Now that my ICADs are complete, I have a few hours between Sunday and T Time. My internet friend CJ has a weekly post asking How does your garden grow? I think it's time for an update on my dying herb garden.
Thankfully, I haven't killed the French Lavender I purchased this year during Herb Day, or the lavender I've had for two years (on the right) that overwintered inside. 
I got a bit carried away with the basil seeds, because they really need to be thinned soon. Note the grass in the background is growing at an exponential rate because I didn't use my mulching blade this time, but bagged the clippings instead. I don't think I'll do that again. Thankfully, the front is in far better shape than the back yard.
Both of my sages are doing fine and ONE mint is still growing. 
I've even been harvesting dill seeds so I can plant them at a future time. 
My cilantro is starting to sprout (blue pot in front), 
but my spearmint in the white pot in the wagon is virtually dead. 
My fennel seeds I planted with the surviving fennel are slow to germinate, though. 
I blame it on the excess rain we've had. 
Thankfully, my rosemary hasn't lost any more branches since the first week I put it outside in spring. I'll know to introduce it slower to the sun next year.
The winds have truly wreaked havoc on my downspouts. Besides having the white bucket used to collect rainwater for soap making being overturned, one portion of the downspout is now sitting in the grass in my back yard. My other mint is nearly dead, too. I've had this mint for four years, and would hate to lose it, too. The white bits you see in all these pots comes from crushed eggshells I've added to the soil.
The biggest laugh of the day is, when I staked my dill, I used one old bamboo stalks I cut and used last year, while the other two stalks were from last year's stock I removed from the ground. I thought they were dead, but when I placed them in the pot and the rains came, apparently these bamboo pieces found a way to come back to life. I can't get rid of this stuff no matter how hard I try!Thanks for taking time to visit my dying herb garden. I hope your garden, whether veggie, flower, or herb, is doing better than mine.
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14 thoughtful remarks:
Looks better than my flowers just now, the big heat and dryness killed off nearly everything in my balcony garden, even though I watered them every day. Bamboo never goes away, always come back and gets more and more. Your rosemary looks good. Have a nice day, Valerie
We've never tried growing herbs. You have such a huge variety and from here they look like they are doing well in spite of all the wet weather. Enjoy your day.
I see what you mean about the spearmint. Hopefully the other mint will make it. Dill seeds are really easy to germinate and get new dill from. I plant it in my garden and almost always get new dill the next year growing. Of course as I rotate my veggies around it is never where I want it to be. Smile. And your rosemary and lavender look great. I have lavender in my garden that I over winter and it grows back, but it isn't super happy as it never gets very big. My rosemary I bring in, but I often lose all or some of it in february. I read about it online and they called it the great February die off when the plants are very anxious to be back outside. Can't happen here in NH. They would freeze. Hope all your plants recover and make it! Hugs-Erika
I always enjoy your garden posts :) You have such an excellent space for your plants, both potted and in the ground.
The summer is fading, even though I know we'll have hot weather well into October. I winter all my herbs outside and sometimes have to replace the creeping thyme, but most of them make it through our winters which are so much milder than yours. My biggest lavender died last month. I'm not sure whether or not to move the others from pots into the ground. My fennel seed (thank you :) ) never sprouted, even though I planted some in a pot and some in the ground. I wish I had a better sense of how to make herbs thrive.
It's always interesting to see your plants. Gardening brings such joy :)
I love the bamboo story! You've got such a wonderful variety of herbs. Wondrous.
Looking great, I especially admire lavender. Every lavender plant I’ve had has died. I’ve learned too much water and not enough sun will do it in. We always have good sage, it was a huge bush so we took it out and started over. It’s prettier now and doing well. All in all, your herb garden is amazing!
The weather plays its part in our herb garden. Mint is supposed to be a good grower, but not in my patch Your herbs look fine to me, we never get huge amounts. Perhaps that is natures way of saying you have your fair share. That and the climate here in the UK.
I smiled when I read about your bamboo sprouting, some plants just want to sprout and thrive.
Yvonne xx
I think your plants still look pretty good, despite the set backs. My flower gardens became overgrown with weeds. I'm ready to give up and just dig everything out and plant grass seed. :-(
I love herbs-do you dry them and then use them in cooking etc
Lovely to see your herb garden... lavender and all. I have plans for lots of herbs once I make my move early next year. There's already lavender and plenty of mint around, as well as chives, so I'm already part way there!
Alison x
OOOh your garden is Awesome Elizabeth !! Love the so beautiful plants you have got, hope they all will grow up well.
I wish you a very nice Wednesday, and send you big hugs,
Caty
I love looking at your garden posts because it gives me hope that even with my purple thumb, if I stick with it, something will work.(lol) I never even knew that the had something called French Lilac, and imagine the scent is fabulous. I tried a few things this year in pots and include Sweet Basil, Onions, Mint and Habanero Peppers. There was another pepper I planted, but for the life if me, I can't remember what it was, and there's no evidence of it in the dang pot.(lol) So I'd say you're doing quite well my friend. Hugs, RO
You have got a wonderful variety of herbs, I enjoyed reading through your post and seeing your photographs, thanks.
All the best Jan
Wow -- lots of basil and your lavender and rosemary are just fantastic! I am impressed. I can never get them that big!
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