Pretty and Functional Too! Herb Centerpieces

May 23, 2011Katie

There are certain herbs I’ve learned not to put in my flower beds and so I stick them into pots to contain them.

A few of these are mint.

I tried planting Lobelia around this mint…I can NEVER get lobelia to grow, no matter what I do…anyone else have this problem? I love it so much, wish I could!

Parsley – my husband took a hammer and tapped out the bottom of this pot and we sunk it in the flowerbed to contain it from spreading.

This is last year’s parsley that came back…

And oh my gosh, Thai basil – I planted this stuff last year and it took over my entire herb garden! So this year, I’m using it as a centerpiece on my patio table. I stuck some rose moss around the edges to trail over and make it decorative as well. I also stuck in a newly intriguing herb that smells divine…Pineapple Sage. I am dreaming of a salsa of mango, pineapple, red onion and jalepeno with some of this mixed in to top the mountains of fish I know Mr. Wonderful is bringing home this summer from his fishing adventures.

If the wind blows while we sit on the patio now, you can smell Thai basil and Pineapple Sage.

I love it.

4 Comments

Diane Rath

May 24, 2011 at 8:33 am

Love your patio pot ideas! Do you use the Thai basil in your pesto? I am debating whether or not to put my basil in the garden or in a deck pot. I think lobelia likes it cooler and maybe not such hot sun. I've always had trouble with it, too, but it seems to thrive in places like Harbor Springs & Petoskey . . . maybe the combination of the water and cooler weather climate?? I'm trying it on my shady front porch this summer - will let you know how it fares :)

1. dishinanddishes
  
  May 24, 2011 at 8:38 am
  
  Diane - I use it in some Asian dishes I cook mostly. I tried making herbed butter with it last year, but it's really too strong a flavor for us. I do plant 10 basil plants each (2 grown, the rest by seed) as I love to have TONS of pesto to put in the freezer for winter!
  
Sharon

May 24, 2011 at 9:47 am

Speaking of pesto in the freezer...how do you keep it from turning black? Floating olive oil on the surface doesn't seem to help solve the problem for me. If you have a secret, I sure would like to know if you would share it?

1. dishinanddishes
  
  May 24, 2011 at 10:12 am
  
  Sharon - mine never turns black and I almost never pour the layer of olive oil over top. I wonder if it has to do with the ratio of other ingredients you use? Like more basil?