My Herb Garden

My herb garden started with some multiplier onions also know as Egyptian onions. One of my first herbs was a start of mint from the old homestead. I’ve moved it a couple of times.

Even though mint likes a shady cool moist place, field mint does great not far from here too. I’ve found that it does the best by the water faucet. My mint flourishes there. Later I as able to add lemon, apple, and orange mint to my mint collections! I cannot tell the difference in spearmint and peppermint by the fragrance with out the label I’m lost.

I’ve always wanted to make potpourri so I set out to find some lavender and other fragrance herbs. This started my interest in herbs. I was amazed at the variety of herbs available. Each green house and nursery seemed to have a few different varieties.

My herb collection grew I added culinary herbs to my garden for cooking. I dried them in the kitchen and the laundry room, setting some on the counter and on the kitchen and laundry room, and other on top of the fridge. I hung some to dry on nails and on the cloths line in the basement. There dried herbs and potpourri are great for gifts and special occasions.

I search garage sales for containers for herbal vinegar, potpourri jars, and fabric to sew sachet of fragrance. I found some muslin, and calico for draw string bags for the dried herbs.

If you enjoy flower and vegetable gardening you will find herbs a wonderful addition! I’ve tried to find a few herbs or fore fathers had in their Victorian gardens.

The local library was a great help in getting several books on herbs I requested from other libraries in the area. For handy reference I keep book marked internet sites for handy reference. You local nursery can visit you of these.

I discovered that herbs had been used for many centuries. Cultivated by monks for their healing qualities. Herbs can be grown for pleasure, cooking, seasoning, health beauty and fragrance. I’ve also used some for natural dying of wool yarn and cloth.

Most herbs I’ve grown like in a well drained sail in full sun, perfect for our location here. The do well where other plants will not. They do not require a lot of water of fertilizer of extra care. If you have a black thumb try herbs they can stand it if you fort to water them and are very forgiving if you neglect them.

There is a large variety of herbs. I enjoy my trips to the garden shop to acquire my latest find! You never know which one will have the plant that you have searched long and hard for. I’m still looking for some indigo to do some dying with.

I wanted some scented geraniums and on a return visit to a favorite nursery. I was elated to find the lemon and rose scented varieties. They look so unlike their blooming cousins. I had over looked them on an earlier visit.

In acquiring herbs do not forget mail order catalogues for plants and seeds. Also inquire of friend’s family and neighbors for starts. Often they have abundance and are more than a happy to share. Since some herbs have a weed like quality of over take a bed.

I was surprised to see thyme and basil in different varieties and colors. There can add visual interest to you garden. Planning is important height and type, soil temperature, climate are all factors to consider. Some herbs are annual and need to be replaced each year. While other are perennial and come up again in the spring. Some reseed reality each year.

Many herbs are grown in theme gardens and are a great point of interest on a long vacation. Some for prayer gardens in early missions, for fragrance gardens grown for their wonderful aroma such as lavender. A culinary garden has herbs of flavor spice and seasonings. While a Victorian garden can be grown with an emphasis an old verities and native wild flowers in your area.

For additional help check with your county co-operative extension office, and your nearest university or collage and see if they have an agricultural department. They may be a great help to you for local soil conditions and weed control. Here a few herbs you might like to try lavender, thyme, oregano, rosemary sage. I hope you have as much fun with your herb garden as I have had with mine good luck!