First let me make a true confession -- yes, I'm a brown thumber -- that's just all there is to it. BUT!! I keep trying. This year I have two great new planters I'm eager to try out. My plan originally was to have one in the front of the house under the front windows for flowers and to have the other on the side of the house for herbs. Now I wish I had bought 3 so I could have done a vegetable garden too. But I only have the two so I'm trying to figure out what my strategy will be. I could use some expert advice. So here's my questions:

1. A single planter will accommodate a maximum of 8 herb plants. What combinations would you use? I'm leaning to the usual, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, mint and perhaps some oregano. What would you choose if it was you?

2. Can I have the best of both worlds, that is, flowers and veggies or veggies and herbs together? Is there any such thing as a regular vegetable that doubles as a flowering plant? I mean, if I wanted to put one of my nifty planters in the front of the house as spring/summer flowering decoration, is there a vegetable that doubles as a flowering "decoration" throughout the season? I guess I'm trying to have both cosmetic beauty and utility all in one if that makes sense.

What are your thoughts? BTW, if you want to see my new planters, here's a link: http://www.earthbox.com. I'm so excited about this project but now that I have the pots I find myself in my regular piscean limbo land of decision making -- you know round and round and round and round...lol Help a Pisces sistah out please?

Can't wait to hear your suggestions! Thanks!

Adrienne (a.k.a. Lady Seraphima)

Oh I could just kiss you! Thank you for these WONDERFUL comments and suggestions!! I am so ready to get started! I'm afraid we may still have a few freezing nights ahead here in Maryland so I'm a little hestitant about filling up the pots before at the least mid-April. I hope I can contain my enthusiasm til then! Maybe I'll start a photo diary to share? Good or bad because even a failure will help teach, right? Thank you again sooooooooooo much!

It sounds like a Happy growing season ahead of you seraphim49!

AponaAnu Great planting ideas!!

I love to plant scarlet runners the flowers are bright red, and the beans after you dry them are black and purple I use them for all sorts of things, as well as all winter in my chili.

And Borage it’s a pretty star shaped purple-blue flower that you can eat on salad as well as the young leafs. And if you plant some strawberries with it they stimulate each others growth..

Bee Balm is pretty herb you can use in tea, and it comes in many colors.

We still have a good bit to go before out door planting, up in New England but my spring bulbs are just poking through, now if the late season snow would just cease, and turn to rain that would be great!!

I am envious of you EponaAnu my gardens look awful!! Muddy snowy messes! I cant even walk in them to start to clean up for spring growth yet. BIG SIGH…..

I would never even have considered throwing down some birdseed. Somehow I think overtime I've disassociated it from "seed" altogether vs fodder for winged things, you know? Funny how our perceptions can change over time. I was telling a dear friend of mine that I think I might actually purchase a third Earthbox. That way I can actually devote one entirely to flowers, one to herbs and one to vegetables. I'm very grateful for the encouragement! It's a beautiful sunny day today -- I'm so excited to get started!

Hi Sandra! I've visited New England. You have the most BEAUTIFUL spring and fall seasons up there! My husband and I stayed at a Bed & Breakfast in Salem and drove up the coast for lobster. It was better than our honeymoon! Thank you for the great suggestions on color and for tea. After your post, I'm definitely going to order a third box. I will just not be happy with having to choose.

hugs and blessings,
Adrienne

Adrienne, sorry about the confusion on my name Sandra is the author of the quote I have on here.

My name is Barbara, and yes I agree we do have wonderful changes of season here that is what makes it imposable for me to move away well that and the ocean and mountains so close..
And I love Salem also it’s a beautiful sea side town, my friends and I go in the spring when there aren’t so many people. Walk around and look at all the things we cant afford to buy. :roll:

I have been to Maryland a half dozen times I used to have family that lived there. Spent a day on the bay with a jet ski that was fun… But I must say my favorite place to go when we where there was some river I cant think of it now, but it was beautiful a great place to spend the day swimming and hiking.

Oh my goodness Barbara I'm so sorry (and the quotation author was so obvious too) I'm so embarrassed. Thanks for being so gracious about it. In my enthusiam I just glanced down, saw a name and ran with it lol

hmmm...I wonder which of the rivers it might have been. We have a few that are vacation/leisure type spots. Top of my head comes the Potomac, the Magothy, Susquehanna and the Monocacy. Sound familiar?

Hmm the Potomac maybe It was a few differant places once was a good hick into the woods...
But I will ask my husband if he remembers, we where last there about 6 years ago... when we drove out to Pennsylvania Ohio line to pick up my pup.
Then we drove through beautiful country to Maryland to visit a friend of my hubby’s and he took us out to spend the day on the river.
:roll: well me and names don’t stick together well..

Great Idea Coyotemoon!!