Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Oregano and Friends



I have decided today that oregano is my new favorite plant. I went into my backyard today - otherwise known as the forest - and discovered that the oregano plant has spread. I didn't know they did that, but I'm quite happy about it. I now have clumps of oregano in three different places instead of one. This is fabulous. I didn't know it was "invasive," as people always say about mint, but perhaps it is. Regardless, I think it's wonderful.

Yesterday this nice couple I hired online came over and cleaned out my front flowerbed. I just knew I wouldn't really get it done, despite my efforts to believe otherwise. Today I spread mulch in it, which will hopefully keep the weeds down.

I am debating if I want to try and grow tomatoes and anything else this year. Last year I decided not to and it was a good thing because it was so hot and dry pretty much everything withered and died. I was such a wimp last year I pretty much just went from the air conditioned house to the air conditioned car and never lingered between them. As a result I lost some perennials, I think. But, it just couldn't be helped. I didn't have it in me to be outside more than the few minutes going to and from the car every day. We'll see what comes up as time goes on.

The oregano, mint and sage are up in the backyard, as well as some borage. I'm not sure it should be up, since we're still a couple of weeks away from our frost-free date. By the way, "frost-free" means it's a 50/50 chance it will not frost again - not that all is clear. Regardless, things are up and flourishing. My rose bush in front has multiple blooms on it.

It boils down to I'm trying to guess what the summer will be like. I started to fear August by early January. Our winter was so mild I never even wore my heavy coat. Last night I took it back upstairs and hung it in the closet. Thirty degrees above normal is great when normal is 20, it won't be so great if that happens when normal is 95.

I'm feeling the urge to start some seeds of flowers to plant. Although I'm a month later than I would usually be with that, they'd still have time to get a head start before being put outside. I'd like some cosmos, I think. I started a bunch from seed in 2009 and loved them. They might be a good thing to have in the front flowerbed. They are so bright and pretty - and they hold up well when cut, too.

I've also decided I'm putting some herbs in front - at least one basil and three rosemary plants. I might as well have some in the front and back. We'll see what I really get done. I always have fabulous plans. I don't always have fabulous follow-through.

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