300 MY GARDEN 



lavender bloom. Lavender, of course, has gray foliage, 

 and is one of the most cherished of my herbs, for in our 

 severe climate we must go to a little trouble for its 

 sweet sake. I lost a sad number of plants during the 

 years before we made the herb garden, but I think they 

 are safer now in a place prepared for them. We made a 

 narrow border along the wall of the garden house the 

 exposure is southern and the soil poor and gravelly, and 

 in the winter we protect the plants with a blanket of 

 leaves over the roots held in place by light branches. 

 We grow three kinds: L. spica, the broad-leaved; L. vera, 

 the narrow-leaved, which is I think the hardier; and a 

 dwarf, compact sort called Munstead Dwarf. There is a 

 lovely white-flowered Lavender which I have not yet, 

 but as it is said to be less robust than the purple, per- 

 haps I could not keep it. This hot, dry border was also 

 designed to hold Rosemary, but after several bitter 

 losses I have given it up as too tender for our winters 

 and filled its place with Thyme. 



Rue, Ruta graveolens, is a beautiful low bush with 

 metallic foliage, said to be strongly antiseptic. Pliny 

 says it was an ingredient in eighty-four remedies bitter 

 ones they must have been, for the leaves of Rue are acrid 

 to a degree. It is easily raised from seed and grows in 

 sun or shade. Only less bitter to the taste is Hyssop, 

 Hyssopus officinalis, and how terrible must have been 

 that cough syrup, once much in vogue, of Rue and 

 Hyssop boiled in honey! However, Hyssop is a very 



