Agastache and Nepeta – Deer Repellents

  • Post published:01/09/2012
  • Post comments:5 Comments

Fine Gardening's photo of Agastache 'Cana' has got me all excited. Recently I read somewhere (I wish I could remember where) that some plants were not only deer resistant, they were deer repellent. Deer have a sensitive sense of smell and some plants have such a strong scent that deer are actually repelled and avoid them. I am thinking of strategically planting some attractive deer repellant plants among my garden beds in the hope this will discourage deer - and…

2012: Year of the Herbs

  • Post published:01/03/2012
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Every year the National Garden Bureau chooses a flower, a vegetable and an herb to showcase, but they have declared 2012 The Year of the Herbs and are showcasing all herbs, not just one. I have a long herb bed right in front of my piazza and the entry walk. Because it face south and is protected by the house it is the first garden I can work in in the spring and the last garden to be…

Horseradish

  • Post published:09/12/2011
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There are often news stories in our local press about the business incubator at the Franklin County Community Development Corporation located in Greenfield. Last Friday I had my first opportunity to visit and see some of the work that goes on there. John Waite, the Executive Director of the FCCDC, welcomed me and members of the Herb Society of America to the commercial kitchens of the CDC and introduced us to some of the people who use this…

Weeding and Compost

  • Post published:08/09/2011
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A 40 foot Herb Bed lies in front of our house where lilies and roses vie for space with rue, parsley, basil, variegated sage and thalictrum at  the west end of the building past the Welcoming Platform where you can see yarrow, golden marjoram, sage, tarragon, rosemary, Ashfield black stem mint and chives to the end of the Bed where there is more basil, horseradish, lemon balm and dill that was knocked down by the rain that fell briefly last…

Red and Gold

  • Post published:07/08/2011
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Sometimes I get lucky. I moved this rosy achillea to the Herb Bed in front of the house last year. It is blooming right next to a large clump of golden marjoram and makes a beautiful little plantscape. Have you had any lucky juxtapositions?

Bloom Day June 2011

The past few days have been cool (50s) and wet. Sometimes very wet. We got another 2 inches of rain. The sun came out for a few minutes last evening so just a portion of my Bloom Day photos show that summer light. This is Salvia 'May Night' in full bloom in the northern Lawn Grove. The new tree, only partially seen, is a weeping cherry. We moved the Sourwood tree that has been in that spot for…

Horseradish

  • Post published:06/04/2011
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My Swedish grandfather said he could never get horseradish to grow.  His troubles made me think horseradish must be a difficult crop. Not so. His failure was just one of those garden mysteries. Some people seem to have a chemical antipathy towards a particular plant, failing with that one while having success everywhere else in the garden. Our first spring in Heath I sent out my seed order and included an order for three horseradish roots.  Then, with…

Spring Surprises!

  • Post published:05/10/2011
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My orchid cactus lives in our main living space so it does not get the proper conditions to put on a real bloomin' show, but every once it a while it gives us a glamorous surprise. I was out in the garden enjoying the sun, and the breezes which meant no pesky bugs. While I was weeding the Herb Garden I saw that the chervil which self seeds several times over the summer is already up. And then…

Coltsfoot

  • Post published:04/26/2011
  • Post comments:4 Comments

Gail of Clay and Limestone is celebrating wildflowers this week and I wanted to get in on the fun. Fortunately I have one wildflower in bloom here at the End of the Road, coltsfoot, coughwort or Tussilago farfara. I usually call it an 'herb' because of its medicinal uses. Its leaves are used in an infusion or to smoke, in both cases to cure a cough.  Of course the word 'herb' in its broadest sense means only a…

Divine Salvia

  • Post published:12/27/2010
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It was a surprise to see Salvia on the front page of the NYTimes Sunday Styles section.  Salvia has become stylish? However it was not Salvia officinalis,  culinary sage, which is important in many holiday dressings and dishes at this time of the year  that was getting this publicity, nor even the Christmasy red annual salvia (Salvia splendens) that is so common in many bedding plant projects.  Unbeknownst to me, who does not keep up with Miley Cyrus…