A Balcony Herb Garden

As part of my home redecorating plan for this year, I'm determined to grow--and to keep alive--my own little balcony garden. And since it's hardly winter here in Miami (we had our week of "cold" and now we're back to beach temperatures), I started this week. I was inspired to start by these charming seasonal notecards I just ordered from Yours Is the Earth.

Each card features original illustrations of seasonal fruits and vegetables--corn and watermelon for summer, leeks and radishes for winter, etc. etc. The drawings are so simple and sweet and the accompanying calligraphy is just gorgeous! While they came as a set of 12 notecards, my intention is to frame one of each season and hang them in the kitchen for a little daily cooking and garden inspiration.

I'd love to attempt growing my own seasonal fruits and vegetables, but I think it's probably best to start small. So I took a trip to my local nursery and picked out some easy, familiar herbs--thyme, mint, and cilantro. (I was also supposed to get parsley, but apparently picked up a second cilantro plant instead. For a Mexican food lover like me, that's really not a bad thing.) Then I headed home and replanted (after asking the nursery man very detailed instructions on how to do this, which he laughed at me about and said, "It's easy." To which I said, "But I don't want to kill them!". I think I amused him.).

It's about one week later and so far, the little guys are all thriving! In fact, the cilantro's getting big enough that I think I'm going to harvest my first batch today to whip up some guacamole. If all goes well, basil, some pretty flowers, and at least one large colorful plant will be added to the mix so I can finally have the green balcony of my dreams!

Notecards available at Yours Is the Earth's Etsy shop. All photos by Natalie.