Re: was intro now herb suggestions

February 13, 2000

Well, , since you asked... I can tell you what I'll be growing a lot

more of this coming summer... lemon balm -- grows easily (I hear some folks

end up with way too much) and it's great in tea and to infuse in oils for

its skin-soothing qualities; several mints -- think I'll have some patches

where they can just run wild instead of trying to contain them; comfrey --

one of the best herbs for healing, this is a big plant that is very hardy

and easy to grow (can run wild if you don't plan ahead); feverfew -- great

medicinal qualities and nice little white flowers; St. 's Wort -- found

this one growing wild in the corner of the yard last summer, so it must be

pretty hardy...I'll be making my own oils from the flowers for their

medicinal benefits too; sage, thyme, lemon thyme -- all easy to grow, for

cooking and soaps; and one of my favorite herbs for cooking is lovage -- a

tall celery tasting/smelling plant that is just wonderful in soups and

salads. All of these are perennials, so once you get them in, they

generally manage to keep coming back (great when you find you don't have

time to do much gardening some following season) and I live in zone 4, near

Lake Superior so these are all pretty hardy plants. Lavender has a 50/50

chance of making it here (find the hardiest type if you have cold winters)

and I usually have a bit to harvest every year. Same with rosemary -- that

one I can never manage to grow in the house, so if I can just get a good

harvest by the end of the summer I'd be real happy 'cause it doesn't usually

winter over in my area. And for the annuals, basils for pesto and vinegars

and lots of calendula plants for their skin-soothing benefits in lotions,

salves and soaps (although if you can only fit in a few and just keep

harvesting those flowers they really produce). Oh, and don't forget a rose

bush or two for those petals, but they can also get real aggravating when

the runners keep popping up everywhere else in the garden. And catnip,

which keeps reseeding itself.

There are many more that will find a spot in our various patches of garden,

but these are the ones that come to mind right now and they're easy.

M

Recommended Posts