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.
So gorgeous. I am heartbroken that ours have done so poorly this year.
ReplyDeleteHey 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?
ReplyDeleteThis puts my single measly pot of coriander to shame. If only more light would reach my little stoeptuintjie...
ReplyDeleteYes, very pretty, Marie. Now may I go inside and sit down before vertigo lets me down?
ReplyDelete(Actually, being so high above exhaust fumes is a great bonus.)
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