We have been here several months and the herb bed was established last fall, but with rain and the new raised beds it became overgrown and in desperate need of attention. Last Saturday was the day.The biggest problem was the milkweed that had found a home there. I went through last year and took it out but the thing has roots that went down a mile ! Now there are those of you who think milkweed should be left alone – well fine but it was a large mass in a place where I wanted herbs and had taken on the status of weed.

Last year I had assumed the weed was in the hedgerows as well as my garden, so had no qualms about taking it out. I then looked around and found nothing in the neighborhood. Maybe it had been planted and gone wild, I don’t know but knowing its value to the butterflies I was hit with remorse. This year I am trying to establish it along the edges of the garden. There are lots of native plants and lots of invasive honeysuckle (both white and pink) around there, so I hope it finds root and settles.