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I’m supposed to write a garden update for my friends at Ethicurean.com. I’ll say this much: My flowers are looking pretty good.

(OK, the composter in the foreground is a little inelegant, but it was the only good angle from which I could capture all the colors.)

My new herbs? Not so much. The new sage is thriving in its spot between the ornamental grass, the rose bush and candytuft. Can’t get a good picture of the whole plant, given its situation, but its leaves look healthy.

Over in the more spacious but less sunny location where I planted oregano, parsley and thyme, I find three small plants, with only the oregano being significantly larger than the start I planted back in May. It’s a disappointment, but not a surprise. If they survive and reappear next spring, maybe I’ll hack the shrubs around them to see if I can get them a little more sun. The lemon balm did take root in the alley, but now it’s gone. I suspect some ambitious person pulled it, thinking it was a weed.

In the pots, the bay laurel is a few inches taller, and the rosemary continues to prosper. The mint is ready for another harvest, but I think I’ll pass this time. No point in saving it and drying it if I can’t use that much. Besides, it’s being guarded.

I’ve concluded that my best vegetable-gardening strategy is to be extra nice to people with bountiful gardens. To that end: Thanks, Lynn, Lori, Loren and the Lees family. (Hmm. Maybe I’ll be extra nice to anyone whose name begins with L just in case.)