Grubbing in the ground doesn’t sound like fun, does it? It’s hard work, getting down on my knees, scooping up errant Bermuda grass sprigs and weeds, gnats and a few mosquitoes lighting on my nose and forehead. My jeans get dirty, my hands get dirty, and it’s thoroughly wonderful.
You see, I’m working among the herbs. Rosemary, lavender, thyme, sage, they are all waiting for me to plant their little feet in nourishing soil and water their tiny heads with a nice, refreshing drink from the hose.
In past years, my herb garden has been neglected. Last year, my leg was the problem and the year before that, I was trying to meet a writing deadline and couldn’t think of much besides Darcy and Flora and the flood. But, wait! I may not have had an actual herb garden, but Flora did. In Grave Heritage, the book I was working on at the time, Darcy and Flora had just moved into their new home on Granny Grace’s acres and Flora had planted an herb garden! She had taken a few cuttings from the Miss Carolina’s and Miss Georgia’s gardens and she had some plants of her own. Flora mentioned how therapeutic those small, green herbs are.
Hardy mint made it through the winter but I’m afraid the bee balm didn’t. I’ll need to get another plant because the bees and butterflies really like it. With honey bees on the endangered list and since they are so essential for the survival of mankind, I hope to plant herbs they will enjoy.
Once, long ago, our ancestors didn’t have the privilege of living close to doctors and hospitals. In fact, doctors were in short supply so when someone got sick or injured, people had to use their own concoctions. Those concoctions were herbs. Now, I do not recommend that today, so please don’t think I am. I go to doctors when I need them. I do sometimes make herbal tea from spearmint or peppermint and I use sage in the Thanksgiving dressing. That’s about it.
So, why do I go to the work of grubbing in the ground, getting dirty and doing battle with bugs? I love the fragrance! Herbs are great aromatherapy and after I’ve settled all the little fellows into their new home, they do look enticing. And they smell so good. Just walking among them dispels the blues.
Admittedly, it’s a hard job. Yesterday, I mostly prepared the garden. My dear little plants are still sitting in their pots on the patio table. But, either today or tomorrow, they’ll have a new home in the area by the storage building and my herb garden will be complete. So, why do I go to the work of an herb garden? I do it for the butterflies, bees, birds, and me. We all love it and that makes grubbing in the ground worth it.
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