As you well know, it's November. We've had another mild, warm October, so my gardens still have things growing, when in past years, it would be chilly, damp, perhaps even frosty out there, and the growing season would be over.
I got to play in the herb garden today.
I had a hair appointment at 8:00, and then made what was supposed to be a short stop at Hobby Lobby. I wanted to pick up pads of newsprint for my grand daughter, who is just becoming an artist...the bathtub colors are beginning to migrate to other locals. I also picked up some dried grasses and seed pods for arrangements for Thanksgiving, and ribbon. I even bought some fabric I couldn't resist.
By the time I was done, I figured I better pick up lunch on the way home. Dear Husband had been doing the last mowing, and had started the raking by then. After lunch, the two of us moved the potted plants off the sidewalk to protect them from the flying shingles on Monday, and then I went out to the herb garden.
My herb garden has always had things that aren't herbs. One corner of the formal outer square is covered with day lilies and a chrysanthemum plant. This year, I planted three miniature tomato plants in the herb garden. Of the non-herbal plants, only the chrysanthemum is still busy doing it's thing.
I started in the bottom right corner and worked my way around, cutting back the chives and garlic chives, weeding garlic chives out of places where they didn't belong. There weren't many weeds at all, but I worked at pulling out some crab grass that thinks it's chives. I pulled out the spent tomato vines, and pruned back a honeysuckle plant that thinks it belongs with the herbs.
I was just about done when the rain came. I still have the day lilies to cut back and mulch, and the lemon balm. Otherwise, I think the herb garden is about read for winter. I've been taking pictures of the herb garden through out the seasons. I have a picture of it covered with snow, one in March, two in May and two in early summer. I missed the chance to get a picture of it in September (I think), but I'll take a picture of it this week, and then try to post the circle of pictures.
Dear Husband is slowly renovating the timbers of the garden. Unfortunately, he skipped working on them this year so he'll have to do twice as much next spring. The ants have hollowed out the previous timbers, making them dangerous to anyone who doesn't realize they are not solid. The new cedar should last quite a bit longer.
It was a pleasure to be in the garden today. When I pulled out the spent basil plants, the air was suffused with the scent of basil. Even the lavender had fragrance to share, as did the Scottish spearmint. As I plan the gardens for the front of the house, I intend to add herbs to the mix. Herbs make wonderful companions!