Slowly but surely my wild herb garden is taking form. This plot is about a mile away from where I currently live and the location where we plan to move in about a year.
The land is forested with a few natural clearings. We do have a water source but very little infrastructure and as of yet unsuitable for growing vegetables. Luckily the habitat is perfect for growing my medicinal herbs which I am planting week by week at the borders where the clearing meets the forest.
Around the curving border of the clearing I have been planting plants that are well suited for plenty of sun and occasional watering.
As the weather has been rainy for weeks the transplants have taken nicely. Some of the herbs have been growing in pots for a couple of years for this very purpose while others are transplants from my current garden right away. We plant to move here in less than a year and wish for a garden full of flowers and medicinal herbs to be waiting for us upon our arrival.
These herbs aren't just for us. The flowers that they provide are meant to be shared with the pollinators that populate this patch of Earth. As an amateur butterfly photographer and conservationist the population of these flying beauties is of great importance to me.
Even the caterpillars that mysteriously disappear, likely eaten by a visiting bird, aren't of concern to me. The abundance of host plants creates the environment for an abundance to caterpillars and butteries which, in turn, creates the base of a food chain upon which all sorts of animals depend.
Above is a metalmark butterfly called Danzarina Chica (which means little dancer) feeding on the nectar of a native flower which sprouts up everywhere called ramillete de campo (little bouquet of the field).
The plants and butterflies are such beautiful aspects of this living landscape though I also must admire the tiny jewels that shine just after a rain. In this area it is very common to find milky quartz though this pink quartz is a special, and very welcome gift from Earth herself. Sometimes I bring such treasures home to my personal collection. This one will accompany on my travels as I set off across the world for a couple of weeks and will remind me of this beautiful forest garden.
