Juicy green leaves, delicate flowers, heavenly scents—what could be more pleasant than an herb garden in summer? Herbs have always been my favorite plants to grow. I have had my share of failures with herbs, but overall, they have provided me with the greatest pleasure of any of the plants in the garden.
Most herbs aren’t too fussy; they don’t require a lot of work. Many herbs are Mediterranean natives, which means they thrive in the full sun of hot summers. Some require more alkaline soil than we can provide, but we can remedy that over time with the addition of dolomitic lime, wood ashes, or organic compost. Most thrive in average to poor soil, don’t require a lot of water or pruning, and resist or tolerate deer.
Many herbs are members of the Mint family, and we all know that some Mint family members can escape their confines and overrun the garden. These Mint cousins should be planted in containers or monitored faithfully for runaways. You probably know that you can recognize Mints ...