Herbs for Health - Part 2

Are you looking for new ways to grow herbs? Perhaps you would like to try growing a few favourite types amongst your flowers. Or perhaps your garden is mostly paved. Even in small spaces herbs may be grown in containers of various kinds. Remember that herbs for cooking are likely to be used more often when they are planted near the house. The following lists of types of herb garden may remind you of ideas you would like to try:

*Walled kitchen garden - or keep a herb section in a larger garden

*Window boxes – herb displays in boxes have been exhibited at Chelsea in recent years

*Clay pots – large terra cotta pots will hold attractive collections of herbs

*Raised herb beds – up-ended tiles are useful for placing between species and varieties

*Flower borders – herbs with ornamental foliage blend in perfectly with roses

Alternative ways to grow herbs

*Wooden wheelbarrows – as sometimes seen planted up with herbs in suburban gardens

*Receptacles of assorted materials – metal, plastic, wood, stone, etc., - all are popular

*Cart-wheel – laid on its side and with plants separated by the spokes

*Flower towers – hanging cylindrical containers with integrated water retaining facility, which can also be used for small herb plants

*Hanging bags, baskets and pouches - various kinds are available including mesh rope slings

Well-tried herbs and easy ways to serve them Leafy herbs count as part of our vegetable intake. And as many herbs contain health-giving vitamins and minerals, they are especially beneficial. Here are a few kinds that are not difficult to grow:

Sage is a hardy evergreen, suitable for a sunny position. Known by its botanical name as Salvia officinalis, this herb is palatable chopped up finely and eaten with baked potatoes. There are also highly decorative forms for the garden, such as the purple-leaf or gold-variegated varieties.

Thyme The old Thymus vulgaris is a favourite aromatic herb. Many people cultivate carpets of thyme, enjoying the scent that rises from the leaves when they are walked on. The variegated forms of lemon-scented T. x citriodorus are worth seeking out for spaces between paving stones. ‘Silver Queen’ has white leaf margins and ‘Aureus’ is gold and green. Thyme is used in the kitchen for flavouring fish, chicken stuffing, or baked vegetable dishes.

Mint For mint sauce to serve with lamb some cooks prefer Mentha. spicata, which has been around to improve digestion since Roman times, rather than the apple mint M. suaveolens. You might also like to grow the species M. x piperita, the Eau de Cologne mint. The leaves are made into a fragrant tea, but note that this is not suitable for babies. Grow mint in containers to control the spread of the roots.

Chives Allium schrenoprasum belongs to the onion family. Finely chopped, the leaves enhance the taste of sandwiches or potato. Compact plants bear pink pompon flowers.

Rosemary ‘for remembrance’ wrote Shakespeare. Many people believe that if they plant rosemary near the front door, they will always return. And maybe they will. Who are we to say otherwise? The very thought of returning can be health giving. For culinary purposes, the herb is used for flavouring lamb and other meat dishes. If whole sprigs are used, they can be removed before serving.

Did you know there are white, pink, violet, dark blue and light blue-flowering forms of rosemary? ‘Miss Jessopp’s Upright’ is recommended for the garden and ‘Benenden Blue’ for containers.

Grow your own

Most herbs can be grown either from seed or cuttings. I have recently had success raising several varieties of rosemary from cuttings. Long white roots appear in a matter of days. It couldn’t be easier – stem cuttings will root in a glass of water, so when plants in containers become straggly renew them. Keep your herb garden looking fresh by rooting cuttings to use as replacements.

More about herbs for health coming soon to GoneGardening.com