One Herb to Rule Them All?

[Jenise]

I think tarragon has been bred unto destruction, hence its lovely flavor and utterly unsound survival properties.

I had one that came back year after year but died off last year after struggling the year before. This summer, I planted two more little 2" pot starters in the same bigger standing pot and moved it to a different location, where it's thriving this summer. I'm so happy to have abundant fresh tarragon again.

JoAnn, my rosemary bush is the same: a huge, gnarled trunk, small leaves, and blue flowers that the bees and hummingbirds love. My French tarragon comes back every year. I love it, but it is way in the back of the house, so I try to remember that I am going to use it and pick it, along with the rosemary, if needed soon. I had a beautiful sage bush, which died, and I have yet to replace it. I love using it as a bed for meats and roasted vegetables at times.

JoAnn, my rosemary bush is the same: a huge, gnarled trunk, small leaves, and blue flowers that the bees and hummingbirds love. My French tarragon comes back every year. I love it, but it is way in the back of the house, so I try to remember that I am going to use it and pick it, along with the rosemary, if needed soon. I had a beautiful sage bush, which died, and I have yet to replace it. I love using it as a bed for meats and roasted vegetables at times.

Because of cold Midwest winters, most herbs are annuals hereabouts, but we do have a 30+-year old sage plant in the raised bed in back. Talk about gnarled trunks...

[Jenise]

Mark, I too have an old timer sage plant. It's in a pot, and at least 20 years old. It's the only original herb that's managed to survive the cold spells, though my thyme has been around a good long while too. Funny about the sage as I think of it as a hotweather herb. Apparently not.