© Joan Currie

O my beloved basil, did I not love thee enough?
When we first met, you commanded my attention
Much more than the ruminating rosemary or soulful sage.
Joan Currie 

Having returned after many years to gardening, I am captivated by the intricacies of growing, blooming, and propagating. I am also interested in the creation and maintenance of a thriving ecosystem.

There is one herb in my garden that does not get along as it should. At one time, the sweet basil sported a full, fragrant coat of green leaves, but now it lilts to the side like a jaundiced man hanging from the gallows.

For weeks now, I have tried to revive this plant by changing its location from full to partial sun, and administering extra water and organic fertilizer – to no avail. And, although I have always espoused the ethics of care, to my chagrin, I am thinking about sending this cluster of chlorophyll off to the compost heap.