Container Gardening

I had dinner with the parents yesterday and just happened to ask my mother if she had any old planters.  My mother has the greenest freak'n thumb ever and used to garden quite a bit when I was young.  Back then, it was hard to find Korean veggies, so when she could, she would grow them in the yard.  For some reason, this gardening skill was not passed down to me.  I really hope that I can change that!  But, I am glad I asked about the planters because she had tons of them and was planning to throw them out since she can't garden as much anymore.  Now I can start planning my container garden!

My mother has a thing about chives.  It's the one thing she still grows now because apparently, as she says, they are really easy to grow. She took me out into the back yard and they are like weeds! You cut one and several sprout up again!! Apparently, after the chives bolted, the wind carried some of the seeds and spread them in the yard and now there are numerous patches with chives springing up!

She also insisted I take this plant that looks like a mini succulent.  They also grow like weeds and my mother grows them as a ground cover.  I have no idea what they are called in English but they taste watery and a little like lettuce.  If anyone recognizes this plant, please let me know!

My mother also grows Korean perilla leaves.  I think they are the Korean variety of Japanese shiso, but she had all these seeds so, I took some. I would post a pic of the seeds, but they are tiny and I don't think my camera will be able to capture them even on a super-macro setting.   I also asked about Korean peppers used for Korean pepper flakes, and of course, my mother said she could get me a plant!! I am so psyched!! Now my container vegetable garden will have some traditional Korean veggies in addition to lettuce, radishes,carrots, my cilantro plant that is just hanging in there, and a thyme plant that's actually doing alright!! :-)