 | If you want to quickly establish an herb garden, you only need ten herbs to create a plot that will see you through any culinary adventure. All of the herbs listed below can be used in your kitchen, and will provide year round flavoring and useful household recipes. Buy them as established plants in pots, plant them out in well cultivated soil, and start cooking with them right away!
- Parsley: this perennial favorite is a must have in any herb garden for garnishes and sauces. Parsley is a great accompaniment to boiled new potatoes and omelets. Noted for its breath freshening qualities, parsley can be served after an aromatic dish containing garlic. Parsley sauce is a traditional accompaniment to fish. Parsley is rich in Vitamin C.
- Sage: This aromatic Mediterranean herb is traditionally used in poultry stuffing. Sage can be added to soups and stews, and helps counteract fattiness in pork and oily fish. Make a tea with sage and you can take it medicinally to sooth the nerves, use it as hair rinse to darken grey hair, and clean wounds.
- Lavender: The gorgeous smell and appearance of this herb makes it an asset to any garden. Lavender can be used in culinary recipes, to flavor cakes and biscuits, and it is an essential ingredient in Herbes de Provence. Dry bunches of lavender by hanging them upside down and use for potpourri, to stuff sleep pillows and as an insect repellent in your clothes closet.
- Basil: A sweetly aromatic herb that is essential for Italian recipes such as pesto. Basil is also good for salads, and all tomato dishes. The dried leaves pepper up pot pourri and insect repellant sachets.
- Marjoram: Grow this pretty herb for its culinary uses in soups, stews and all herbal mixtures. Place a pat of butter on fresh marjoram leaves and leave in the fridge for a day. You will have a delicious herby spread for crusty bread rolls. As a tea, marjoram relieves an upset stomach.
- Rosemary: One of the most beautiful herbs, rosemary grows into an aromatic bush. Rosemary is an essential accompaniment to roast lamb. Simply cut into the flesh of the uncooked roast with a sharp knife and insert sprigs of rosemary into the lamb for a delicious rustic look and flavor.
- Oregano: Another useful culinary herb, oregano can be added to Italian dishes, soups, stews and omelets. Oregano tea can help soothe a cold.
- Tarragon: An essential ingredient in the classic herb mix Fines Herbes. Tarragon goes beautifully with chicken and fish dishes, and if you steep several springs in white or red wine vinegar, you have a classic ingredient for salad dressing. Tarragon is used in many classic sauce recipes, such as béarnaise and hollandaise.
- Chives: These tasty little onion flavored plants have a variety of culinary uses, from flavoring soups, salads and stews to filling omelets. Try adding slices of brie and chopped chives for your next omelet filling. Simple and simply delicious. Chives are easy to grow and can be snipped for use without destroying the plant. It just keeps on growing.
- Mint: This herbal essential can go rampant in your garden, so try growing it in a container. Mint comes in many varieties, from pineapple mint to chocolate mint, but if you only grow the common mint it is still invaluable. Fresh mint can be added to salads and soups, chopped mint can be sprinkled over potatoes and peas, mint tea can be used as a stomach soothing nightcap, a refreshing face or hair rinse, and dried mint can be used in pot pourri, sleep pillows and insect repellent sachets.
These ten herbs will prove their worth time and again – so go, grow!
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