For some years now I’ve been increasingly drawn to plants for their medicinal properties. Our home now features a good sized circular herb garden filled with culinary, native medicinals, some Chinese medicinals and a bunch of European plants. It’s been really fun to get to know them. Some of them will be featured this year in our new herb adaptogen mix.

The use of plants that I aspire to is a Piet Oudolf inspired planting of Nativars. I’m working on a plant list that will include grasses and forbs. Some will be used as a matrix throughout the planting, others as more of a staccato. The goal is to create a beautiful four season, low maintenance, wild-life enhancing planting. As this technique has evolved we’ve learned a lot about spacing and combining plants in ways to minimize the chance of weeds gaining a foothold. Ideally, a spring mowing will be the maintenance required. Wish me well.

As I write this, the hummingbirds seem to have parted for the winter. On our deck each year we plant some good sized pots each filled with a different Salvia from our specialty annual section. It really brings the deck to life to have the constant flitting of Hummers in and amongst the containers and alighting on a nearby sculpture for a rest. As I was watering them yesterday it felt so empty. It made me realize how much of the meaning of the plants I grow is associated with who all enjoys them!