The Herb Farm

Don't you wish you could go to that restaurant? If you haven't heard of it, The Herb Farm in Woodinville, WA is supposed to be Fabulous! Nine courses over the course of 4 hours. With herb garden walks in between courses. Sounds like a bit of heaven to me.

But this is more about my herb garden. What I need to come up with is a bunch of herbs to put in the space. I already have a beautiful lavender plant, some sage and an overabundance of Phlox wedged under a yew. Here's what I think I need:

1. Lots of Basil, love Basil, I'm thinking 6 plants of regular and then some Thai, maybe some Lemon too?
2. Tarragon, I love how it smells when you rub your hands through it.
3. I'm thinking some pepperment or spearment, but I've heard it goes crazy so I'm going to put it in a pretty pot in the garden.
4. My Thyme died so I want to plant two more thyme plants.
5. My rosemary is abysmal, maybe it will come back this summer.
6. I'd love to put in some sorrel but I think it gets too hot.
7. Same thing for cilantro, but I'll put a big thick clump of Italian parsley (don't like the curly stuff too much).
8. Now something with flowers, I read that Sesame is pretty, I wouldn't have thought of sesame, but I can give it a shot.
9. Maybe a big thing of feathery dill or fennel. Don't know which though, have to read what will grow better in the heat. I remember on the Breton coast when I saw the dill growing wild, I just thought that was fantastic.
10. Oregano, maybe I can find a Mexican Oregano, that would be good.
11. I think a Bay tree in a pot would be cool to put at the back.
12. Chives, I've got wild ones in the grass but they don't taste the same, especially after they've been mowed.
13. Lemon Balm and Purple sage?
14. A couple of ornamental peppers like some thai hots and maybe a Jalepeno.
15. What about garlic? Hmmmmm Pretty purple flowers.

Check out this knot garden that I found online. Really cool, not going to happen.

Directions from a professional:

Place the herbs in your garden with the short ones, thyme and chives, in the front, and the taller oregano, tarragon and basil in the back. Thyme and chives spread to about a foot, the others up to 2 feet, so space them accordingly. Dig a planting hole about a foot across for each herb. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of bone meal, or other form of phosphorus, in the bottom of each hole and mix it well with the soil. In the holes for the basil plants, add a shovelful of aged manure or good compost, then add a nitrogen source, such as a few tablespoons of blood meal or a commercial fertilizer with slow-release nitrogen. Mix the amendments into the bottom of the hole. Pop in the herb and water profusely.