Long before you can even see the garden, you are nearly overwhelmed by the heavenly scents of the flowering bushes. Some bees buzz lazily nearby; overhead, you hear the songs of birds in the trees. An old hobbit spots you and waves.

"Howdy, folks! You've come at a good time -- the new crop is just startin' to bloom. Come on, I'll show ye around....

"There are seven different species of shrub that grow in these parts. I've got 'em lined up in rows. Walk through the field an' ye can see all of 'em, an' learn how to tell 'em apart.

"If ye want, ye can stop by the farmhouse an' talk to m' wife. She's really handy with the plants, an' she can tell ye all about what ye can do with 'em.

"Now, some folks don't realize this, but there are special tricks that we old farmers have learned to keep the herbs healthy. Those city folks (oops, no offense there, friend) just go yankin' an' pullin' an' pretty soon the poor bush just withers an' dies. Let me tell ye a little about keepin' the bushes intact.

"Maybe ye've noticed how the bushes like to grow in certain patterns, eh? A good farmer has to know all about those patterns -- it can mean the difference between a bumper crop an' hard times, let me tell ye. Here, let me show ye some good patterns for herbs.

"Hmm, I can see ye're one of those bookish types. Me, I never made it past the sixth grade -- all that higher math drove me nuts. I tell ye, those fractions are just unnatural. But I've heard there are some wizards out there that can tell ye all sort of things about why the good patterns are good an' why other patterns that look OK really aren't. Walk on over to the old schoolhouse an' tell 'em Farmer Greg sent ye."

Continue your journey on the ADOM ring.

Over to Greg's homepage.