Decide on an area of your garden or smallholding to set up your herb garden. The majority of herbs can be propagated by cuttings taken in the autumn. Seeds, sown in early spring and arranged in drills or patches, are perfect if cultivated around other crops. Using pots will help to control the more invasive herbs, such as mint. Attracting beneficial insects, herbs make charming plants in your garden or smallholding.
Choosing a Variety
Try growing a selection - mint to eat with lamb, dill to serve with fish and parsley to garnish quiche. Stretch your taste buds by adding dandelion or sorrel leaves, mint or lemon balm to salads. Use ginger root in cooking; this has a warming and comforting effect on the body and is useful to combat travel sickness. Herbs, being high in vitamins and minerals, are essential to your diet.
Traditional Uses
Parents teach children to rub dock leaves on stinging nettle rash. Dogs know to eat couch grass to aid any digestion problems. Herbs have been known since biblical times and have always had their traditional uses. Dried lavender can be used to make pot- pourri and pomanders. Bay leaves can be arranged in a vase to refresh a room. Relaxing in a warm bath with fresh herbs such as lavender, rosemary and lemon balm placed in a muslin bag, can be beneficial to one's well- being. (The muslin bag helps not to clog up the plumbing.)
Bouquet Garni
This can be made from a few sprigs of parsley, a bay leaf and a sprig of thyme tied up together. It is a useful flavouring for sauces and stews.
Infusions
These are made as if you were making tea. Infusions can be made by using soft plant materials such as leaves, plants and berries. Hyssop leaves and flowers or dandelion leaves or lemon balm leaves, all with their different health benefits, make interesting infusions. These drinks can be naturally sweetened with honey.
When to Pick
Freshly picked herbs can be enjoyed in every season but should be gathered at the correct time of year. Stinging nettle leaves provide a rich source of iron and vitamin C and should be picked when the leaves are young and tender and then cooked like spinach. As a general rule, use leaves from a plant when its flower buds are just starting to show. Flowers should be picked when they have formed, but before they have opened. The entire ginger crop should be harvested during the autumn.
 |
 |
