Herb management

Overgrown herbs

Scarily shorn herbs

I’ve found it so rewarding having a large herb garden outside and have started to plan our weekly menus (because that’s the kind of geek I am) around what might be ready to use in the garden. The herbs have also acted as a lovely lure for all kinds of wildlife. I was hoping for a couple of bees but the massive variety of butterflies and bees that have made our garden a regular stop has really delighted me. The herbs have been a big part of that. I was initially frustrated when my thyme kept flowering regardless of how much I took away but it appears to be the hip new neighbourhood eatery for a wide variety of butterflies, moths and bees so I let it keep going rather than replacing it. I did have to give the rest of the herbs a drastic shearing though as the flat parsley, curly parsley and coriander had shot up out of control and were starting to tear the cat netting at the top of the fence. They also flowered at a rate of knots so I compromised with the insects – they could keep the thyme flowers and I’d cut everything else back to within an inch of its life to ensure some fresh tasting new growth. It looks a bit severe but new sprouts are already shooting, thank goodness.

A day flying moth or (maybe?) a chequered skipper

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