Beginning with the Herby Patch

So I had planned to sow seeds today, but it was such a nice day that the garden called me instead.  I'd not really been out in ages (or at all this year so far) but I could see that the herb raised bed was in need of some attention and as it is right outside my kitchen window I had the urge to attack it. 

Pre ambush...

I needed to pull out the sage on the left that was really straggly and I'll replace that with a new variety in a month or so, plus the oregano also needed a haircut.  I then went on to tidy the peony and spirea behind it and then the bushes and fatsia top left.  Swept up and 'voila' much neater!

You can see everything now, the pot in the middle of the raised herb bed is full of lovely, lovely alpine strawbs, there's nothing in the pot back left, but that's where I usually put a french flat leaved parsley (as it tends to get a bit crowded otherwise).  There are a variety of mints in a terracotta pot sunk in the bed at the back and chives back right.  There is also a marjoram in there somewhere, though not sure where as it tends to get smothered by the oregano and can only see it when it grows up and through it.  

I fancy having another go at growing a rosemary again too this year.  I used to have a smashing one in the bed before we raised it, but is was old and didn't survive the cull.  When I re-planted a new baby one in the new bed I think it was perhaps a bit too rich for it and it died, as did the next two so I haven't had one for a few years now.  I think the bed has been sufficiently neglected now though to have another bash.  I might mix some grit in there too before I plant one.  Actually, I might buy two and pop the other one somewhere else in the garden as a back up!