Home-Grown Herbs 

What are the advantages of growing your own herbs? Where is the best place to grow them? Which herbs are the most interesting to grow in the home garden? Read on for more facts about health and herbs.

Here are some of the advantages:

• Herbs can be grown
• For use in salads or fruit dishes
• As an ingredient of soups
• To help cure ailments
• As a preventative of illness
• To ward off the ageing process
• For their scented leaves or flowers
• As garden decoration or for use as cut flowers
• For their historical associations

Where to grow herbs

Many gardeners like the idea of raising their own health foods. Where to grow them is rarely a problem, as almost anyone can find space for at least a few of their favourite herbs. They can be cultivated in small or large gardens, in special herb beds, in mixed flower borders, or amongst vegetables. They will even flourish in window boxes, large pots or flower towers.

One of the latest ways to arrange herbs is to group several in a giant container. Metal in the garden has certain dramatic appeal, as has an artistically designed pot. Most garden centres sell plant containers in a surprising number of materials, in an assortment of sizes and surface colours. Nowadays you can buy them directly online from websites, including - GoneGardening.com

It is a matter of personal choice, of course, but generally I prefer plain terra cotta or glaze. Plants provide variation. Too many elaborately ornate designs in the garden tend to distract attention from the flowers and foliage. Simplicity often wins the greatest admiration.

Which herbs?

To obtain maximum decorative effect from herbs, choose varieties with contrasting colour, texture and form. Select a site in a sunny part of the garden for your main collection, as many herbaceous plants originally came from Mediterranean habitats. Regular watering will be necessary at this time of year, as most soils and composts will dry out within hours.

Whether your herbs are growing in a special herb area, a raised bed, or a container, it is a good idea to keep them somewhere close to the house to facilitate cultivation. Proximity to the kitchen will also make the gathering of leaves and flowers for cooking much easier.

Choice of herb species and varieties

Many of the following herbs have culinary, medicinal and aromatic value - lavender, for example. (More about lavender coming to GoneGardening.com soon)

Colour contrast

Sage (Salvia officinalis), especially the bright purple-leaf form of the Purpurascens Group. A tea made from the leaves can be used as a gargle for a sore throat

Lemon balm - the variegated form of Melissa officinale 'aurea' is seen less often than the type

Margoram (Origanum vulgare) 'Aureum', a variety with bright golden foliage

Mint (Mentha suaveolens) - the variegated pineapple mint has bold, cream-edged leaves

Thyme - choose cultivars with silver, variegated, or plain green foliage to add to the interest.

Cooking with herbs

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) - add to omelettes

Margorum (Origanum vulgare) 'Gold Tip' is attractive to butterflies. Leaves can be chopped and used in salads or soups

Marigold (Calendula officinalis) - a colourful garden plant and flowers may be used in salads

Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) - variegated leaf forms available; the blue, pink or white-flowering cultivars are all useful for flavouring meat dishes

Parsley (Petroselinum cripum) can be toxic if taken in excessive quantities. But in modest quantities is often served finely chopped and stirred into a sauce for cod. Valued for its vitamin A and C content, the herb is said to help reduce allergic reactions to other substances

Thyme - Thymus x citriodorus 'Silver Queen' (chicken and fish recipes)

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is reputed to ward off anaemia, skin ailments and rheumatism. Plants can be grown in pots at home - stand the container in a saucer of water, which is changed daily.

Aromatherapy

Lavender, although shrubby, is usually included in herb gardens, and is sought after for its fragrant oils utilised in perfumery and for use in aromatherapy. When fresh, the flowers can also be incorporated in special vinegar, and when dried they are added to pot-pourris. For use as external rubbing lavender, the essence is mixed with other oils and applied as a massage to ease muscular aches and pains.

Lavendula augustifolia - widely known as English lavender - keeps increasing in popularity and is especially treasured for its essence. Flowering occurs from June-July. However, L. x intermedia has become the most commercially favoured lavender species in the world for its oil content. This species blooms from July to August and has a camphoric smell. It is used in pharmacy and as an insect-repellent.

French lavender (Lavendula stoechas), easily recognised by its bobble flower heads, makes an attractive focal point in a herb garden in early summer. Usually considered half-hardy, the plumed variety, L.stoechas pedunculata, and the white form, 'alba', have been surprisingly hardy in recent years in parts of Britain.

Other aromatic herbs to look out for in plant nurseries: catmint (nepeta cataria); camomile, a low creeping plant (Chamaemelum nobile); eau de Cologne mint (Mentha x piperita citrata) or spearmint (M. spicata); lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) variegated myrtle (Myrtus communis 'Variegata') scented geranium (Pelargonium crispum 'Variegatum') - herb with lemon scented, cream-edged leaves; Thyme (Thymus seryllum) 'Snowdrift' has scented foliage, white flowers

Medicinal

Garlic (Allium sativum), which has high therapeutic value, can easily be grown in the open garden.

Herbs with properties that have traditionally been used in medicine include: comfrey, heartsease (Viola); Jacob's ladder (Polemonium caeruleum) - look out for the splendid green and white variegated form; Lady's mantle (Alchemilla mollis); Mentha species - did you know that mint has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties? lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis); wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) - or its variegated form 'Variegata'; and watercress.

Strawberries are herbs

Some authorities include strawberries in herb collections, and indeed they are herbaceous plants. This year I am trying 'Elan', one of the newest strawberry varieties. So far the young plants are vigorous, fresh and full of promise.

Rich in flavour, 'Elsanta' is generally preferred for its shelf life to the older 'Cambridge Favourite'. 'Rosie' is predicted to take over from 'Honeloye' as the leading commercial variety - according to strawberry nurseryman Ken Muir. Summer cropping 'Florence' - another new variety - is valued for its disease resistant, dark red fruits and very good flavour. While the autumn fruits of 'Mara des Bois' inherit the flavour of wild strawberries but with the larger size of cultivated varieties. 'Vivarosa', a startling plant from France is the first pink-flowering cultivar with large blooms, medium-sized fruits and a very good flavour.

Towerpots and Flower Tower Hanging Baskets

Strawberries can also be grown successfully on balconies in barrels, baskets, Growbags, tubs, and flower towers. These are planted in June or July with coldstore runners, which are often sold in bundles at major flower shows. They can also be obtained directly from fruit nurserymen. Strawberry tables and Flower Towers will accommodate a surprising number of plants.