[Herbalist] Garden Report

[Gaylin Walli]

My garden report and activity of the noteworthy plants (now that I'm 
back from pennsic and can reassess everything):

Lovage -- healthy as hell. Good god what was I thinking planting it in 
front of the porch? It's as tall as the window shutters now. I've cut 
it down twice this year.

Rue -- see Lovage. Three times of major cut backs. The last one so 
brutal I thought I'd killed the plant. Now sits happily busy beyond 
belief.

Mints, Lemon Balm -- All happily fighting for space in the corner of 
the garden. I've left them to their own devices. This is the first year 
of the escapees. Hve been trying valiantly and winning to keep the mint 
contained. I suspect next year won't be so easy.

Peonies -- If I were a violent woman, I'd trap the darned squirrel that 
ate the buds this year. The bloom buds were just set to open and then 
the next morning chewed off at the stem. Perhaps the plant will put 
that unspent energy into the root structure and I'll get lucky next 
year. This plant was a gift from the (overlous) neighbor across the 
street. She didn't have room, so she put it in my garden because "well, 
you had a spot that was empty." God love her.

Lavender - dead. Thank god. Did everything I could to kill that plant 
and finally managed it. Was in completely in the wrong spot.

Son of (now deceased) lavendar -- Merrily taking over the back garden 
spot along with the weeds. Tempted to see who wins. Right now the weeds 
are winning.

Rosa rugosa -- Main trunk okay, but major offshoot branch died back. On 
the other side, however, a major growth occurred and now I'm left with 
three long canes that are literally taller than my garage. They were 
not so when I left for Pennsic. The bush sits under an arbor that I've 
woven it in and out of so perhaps the growth on that one side isn't 
such a bad thing.

Various weeds - The bane of my existence. Mulberry. Why do people plant 
these things? They should be illegal. And if it weren't for the fact 
that I get useable fruit from it, it would probably be dead. 
Unfortunately I'm an old softy and it's not in a hideously inconvenient 
location, so it stays.

Other basic plants merrily growing along with no trouble. Basil, thyme, 
oregano, chives, borage, bee balm, campanula, and more. Surprisingly, 
no deaths from rain or drought this year while I was away.

Cheers,

iasmin