Well here I am back from France. So whilst I was on the ferry you were busy throwing ideas around. The photo only gives a vague idea of what  I am thinking of, and it will take another couple of years. Meanwhile I may try the chillies. I have grown them in Rochdale in the greenhouse, but I am sure they will grow outside in Brittany. I have feverfew in Rochdale and curry plant ( I believe you can eat it, but don't quote me on that ) They should grow well  I think I could try rocket, and I thought of asparagus and fenneI and garlic . I have never grown dill or horseradish but they sound like good ideas. I will investigate maximum plant sizes and see what I can come up with will.

Has anyone any ideas about just aromatic plants, lavender is the obvious.  I have this and rosemary. I thought of Southern wood ( I think thats  the name). Something with a pretty flower would be nice.

I will have to plant something in the beds as I clear them or they will be back to weeds again. Brittany seems to grow huge thistles and docks... I think the formal planting out will be next spring, or if I am lucky this October. Meanwhile I have the garden in Rochdale to clear and  a wrist to rest

Sue

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/med-aro/default.html

Sue, try this link, it looks promising.......  get Comfrey cream for wrist, slow but very effective.....

I may well do that, a visit to the GP has confirmed it is a bad do of tendinitis, so gardening now curtailed as I rest it for a couple of weeks, and take my antiinflammatories. Do I get it from health food shop?

Sue

We returned to France last week after being away for nearly 3 months. The herb garden had really taken off. The crop of potatoes had grown, died back and were ready to dig. We set to and completed the digging of the patch and making the borders. Unfortunately we have 'missed the boat' for planting with more herbs this year so we have filled the beds with vegetables. The herbs that had grown well we chopped back and I now have several bunches of various types drying in the kitchen ( on a traditional hook  we found on one of the main old beams).

The patch looks abit bare in this aerial view, but it gives a feeling for it. We have put a solar bird fountain at one of the 'crossroads', a bay tree at another, and have not yet decided about the third. . We have surrounded the garden with climbers on the fences. Clematis ( several kinds and colours) Passion flowers, honeysuckle and Jasmine. At the bottom fence we have trained an existing periwinlkle plant up the fence to try and stop thewedds coming through from' no mans land'  the path between our garden and the old Brittany stone wall embedd in the hawthorn trees of next door. We love the stones but not the weeds and don't want to use weedkiller if we can avoid it

The back borders have Fennel, angelica, chives, marjoram ( 2 types), purple sage  and 4 Plantes Aromatique, whose names in French I did not recognise. " smell of lemon but have pink flowers. The other two havea lemony sagey smell and also have pink flowers.

The other back border is full of leeks and various types of chard at the moment, as we have just completed them. The next two empty looking beds ahve been sewn with autumn veg, beetroot, carrots, swede, and brussel sprouts. The two in front have the undug potatoes. At the very front and barely visible we have the plants I previously described but w have added tarragon, more types of Thyme , lemon geranium and curry plants.

I have ideas for further planting next year. Dill, Asparagus, southern wood, fever few, and prhaps a whole bed of different types of Lavender.

Oh yes, the pant propped up at the front is corinder and it is full of seeds ripening. Some we will replant with and the rest we will use in the kitchen

Sue

Rural Brittany. Yes it was sunny last week but they too have had more than their fair share of rain. It seems like  normally the temperatures have been about 4 degrees above us, with showers about every third day. Excellent for plants, notexcellent for us  because when we get there it takes about 2 days to get everything back under control

 Sue

We have southernwood in the garden at home but seems very unhappy this year. It is not easy to buy so I think I will split the plant and see if I can get the cutting to grow.. I forgot to say we also put in Lovage, parsley and basil, as mentioned earlier in the year. Its quite difficult to get the more unusual herbs in traditional garden centres, but  Iam keeping my eyes open.it should be good next year whenthe perennials are established.

Sue

No, Nolic , it's me that was on the slope!!. I had to lean out of an upstairs window and then hold the camera round the wall to get the full view. The windows go down to the floor, but we have balcony railings. Even so it was precarious!!

Moh the neighbours don't seem to grow herbs much, mainly flowers and veggie. The French all seem to grow veggie. However I have swapped some chives for a type of mint I didn't have. Remember the good old fashioned dark green leaved variety. It has a wonderful aoma when you put it in with the potatoes when cooking.

Sue