb garden in May .. it doesn't look like this in August

So, when a recipe calls for an herb or so, or a salad wants a bit of flavor, we just step outside our front door and cull what we need from the freshest of sources...

-Rick