The Herb Garden

We are having numerous computer issues in our house lately, one of which limits my ability to post pictures. I wanted to show you pictures of my last herb garden to help you envision what I would like for my herb garden here. The "canvas" of our farm is open and free from all past attempts. In other words, there are no real flower beds or gardens for me to redo, I can start where ever I want. It is especially freeing to think that I can completely choose my own colors, textures, and flower medium to use. Yet I feel unable to begin. How do I decide where to put the first plants? The yard is huge! Do I start here, or would over there be better? What about closer to the driveway, or how about under the shade of that enormous maple tree. I feel that I need boundaries, and indeed I do. Every garden must start with some form of structure, some backbone for the flowers and foliage to add shape and form to. I think my favorite form of structure in the country is a fence. Fantastic! Finally, a way to begin! But wait, what type of fence? There are so many varieties, each one with its own style and character. How will I decide what would look best here on the farm? Oh dear...so close to success, and yet so far!
I have been thinking about my last herb garden. It was in the tiny fenced-in back yard of our blue house in Mt. Pulaski, Il. That was back in 1998. I remember vividly tearing out the sod all along the inside of the fence to make a bed for the herbs and flowers that I wanted to plant. They all looked so spindly and tiny when they first went in, but by the end of the summer they were lush and full and the garden was beginning to look established. Well, whatever I decide to do here, I know it will take an enormous amount of work, cost more than I can afford, and in the end create a wonderful sense of accomplishment and joy. Time to get out the graph paper and #2 pencils. It is always best to create on paper first, for an eraser fixes a mistake easier than a shovel!