Gardening Note 1:

Butterflies prefer plants with strong smells, bright colours and flowers that provide easy landing sites. Planting groups of flowers rather than single plants will attract more butterflies.

Herbs that will attract butterflies include Bulbinella, Cleveland Sage, Pineapple Sage, Russian Sage, Catmint, Lavender, Rosemary and Borage.
Acres of land are not necessary for a successful butterfly garden. A window box or container garden will do the job.
Butterfly gardening is the best way of getting kids out in the garden to run, play and relax.

Gardening Note 2: Herbal foot soak

If you feel run down and tired, give yourself a treat with a herbal foot soak. It is easy and quick to prepare with beneficial results. Enjoy a cup of your favourite herbal tea while you are soaking your feet to get double the value from your pampering time.

• 4 cups boiling water
• 1 cup Epson Salt
• 2 cups Fresh herbs

Choose from:

• Peppermint - good for tired feet to increase circulation, 
• Lemon Balm - great stress reliever, 
• Basil - releases tension and promotes relaxation,
  
• Lavender - promotes relaxation and restful sleep,

Remove the boiling water from the heat source and add the herbs. Let it cool down while the herbs are steeping. When the water has cooled to a comfortable level, add the Epson salts, stir in and soak your feet for as long as you like.

Gardening Note 3: Dill

Dill, with its greyish-green foliage, has been a favoured culinary herb for centuries. Though dill is best known as a pickling herb for cucumbers, the leaves can be used fresh or dried in salads, meats, especially fish, vegetable dishes and soups. Used whole or ground the seeds add zest to bread, cheese, and salad dressing. When used in cooking it should be added at the end of the cooking process to retain the natural dill flavour. Dill makes a great combination with potatoes. The seed can be added to the water when boiling new potatoes and the fresh leaves tossed with potato salads. Select a sunny spot in the garden, behind other lower growing plants where the soft, feathery leaves will make an attractive backdrop. The lace-like flowers will attract beneficial insects and can be used in flower arrangements.

Gardening Note 4: Basil

• It has a warm, resinous, clove-like flavor and fragrance. Sweet basil, with it’s wonderful aroma and flavor, is one of the most popular and widely grown herbs in the world,
• We associate basil with Italian cooking, so you may be surprised to find that many of your favorite Indian and Thai dishes contain basil since it originated in the far eastern countries.
• The name “basil” is derived from the old Greek word basilikohn, which means “royal,” reflecting that ancient culture’s attitudes towards an herb that they held to be very noble and sacred. The tradition of reverence of basil has continued in other cultures. In India, basil was cherished as an icon of hospitality, while in Italy, it was a symbol of love.
• While the taste of sweet basil is bright and pungent, other varieties also offer unique tastes: lemon basil, anise basil and cinnamon basil all have flavors that subtly reflect their name. But there are many more including Purple Ruffles Basil, Dark Opal Basil, Thai Basil, and Genovese Basil.

Gardening Note 4: Garden Ideas for Spring

Give the following some thought:

• Start planting more companion plants in your garden. Companion plants improve the growth of other plants, making them less susceptible to diseases. They attract beneficial insects and birds, keeping pests away from your edibles and ornamentals. This way you will not only be able to have a more organic garden, but you will also safe time and money by not having to apply pesticides.   
• Get the compost heap going, it is easier than you think. It is the best investment that you will ever make for your gardening pleasure. There can never be too much compost in your flower beds and you will be making the first steps to find ways of recycling organic garden waste into a beneficial product instead of adding to the ever growing dumping sites. While you are at it, why not start an earthworm bin? Kids love adding the kitchen waste and watch the earthworms wriggling their way through it, not to mention the great pleasure of tapping off your own organically produced liquid fertilizer.
• Make more space for vegetables, herbs and cut flowers, but only grow those ones that you will use. Home grown herbs, vegetables and flowers will reduce your carbon footprint and will go a long way to keep everybody healthy in body, mind and spirit. You only need a spot that is exposed to a minimum of four hours direct sunlight, either in the garden or where you can group a few containers.