An Introduction to Herbs and their Uses
Lots of people decide to plant an herb garden when they start investigating herbs and their uses because it’s quite easy to create a small herb garden, either in an existing garden or in a pot or container.
If you decided you wanted to do the same after finding out more about herbs and their uses you could start by growing 5 or 6 different types of herb, increasing this to 20 or more different types as your herb growing skills and knowledge increased.
If you think 20 types of herbs is rather a lot, it will surprise you to learn that in 1629 a man called John Parkinson (pictured left) produced a book called “Theatrum Botanicum” (it was not unusual to give books Latin names at that time) in which he cataloged over 3,000 (yes, 3,000) different species of herb.
If you are interested in growing particular types of herbs after investigating a range of herbs and their uses, make sure that you carry out some research first to find out more about the herbs your interested in and how best to grow them. This article will get you started with learning about different types of herbs you can grow in an herb garden, and about how they can be used in your home. You’ll also find lots more information about particular herbs on this website.
Annuals, Perennials and Biennials
Herbs, like other plants can be annuals, perennials and biennials. A number of the annual herbs you might choose for your herb, like basil, cilantro, and summer savory will not survive a frost. They need to be planted as seeds or small plants every year. Perennials like sage and winter savory can survive colder temperatures and will return year after year. Biennial herbs are plants that form leaves in their first growing season and flowers and seed in the second season. After this they die.
Biennial herbs like parsley, angelica, or caraway should be sown in late spring directly into the garden. Prepare the soil first by working it to a fine texture and wet it slightly. Plant the seeds in shallow rows then firm the soil on top of them.
If your herb seeds are very fine, they can be difficult to sow. You will be able to spread them more evenly by mixing them with fine dry sand and then sprinkling your soil on top. Another good tip is to cover your seed bed with wet burlap (woven cloth made from jute, hemp or flax fibers – often used as sacking for vegetables) or absorbent paper in order to keep the soil moist during germination. Find out more growing herbs from seeds in my digital book on herb gardening at home.
More about Herbs and their Uses
When you are investigating herbs and their uses it helps to understand that they are generally grouped into the categories for which they are used. Culinary herbs are probably the most useful to herb gardeners. They have a huge range of different uses in cooking. Because of their strong flavors, herbs like chives, thyme, basil, sage, savory, and marjoram are generally used in small quantities to add flavor to different types of food. Parsley is an extremely popular herb that is used mostly as a garnish.
Aromatic herbs have pleasant smelling flowers or foliage. Oils from aromatic herbs like lovage, mint, and rosemary can be used to make different types of perfumes, toilet water, or other various scents. Parts of aromatic herb plants used intact can also be used in the home to scent linens or clothing. They can also be dried and made into potpourri which will enable them to be able to retain their aroma for a long period of time. Lavender and lemon verbena are good aromatic herbs to grow in your herb garden. They can be used to make potpourri, essences and herbal oils.
Some herbs are also used for medicinal purposes. For centuries herbs have been thought to have the ability to cure the body.
Present medical knowledge recognizes that some herbs are beneficial to one’s health, others are over-rated. Herbs used for medicinal purposes should be used carefully. Some herbs are harmless but others (such as hemlock) can be dangerous if eaten.
Some herbs are not used for their flavor, power to heal or fragrance. Some herbs are also used for their beauty. Ornamental herbs have brightly colored flowers and foliage. Many have whitish or various light colored flowers; like valerian which has crimson blossoms, and borage and chicory which both have blue flowers.
It’s very helpful to use the above categories when describing herbs and their uses, but bear in mind that many herbs have multiple uses and fit into more than one of the categories described. For example, mint may be used for cooking, tea, and pest control.
Whatever the reason for your interest in herbs, by finding out more about herbs and their uses you’ll be able to pick the most appropriate herbs for your herb garden.
Happy herb gardening,
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