Herb Garden

I should have planted an herb garden years ago.

Because I cook a lot--usually six days a week. Because I love fresh herbs. And because those little boxes of fresh herbs from the produce section mean you're consuming plastic (even if you recycle, somebody had to make that plastic, man). And finally, because whether you buy the herbs at the grocery store in little jewel boxes or from the farmers' market tied with organic 100 percent little rubber bands, fresh herbs cost a LOT!

I could have saved enough for a plane ticket to England if I'd planted an herb garden years ago.

But better late than never!

So last weekend I plunked down $40 for plants and a bag of herb-friendly potting mix, and this is my new little herb garden:

Umm, okay, it's a bunch of mismatched pots on a patio table, but it makes sense, people! The pots are all things I had sitting around in the garage, so they cost nothing. The "garden" is on the patio table because if I planted the herbs in the ground, or even set the pots on the patio, I'd have pugs chomping on herbs. And pugs...doing worse things to herbs.

The "garden" is located on the patio table because herbs need tons of sunlight, and this spot gets so much sun all day long that even roses get faint from all the sunshine.

The herbs are gonna love it here.

So, I planted thyme:

and basil:
and rosemary:
and chives:
and--uh-oh; I forget! Is that marjoram?

(I also planted regular parsley and Italian parsley and mint and sage. But I didn't get pictures of those, because my baby pug went scooting off into an off-limits part of the garden, and I had to put down the camera and run after him before he killed himself. That happens about ten times a day.)

Now, if the herbs will grow half as well as this Oxalis, I'll be a happy camper. I'm a champion Oxalis grower.

Too bad it's a weed.