Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Silly Parsley Question, 1 by tabasco

tabasco wrote:


http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/312/index.html

I am interested in growing the swallowtail-cat-loving '"Ruta graveolens" (Rue/Herb of Grace) from seed. (Now that I have had Wintersowing success growing parley and sages and am hoping for success with the fennel I've become emboldened!!

From the plant files page it sounds like it is much more popular in Europe, quite a skin irritant, and also, by extension, I guess, a good plant for the garden if you want to keep dogs and cats out (and I wonder about deer?)... (Also good as a spice for cheeses, and it can rid you of internal parasites, too, and help your rheumatism)... So why not grow it?!! LOL

Besides a good plant for butterfly gardens, it's also appropriate for 'bible gardens' and 'Mary gardens'...

Apparently there are a lot of reasons to grow it, but it doesn't look like many main line catalogs supply seeds ....

But seeds are available from: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/monticellostore/631061.html

http://www.superseeds.com/herb_seeds.htm (scroll half way down the page).



Here's a cute butterfly garden web page from a school that created a butterfly garden. The pic came up when I was looking for 'rue', and they seem to be able to grow it (and not poison themselves).

http://www.hammon.k12.ok.us/elem/christian/butterflygarden/b...

I'm excited about the butterfly garden this year. I have a lot of great herb plants coming on from my seed sowing this winter!