IT’S EASY BEIN’ GREEN:

ORGANIC HERB GARDENS

By Rev. Linda Costello, Druid of the Fellowship

Being a Druid means my spirituality is much more attuned with the cycles of nature. This tends to make me much more concerned with what we can do to live more harmoniously with our planet. This article is the second in a series of articles about how to live a greener lifestyle.

Most of my gardening was inspired by the time I spent living in an earth-friendly community with some good friends. My housemate, David, introduced me to Greg Peterson and took a few of us to see Greg’s Urban Farm. We were so impressed that we began learning about permaculture and other growing methods, which we had incorporated around our community.

When I moved out of the community, I wanted to continue to use the principles I had learned, and so I applied them to growing herbs.

I’ve had two herb gardens now.

The first one was at a townhouse in Scottsdale. I had a little patch of land, so I started out by planting lots of squash, because I knew that squash would help condition the soil.  Once I had a season of squash, I turned the soil with my own aged composting and started my herb garden.

Some of the herbs were starter plants – parsley, sage, rosemary, and basil to start. In between the herbs, I also grew carrots and radishes. I planted onions all around the perimeter to keep out pests.  Eventually, I included a patch of catnip on the opposite end of the garden area – which my cats adored!

I learned a few things. For example, I learned that basil loves the heat and parsley loves the cooler weather. So, I planned my second season accordingly, and left lots of room for the basil in the summer, and then trimmed the basil back and made room for the parsley in the winter. I also added a few more herbs – oregano, mint, dill, and lavender.

I got so many herbs that I harvested them in great quantities, dried them, and put them in jars as gifts for friends. People are still talking about the herbs they had gotten from my little townhouse garden.

When I moved out of the townhouse into the home I currently own, I planted another herb garden in the back yard. I grew the same herbs, and I also added sunflowers to that garden, as well as tomatoes, peppers, and nasturtiums.

I have also planted a rosemary shrub and a sage shrub in the front yard, both of which I use for fresh herbs as well as decoration.

My plan is to put a greenhouse in the backyard within the coming year, and grow herbs and vegetables year round in the greenhouse, utilizing shade in the summer and sun in the winter.

My future plans include an earth-friendly retreat center, where I will continue to apply all that I have learned about permaculture and rainwater harvesting.

You will be benefiting your wallet, your health and the future of our world community by being more eco-aware.

It’s easy bein’ green.