Last week my Garden Journeys segment was about building an herb garden for my friend, Sarah. She and I talked for an hour about what kind of herbs she likes and which ones she wants to try. Sarah and her husband are renting their house so tomorrow we are going to plant the herbs in pots so the garden is portable. Most common culinary herbs are Mediterranean plants that like to dry out between waterings so they do well in pots, since pots tend to dry out faster than in-ground gardens. Sarah's herb garden includes Bay Laurel- so she can grab a leaf or two for recipes that call for bay leaves. She will also be enjoying mint and lemon balm iced tea, oregano for Italian dishes and more. While I was shopping for Sarah I also grabbed some shallots and calendulas for myself. I use calendula flowers in salads, as a substitute for saffron and the dried flowers can be soaked in witch hazel to make a healting toner for skin sratches and cuts.
Calendula's cheery disposition brightens my Austin garden every fall, winter and sprinf.