The scent of Sweet Annie is is a blend of herbal greens, subtle spice, and something reminiscent of the pages of a dusty old tome. I imagine it’s the type of plant hobbit women have long grown, dried, and tucked into their drawers as sachets to scent their clothing. It is also excellent as part of a dried flower arrangement or wreath. If these ideas have tempted you but you fear you don’t have a green thumb, then let me reassure you: Sweet Annie is a hardy, carefree annual that is very easy to grow!
Just a small container has abundant uses all year long. Join me in the video below as I grow Sweet Annie (Artemisia annua) from seed, harvest fragrant bundles at the end of summer, and dry them for the autumn hobbit hole. I’ll share tips for planting, caring for Sweet Annie, harvesting at the right time, drying stems, and a bit about my health journey last year (2025).
Click on the video below to watch, and keep scrolling for a growing guide! For a printer-friendly PDF version, click here.
Sweet Annie Growing Guide
Just a small container of this easy-to-grow annual has abundant uses all year long. For reference, I started mine in May and I live in USDA gardening zone 9 (or 7 depending on where I am planting).
Sowing
Prepare a container or garden bed in an area that will get full sun exposure. There is no real need to add amendments to the soil as Sweet Annie is hardy and not super hungry.
Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost date or
Start outside after all danger of frost has passed.
The seeds need light to germinate, so even the surface of the soil then scatter them on top.
Water in the seeds and place a mesh protector over if desired.
Growing
Full sun
Well-drained soil
Germination time: 10-20 days (but I saw some growth at day 5!)
Space 18–24 inches apart (thin seedlings when they are 3-4 inches tall). I obviously didn’t do this.
Harvesting
Cut stems just as the little yellow flower buds are starting to open. For me, this was in August.
Gather the stems and arrange in small bundles
Drying
Hang upside down in a warm, airy place
Keep out of direct sunlight
Uses
Fragrant dried bouquets
Wreaths and garlands
Sachets for your drawers
Tucked into cupboards and seasonal displays
Yuletide gifts!
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers’ daily lives since joining TheOneRing.net in 2012! Learn hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 13+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 Be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit on YouTube and check back here at TheOneRing.net so that you don’t miss out!
Get even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram,Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy. She is also the co-author of the recently re-released Middle-earth from Script to Screen.
Recently we brought you news of a planned short film, to be made in New Zealand, celebrating Tolkien fandom and the friendships found therein. Now we can share that you could be IN the movie!
Starring Bruce Hopkins (Gamling in The Lord of the Rings movies), the film will tell the tale of a father’s grief, and of the unexpected solace found in a community of fans. Exciting news for fans is that they hope to cast the four fan roles with actual fans from within the community – so this is YOUR chance to fly to New Zealand for a once in a lifetime opportunity to appear on film with Gamling himself!
The team behind ‘Wise Sam Gangees’, with lead actor Bruce Hopkins in the center
Supporting mental health
This powerful short film will be looking at the positive effect of community and shared passions on mental health, exploring themes of resilience, friendship, and hope. (The film makers are partnering with New Zealand’s Sir John Kirwan Foundation, which delivers evidence-based mental health education to New Zealand schools, ensuring that young people have the knowledge and tools they need to manage their wellbeing and face the challenges that life inevitably throws at them. Once the film is funded via Kickstarter, a share of any further funds raised will support this excellent foundation.)
Authenticity is key
Their desire to create a movie which accurately reflects the fandom has led to the film makers’ wish to cast from within that group. Director Pennie Hunt has said, ‘It’s essential for the story to cast all four fan roles from the Tolkien community – if possible. After all, this is what the film is all about – and why we want to make it.’ So they are putting out the call – and we’re boosting the signal! This is a genuine, real opportunity for you to fly to New Zealand and take part in a film – if the funding is successfully raised. Here’s what you need to know:
WORLDWIDE CASTING CALL –Tolkien Fans Wanted for New Zealand Short Film
Are you a Tolkien fan who has always dreamed of visiting New Zealand? Do you want to appear in a short film alongside Bruce Hopkins (Gamling in The Lord of the Rings)? We’re casting genuine Tolkien fans from around the world to appear in our upcoming New Zealand short film, WISE SAM GANGEES, filming in the stunning location of Deer Park Heights, Queenstown where many of the scenes with the Rohan refugees were filmed.
WISE SAM GANGEES is a heartfelt story about finding connection in unexpected places. When a grieving father joins a Lord of the Rings location tour, he discovers friendship, healing, and hope among a passionate community of fans.
As part of the film, we are casting supporting roles and are seeking passionate members of the international Tolkien fandom to apply.
Applications close on Thursday, 2 July 2026 at 11.59pm New Zealand Standard Time.
✈️ WHAT WE OFFER
These are unpaid volunteer roles. For the selected participants, we will provide:
Travel reimbursement of up to NZD $3,000 per person to help cover transport to and from Queenstown
Accommodation during filming
Meals
Local transport
FILMING DATES
29 October (arrival) – 4 November (departure)
✨ WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR
People with a genuine connection to Tolkien’s stories and community. Some acting or on-camera experience is preferred, but enthusiasm and authenticity matter most.
The application form includes more details about the project and casting process. If you have any questions, please contact us on: wisesamgangees@gmail.com
Please note: The project will only go ahead if the current Kickstarter is successful and production costs are financed. If you’d like to help bring this film to life, you can support the campaign here. Please spread the word!
We can’t wait to meet fellow Tolkien fans from around the world and celebrate this incredible community together.
Disclaimer WISE SAM GANGEES is an independent original short film. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Middle-earth Enterprises, Warner Bros., or the Tolkien Estate.
What are you waiting for?? Apply now, share the campaign with your friends, and later this year you could find yourself filming at Lord of the Rings locations! Good luck!
You can find the ‘Wise Sam Gangees’ folks, and read more about the movie and the team behind it, on Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok.
Every Tolkien fan knows how rich and beneficial a love for the Professor’s stories can be. Whether you enjoy escaping alone into Middle-earth through the words on the page, or your fandom has taken you to real life encounters with fellow fans, many of us would attest to the joy and comfort Tolkien’s work has brought to us. Here at TORn, where we are ‘Forged by and for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’, we’re particularly keen on bringing fans together, for moots of all shapes and sizes – be they virtual connections or ‘parties of special magnificence.’
So when we heard from film makers in New Zealand who want to create a short film celebrating friendships found through fandom, we were immediately intrigued. Add Bruce Hopkins (Gamling in The Lord of the Rings movies, and TORn’s good friend – MC of our ‘One Last Party’ back in 2015!) as the planned star of the movie, and our reaction was, ‘Tell us more!’
Writer and Director Pennie Hunt with lead actor Bruce Hopkins
Wise Sam Gangees – a film about comfort in community
To quote the producers of the film, ‘WISE SAM GANGEES [sic] is a short film about finding connection in the most unexpected places.’ The movie will be filmed in the landscapes around Queenstown, so familiar to fans of Peter Jackson’s movies. Hopkins will play the role of a grieving father, joining a Lord of the Rings location tour – where he unexpectedly finds connection and hope. The filmmakers are keen to explore ideas of outsiders finding community; of isolation, belonging, empathy, and connection through shared passion. They are also hoping that their film will speak to people who may be struggling with grief or mental health challenges.
But first – they need to raise funds! Though they have various seed funders and sponsors involved already, the producers are looking to raise the majority of the budget needed through crowdfunding. So this is YOUR chance to be part of New Zealand and Tolkien-inspired movie making! Check out the prelaunch page on Kickstarter, and sign up to be notified when their funding launches. We’re sure this is going to be a short film which will resonate, highlighting the things we all love about Tolkien fandom at its best. Add to that beautiful New Zealand scenery and a beloved Lord of the Rings actor, and you have a recipe for a fan favourite movie. Follow along and help it get made!
You can find the ‘Wise Sam Gangees’ folks, and read more about the movie and the team behind it, on Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok.
For the next couple of years we’re in 25th Anniversary territory for Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movies. If you’re nostalgic for the heady days of epic fandom (and for some of us, obsession!), or if you are just curious about exactly how some of the legal wrangling went down, then you need to explore author Kristin Thompson’s The Frodo Franchise: The Lord of the Rings and Modern Hollywood. And it’s now available on Audible!
Thompson is a long-time friend of TheOneRing.net, often providing us with her expert insight into the machinations of the movie industry. Her book is a fascinating look at one of the very biggest of movie franchises/fandoms – and a wonderful trip down memory lane for those of us who remember all the excitement, build up, merchandise, etc. around the turn of the millennium and for a decade thereafter.
Thompson’s book is extremely well researched and full of facts and figures – but it’s never boring. Here’s what TORn wrote around the time that the book first came out:
Kristin Thompson interviewed seventy-six people to examine the movie’s scripting and design and the new technologies deployed to produce the films, video games, and DVDs. She demonstrates the impact Rings had on the companies that made it, on the fantasy genre, on New Zealand, and on independent cinema. In fast-paced, compulsively readable prose, she affirms Jackson’s Rings as one the most important films ever made.
Narrator ‘The Voice of Nick’ is very easy to listen to. The audiobook edition includes a new epilogue written for this release, in honor of the 25th anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring movie. There’s even a section in the book all about the origins of TORn, plus coverage of the surrounding fan and media ecosystem (video games, licensed promotions, New Zealand tourism, and more).
A must listen (or read, if you prefer!) for any fan, we have five codes for Audible (US region) for free download, to giveaway to five lucky folks! To be in with a chance to be a random winner, click here. Good luck – and if you’re not a luck winner, get your Audible copy here.
