We had been trying to figure out what to do with a sharp slope (almost 90 degree drop of about 5 feet) leading to a strip of lawn about 3 feet wide. These old houses in our neighbourhood were built on a hill above a river, and there are sharp almost terraced slopes throughout the neighbourhood. There were hundreds of rocks in the yard, so we decided to make a rockery/herb garden. Our dog cannot visit this area – so that’s a bonus when there is food growing.

Feverfew (to the left – in flower) came with the property, and is a bit of a bully, but it shades out the new herbs struggling to grow, and is easy enough to pull when it finishes flowering. The parsley (to the right) and chives (top left) have spread happily – and I have used them in a german potato salad. The basil is struggling with the dry hot weather but should be ready by the time my tomatoes are ready to make sauce. Under the feverfew rosemary, oregano and thyme are doing just fine.

Assorted squash (wide leaves and yellow flowers) I plant wherever I find a space. Whenever we eat spaghetti or acorn squash through the year, I remove a few seeds, wash, dry and store them, and then plant them around the yard. Squash need plenty of space with their long stems and large fruit, so I like to plant them among other plants wherever we won’t be mowing or moving things around. As a “free” plant from seeds, I see them as a bonus if they produce fruit.