Tagetes

For some reason mums have always brought marigolds to mind. This time of year especially, considering the abundance of burnt-golden flowers at the market and everywhere else. I had not known, for instance, that marigolds are an herb (an aromatic shrub, i.e.) having originated in South America. Both of the photos below feature African marigolds (tagetes erecta) which, interestingly, are a notable species of marigold due to their unpleasant aroma. More information can be found here.

húng quế

The owner of the café some blocks down from my apartment grows tomatoes, peppers, and other edibles just outside his front window; and the other day, there for my first visit in a little while, he brought me a clear plastic cup with a rather trampled-looking sprig of basil in an inch of water. "Found this on the ground," he said. "Just let it perch in the water for a few days so it grows roots. Then, you can plant it."

I've never grown any basil of my own, and am only marginally sure that this wilting halfling is sweet basil - but my favorite is Thai sweet basil, also known as Asian sweet basil. Beyond its lovely, almost lemony taste, it gives rise to coquettish purple-white flowers.