I’ve been spending a lot of time on my porch lately. Despite the fact that everything is covered in a dusting of pollen (thank goodness I don’t have allergies), there’s no place else I’d rather be. I’m trying to enjoy the weather before it gets too hot. I’ve got pear and cherry tomato seedlings coming along decently enough, plus some sweet basil, German chamomile, nasturtiums, oriental poppies, and echinacea seedlings I’m hoping will make it. Additionally, I currently have three varieties of lavender: English lavender, provence lavender, and the blueberry ruffles lavender pictured below (at least I think that’s what it’s called). The blueberry ruffles is the only one blooming right now, and it’s so beautiful! I got it on clearance last year at Lowe’s; it was very scraggly and didn’t look like it would last very long, but I planted it my little plot of dirt out front and it’s flourished. It stayed green throughout winter, and has grown up past my knees! I think it’s gotten too big for me to take with me when I leave in May, just like the daylilies that have taken over the rest of the flowerbed. I hope the next tenant here appreciates them!
I think this one is called 'Blueberry Ruffles.'
I scoured local farmers markets for a mint plant, but they were actually pretty hard to locate. I mentioned this to my great uncle Robert and he brought me a five gallon bucket full of mint plants, all originating from one that my great grandfather planted several years ago. That’s why I don’t know the exact name of this plant. I stuck some in the ditch in my parents’ yard, planted some behind my apartment, and put the rest in pots on my porch out of fear that it would take over if I planted it in the ground. Mint is really tenacious like that. I left these pots on my porch throughout winter, without even bothering to cut the plants back or cover them, and they’ve come back brilliantly just the same!
Some type of peppermint that was given to me a few years ago.
I love lavender and mint! Also, I would love to know how the chamomile favors. I learned the hard way about mint–If it flowers, it loses its minty wonderfulness. A fellow teacher here told me to just cut the flowers off it and all the other herbs and whatnot to keep them fabulous all summer long. I hope that works this year. =)
Jacqui, this is such a dilemma I have every summer. I think the flowers are so beautiful, but I like to dry the mint for tea! I don’t know if I prefer the aesthetic pleasure of those beautiful little flowers or the sensory delight of hot mint tea (not to mention the fact that I often drink it to settle my stomach after I’ve eaten way too much). Since I have two pots, I may pinch the flowers off one pot and leave them on another
Do you have peppermint or spearmint?