With the beautiful, warm weather today, I returned to the first I had scheduled yesterday….the purchase of a couple of new varieties of herbs. Last year, I bought a baker’s rack at a yard sale. It was a dark green in color and was the perfect size for my front deck. I visualized an assortment of clay pots and metal containers, each containing an herbal plant, clustered on the baker’s rack.
A couple of coats of bright yellow spray paint transformed the baker’s rack into a fun plant holder. And I found a great selection of pots and planters that I filled with herbs. I so enjoyed this herbal collection on my front deck last summer. Sitting on the porch swing, every gentle breeze wafting through the plants carried to me the amazing scents of peppermint, sage, thyme, lavender and rosemary. Every time I watered the herbs, using a bright yellow watering can, the plants released their scents to me again. Sometimes I’d go outside and brush the herbs lightly with my hands, just so I could deeply inhale their fragrances.
I loved the plants and used dried leaves primarily in herbal teas and potpourri that I made myself. Occasionally I’d pick a sprig to use in cooking. When cold weather approached, I moved the whole rack, herbs and all, into my office where the plants could bask in the wintery sunshine that filtered in through the windows. It was a joy to sit in my office and catch those tantalizing aromas while I worked.
With the return of warmer weather, it was time to relocate the rack to the front deck. A few of the herbs didn’t winter well, becoming scraggly. Most went into a dormant state and began to put out new growth a couple of weeks ago. Today I picked up a few favorites to freshen my collection and for my first, I found a couple of herbs I’d not heard of before: pineapple sage and cinnamon basil. Both plants smell wonderful! The pineapple sage has just a hint of pineapple combined with the pungent sage. And the cinnamon basil, smelling spicy and sweet, is going to be a favorite! Tomorrow I’ll enjoy potting the new herbs and arranging the baker’s rack.
As the back yard garden takes shape, there will be an herbal garden there as well. I intend to create an herbal knot garden, starting with a small Celtic knot design that can be added to over the years. I look forward to strolling through my garden and catching the delicate fragrances as I pass by. That will be bliss!
