I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Friday, June 10, 2011

Mermaid's Garden

Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme~


And Greek  oregano, purple sage...

Hi everyone! Are you all gardening right now?

This year I am hoping to overcome my squeamishness about eating things that grow in my deck...and I am planting an herb garden.


Mostly because I want fresh tarragon for sauces and vinegars and dill for my homemade dill pickles....

I made this gift basket for a friend who grows lovely herbs on her deck, she is my inspiration!


I bought three unusual herbs at the fancy garden store, herbs she won't find at the farmers market.


Including that Greek oregano for salads and marinades and the purple sage. Because who can resist Purple sage! We'll dry it for autumn stuffings, for roasts and turkeys....


 I did some recycling here, even though it was to be a gift: a basket that held toiletries, the "grass" or wood shavings from a box of bath salts. (oooh, Sabon, yummy!).


I gave her the silver spoons for Christmas and got some for myself too. (Beach House Living and Seashaped)....



 I especially love BHL's Mermaid Garden spoon!



 Maybe it's meant for a seaside rock garden full of succulents and spiky things, and hydrangeas, edged with cockle-shells and whelks? But I wired it to a wooden skewer for her herb garden (and yes got one for me!). Added a starfish and used a cellophane bag from the craft store....
  

Isn't it so pretty? I think she loved it!



And if my own herb garden succumbs to the high winds and intense sun on my ocean-facing deck I can always run over to her bayside shady house and snip some wonderfully scented herbs. ;-)
   

A fun gift? Maybe even...Father's Day, if dad is a gardener? You could use a small wooden crate from the craft store or  a large Italian plum tomato tin? I'm sure Rita at BHL would make a Neptune's Garden spoon! Or like my friend's basket, a welcome birthday gift, or hostess gift.... If your budget is an issue, skip the silver spoons and use chopsticks or wooden skewers with little glued on paper flags.
 

The plan is to enjoy sweet summer herbs, right outside your back door!

enjoy.

love

            lizzy


  
gone to the beach~~~~~~~~~~~