The herb garden

The herb garden seems to be doing well this year. Everything seems to have bushed out so much more. We are quite stunned by the number of pinky mauve pompoms on the chives. Last year they never flowered.

The French lavender, too, is coming in flower. Whenever I tried to plant lavender in the back garden it never survived - too wet, I think, in our naturally heavy clay soil - so I'm particularly pleased to see it's becoming well established here.

This year I've planted some tarragon. We had our first cutting yesterday, some in the salmon en croute we had, & some in the accompanying sauce. The aniseed smell was almost overwhelming. Indeed the strength of the heady aromas of all the herbs has been amazing this year.

We had a couple of demises over the winter, some English lavender & some rosemary, but in view of the winter we had I think we did well. The garden catches the brunt of the weather as the wind funnels up the Bay, between the houses, straight to that spot.

In the next day or two I'm intending to put Basil Bush in the bed for the summer. He should have hardened off by now. He even accidentally spent the night out the other night & came to no great harm.

The lemon balm seems vibrantly yellow & green, especially after the watering they've had of late. The delicate featheriness of the fennel delights me. The Fox keeps thinking one of them isn't so well. I keep telling him it's perfectly healthy. It's just that it's a bronze one which inevitably means it's a different colour. He also worries a bit about the purple sage. I don't think he feels purple leaves are quite natural, but I deliberately planted for colour as well as texture & usefulness.

I keep feeling the itch to get out & tidy a bit, but it's been just so wet or I've been so busy worrying over the kitchen I've not got out. Maybe now the kitchen is all but complete I'll be able to get a bit more done in the garden. Hope so.