Sweet.
This, folks, is sweet woodruff. Right now it’s just hopeful sprigs of bright green poking through the leaf litter. Soon it will be a lush, fragrant carpet that gives the illusion that I actually know what I’m doing.
It’s been glorious and almost hot today; tomorrow, I put the boys to work in the yard. Job One: Trim the living daylights out of the shingle-eating tree planted waaaay too close to the house. I love having teenage boys; there’s always someone other than me eager to climb a ladder.
Posted on Thursday, April 1st, 2010 at 8:40 pm. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Deborah says:
Just visiting. Nancy Nall sent me. I’m not a gardener, I live in high rise and have two black thumbs. My parents were huge gardeners but my sister and I, and alas my daughter too, can’t even keep a simple houseplant alive. I wish I could, it interests me. Same with writing, I love to read but can’t write worth a darn. Oh and dancing, how I wish I could dance!
Posted at April 2nd, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Sue says:
Oh hey, visiting per Nancy’s request. Sweet woodruff, I’ve been trying to get a good bed established next to my garage for years. That particular effort harks back to my herbal mania years, before I learned of the nasty spreading habits of a few of the more agressive ones (I’m looking at you, lemon balm).
Back soon!
Posted at April 2nd, 2010 at 4:42 pm
tt says:
Deborah, I can’t grow houseplants either — so there is hope for you! Try some plants you can’t kill — daylilies, hostas, sweet woodruff, Shasta daisies, coneflowers. There are tons of things out there for black thumbs.
Posted at April 2nd, 2010 at 4:50 pm
tt says:
Welcome, Sue! Re your sweet woodruff bed — hmm. If you’ve been trying for years, maybe it’s just not the right site. Mine seems to thrive in moist soil; maybe it’s too dry? If it’s happy it will colonize readily.
I’m sorry to hear about the lemon balm, though — that’s one I’ve wanted to try. I’ll proceed with caution, if at all. Thanks for the heads up.
Posted at April 2nd, 2010 at 4:52 pm
Pam says:
Having a little trouble with my Sweet Woodruff as well. It comes up in the spring but not always consistent with where it grew last year. Then during mid summer, it starts to turn brown in spots and looks very sickly, like maybe it has a fungus. Is it supposed to do this? Also, mine doesn’t seem to like the sun much. I have it in a shady corner. But I love it, because it smells so good.
Posted at April 5th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
tt says:
Pam, I’ve never had this problem with sweet woodruff in 20 years of growing it. The only problem I’ve encountered is an occasional bare patch where it doesn’t come back in spring. Brown and sickly does sound like disease. I’d suspect scorching, but since it’s not in the sun, that doesn’t seem likely. I’m stumped.
Posted at April 5th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Sarah says:
Pam,
Did you ever figure out what happened to your Sweet Woodruff? I have the same problem. Could be due to dry soil, but definitely not too much sun. It has thrived for three years until this summer. I’m wondering if it’s a fungus because I suddenly have a fungus on my crab apple tree.
Please help!
Posted at August 8th, 2010 at 4:27 pm