A paw paw tree (Asimina triloba) enjoys the early morning light in its new home — the fire escape outside my New York apartment. It’s surrounded by (clockwise from lower left): lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina); bee balm (Monarda didyma); chives; and a gooseberry bush. Green bamboo, cut to size in a C shape and held in place with galvanized wire, covers the banister rails.
Turkish parsley
Turkish parsley, a flavorful heirloom variant of flat-leaf Italian parsley, grows nearby.
Lavender blossoms
Lavender flowers (Lavandula angustifolia 'Nana Compacta'), grown indoors in sandy soil, are at their most fragrant in early morning.
Silver thyme
Silver-edged thyme is flanked by sweetgrass (Hierochloe odorata, right) and anise hyssop.
Summer vines
Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) and Bengal clock vine (Thunbergia grandiflora, upper right) climb a twine trellis, readying for a summer outdoors.
