Starter Smallholders

The same market also yielded some additions to our herb garden. Twenty-five basil plants will be used fresh through the summer and then turned into half a dozen jars of pesto for the winter. A marjoram plant - the most expensive at about 25 pence - will last until the winter comes, and four tiny rosemary plants will be shared between the garden here and the flat in Riga. When the two in Riga have grown a little, the mature plant that is currently on our windowsill will be planted out in the countryside and given a dose of fresh air and sunshine to recover from the hard use it underwent in the winter. These, in addition to our existing thyme, chive and burnett plants, will form the basis for this year's herbs, although I would also like to get a couple of sage plants growing and some dill in the vegetable garden.