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Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are some of the most popular herbs of all and almost
everyone is familiar with them. Herbs are fun. They smell good and they are
useful. They make me think of a peaceful sunny garden of long ago, and they are
among the oldest plants grown by man. Herbs are
An herb garden can be as small as a barrel or window box, as fancy as a bricked path knot garden, or as casual as some generous rows planted among the tomatoes and beans. But an herb garden is so essential to a home and family. There is lavender for love and fragrance. Make potpourri with it or tie it into bath bags. There is basil for all the Italian dishes, sage for immortality and Thanksgiving dinner. How about using rosemary for remembrance and for the pork roast for Sunday dinner? Fragrant mint for tea. Chives for the baked potato. Dill to toss with sour cream on cucumbers. And lots and lots of parsley for just about everything you serve. Sweet woodruff can go in the May wine with strawberries. Thyme has many uses too. The list goes on and on and on and on.
To start
your herb garden now, choose a sunny spot in which to grow your favorite
herbs. Landscape ties (8x8x4) filled with a good, well-drained soil work very
well. You can edge this with thymes, parsley, nasturtium and viola. As you move
toward the center, use the shorter herbs and then plant the tall ones in the
center. Try sage, lavender, rosemary, basil, Italian parsley, lovage,
You may mix your herbs in a wonderful tapestry of design or you may pick a theme for one or more herb gardens. Some folks like to have all culinary herbs together or grow tea herbs in large pots by the back door. Others like to have a Shakespeare garden or a Bible garden. Close-up on these theme gardens in coming months. Try a few herbs now, they will grow on you!
I have been
a member of this group for over 27 years. Twelve years ago I founded the South
Jersey unit of the Herb Society of America, which has members from Cape May,
Gloucester, Camden, Cumberland, Salem, and Burlington counties. This group meets
throughout the region with some meetings in counties. Meetings range from teas
to garden visits to programs with speakers on herbal lore, crafts, food, and
The group will have an information table at the Annual Herb Weekend at Triple Oaks in Franklinville, New Jersey May 30-31. They will answer questions on herbs, do presentations, and sell teas and cookies to raise money for the Barbara Bruno Scholarship that is given each spring at Cumberland County College to a student majoring in Agriculture or Horticulture. The above information is just a bit of the many interesting facts that will be presented at the Herb Festival May 30-31 There will be free herbal talks both days, as well as a tea garden program. One paid event will enable participants to make herbal vinegar in a hand blown, Clevenger Jersey, green bottle and sample other herbal beverages. Visit our website or call for a detailed schedule of events. For more information, email Lorraine at Lorraine@Tripleoaks.com or visit www.Tripleoaks.com. |
timeless! Early man used them
for medicines, food and pleasure. People have always been fascinated by the
fragrant, medicinal and culinary qualities displayed by many of these plants.
Although
most culinary herbs do best in sun, there are a few exceptions that can take
less than full sun if they get good sun at noon. A lot of this placement is
trial and error. Some spreading herbs such as mints, lemon balm, monarda, and
even woodruff are all best grown under trees where they become a useful ground
cover. Try mowing mint before a picnic and the whole yard smells nice and is
said to be insect-free. This is a good reason to grow mint beneath the picnic
table. 
chives,
tarragon, dill, cilantro, lemon verbena, lemon grass and scented geraniums for a
few that will be fun to grow and use. Save the mints, lemon balm, bergamot and
oregano for a spot outside the raised bed where they can spread readily. I use
many of these under tress as a ground cover that is fragrant and easy to grow to
keep weeds away.
Let me
give you a little history on the Herb Society of America. In 1933 group of women
in Boston first met in a garden to share their knowledge and enjoyment of
herbs. This was the beginning of the Herb Society of America. Their mission
states: The Herb Society of America is dedicated to promoting the knowledge,
use, and delight of herbs through educational programs, research, and sharing
the experience of its members with the community. This national society is
open to all and has local units in many areas.
history. Many of the members have an herb garden ranging from a large pot or
barrel to a large plot. Some members volunteer to work on public herb gardens as
helpers and many do educational projects such as talks and demonstrations at
public events. The group plants and maintains a garden at Scotland Run Nature
Center. Folks interested in herbs are always welcome and should contact
membership chairperson Andrea Sporano at 856-346-0426 or email her at