In the Kitchen Garden

I have been working on a kitchen garden so I can have herbs for cooking (and a little mint for a Julep or Mojito) even after the warm weather has ended and the plant boxes in the front of the house have stopped producing for me.

I have been experimenting with fresh organic herbs and find that they really add a deeper, richer flavor to the dishes I add them to. The basil is so easy to use- roll the leaves, chop into thin strips and drop into marinara sauce (even the stuff in the jar is so much better with this addition), or on a pizza before you put the cheese on! Rosemary is great on fresh-baked foccacia, and along with the drinks, I am going to add mint to a dog treat recipe (for improving canine breath, along with the parsley).

The oregano is doing wonderfully, and the thyme at the top is also growing well. The mint is not too happy being cramped in the darker middle row, but I will probably swap it out for something that handles the shadier conditions and put the mint in the sunny laundry room. Not sure how the rosemary, sage and Italian parsley will do quite yet; only time will tell. The water globes will help me keep them in good condition, as watering can make a mess and they help keep things clean and healthy too!