Two surprises were waiting for me tonight in the herb garden at Rutgers Gardens.  One of the Grosso lavender plants is pushing out a second flush of flowers.  Like most second flushes, the flowers are small and sparse.  I’ve never heard of lavender blooming more than once a year, have you?  Coincidentally, it is a plant that I had … Read More

I was disappointed to only find two swallowtail butterfly caterpillars on my bronze fennel this year.  Last year, I counted eight caterpillars.  Initially I chalked it up to the dwindling number of butterflies due to habitat loss, climate change, environmental pollution, toxins in the environment, etc. Then I found a praying mantis.  Praying mantis are interesting insects.  Besides the fact … Read More

The yarrow that I grew from seed in the greenhouse last spring is blooming in the herb garden at Rutgers Gardens!  I’m hoping for more flowers next year. I’m happy to see that the white horehound that I also grew from seed in the greenhouse is doing well.  The plants are finally large enough that I’m not worried about them … Read More

The renovation of the herb garden at Rutgers Gardens is complete for this year. This step one of a multi-year renovation of the garden to make it more attractive and educational. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to plan and plant the garden the way I wanted to because the surrounding hornbeam hedge wasn’t pruned. It is literally eating the herb garden. … Read More