Herb Gardens

[andrewo]

Geordie, in another thread on hardy basil, listed his herb garden plants and it would interest me to know what everyone is growing. I hope Geordie will repost his list here. Want to see if anyone is growing varieties we may never have come across.

[andrewo]

I grow

Rosemary (4 in pots), Lavender (6 in pots, edible as biscuits), Bay (1, grown from a small tree), Good King Henry (1), Rocket (1 perennial), Greek Oregano (1), Oregano varieties (2), Majoram (1), Chives (2), Lady's Mantle (1), Orange Thyme (1), Broadleaf Thyme (1), Common Thyme (2), Roses (2, most of us forget that some are edible and medicinal), Lovage (1), Angelica (1), Garlic chives (1), Curry plant (1), Parsley Flat (2), Parsley Curled (1), Bronze Fennel (1), Fennel (1).

Then I plant Coriander, Dill, Borage and Basil annually. I know I probably have forgot some.

[sewer rat]

Andrewo
How do you use Ladies Mantle as a herb - have it in my garden where it is like a weed !
Rat

[Nicos]

andrewO - thats impressive!
Ok here's my list...dill, thyme,margoram,rosemary,sage,Italian parsley,comphrey,spearmint,peppermint,yarrow,chives,horseradish,angelica,valerian,ladies mantle,sorrel,lemon balm,wild garlic. Those white witches out there now have a complete medical history on our family!!! We have quite a large area near our greenhouse that we are intending to put over to herbs (not bunny proof!!) so maybe I can write a thesis on the ailments of wild bunnies!!

[Lesley Jay]

Andrewo do you use the curry plant in cooking? I also grow it but after I read that it was poisonous it stopped me using it!!

[andrewo]

both lady's mantle and curry plant are medicinal. Lady's mantle is a firming cream and have been told that curry plant in hot water, you breathe in the vapours, clears the airways when you have a cold (but I wouldn't try it!). Not all herbs are for eating!

[Geordie]

Here is my list from previous thread:

Alexanders, Angelica, Anise, Basil (6 varieties), Bergamot, Caper, Carraway, Catmint, Chervil, Chives, Claytonia, Comfry, Coriander, Cumin, Dill, Elecampane, Fennel, Fenugreek, Garlic, Goosefoot, Hyssop (for attracting bees), Lovage, Marjoram (x3), Mint (x4), Orach, Oregano, Parsley (x2), Pyrethrum (insecticide), Rocket, Rosemary, Sage (x3), Tarragon, Thyme, Yarrow.

Basil varieties are, marseillais (a must!), large green, mrs burns (lemon), magical micheal, red, siam queen.

Sage varieties are, greek, narrow leaved and tangerine

Thyme varieties are, lemon, porlock and french

Chive varieties are, evergreen, forescate

Mint varieties are, apple, nile valley, buddelia, tashkent

Marjoram varieties are, french, golden, pot

[andrewo]

Lemon Balm! I knew I forgot something! How could I forget this bully? Top tip, in spring cut it right back and it won't be so rampant. Tastes great in drinks.

[andrewo]

I'm glad so many people use herbs, my mum had a herb garden for years (I inherited alot of plants off her when she tore it out, only lost winter savoury and an old rosemary bush) but never used it in her cooking.

[Lesley Jay]

Andrewo the curry plant that I bought was sold to me as a culinary herb. It even had a label with it giving examples of how to use it in cooking. Don't eat the leaves but put a sprig in the water with rice or vegetables. Then I checked with my book and it's poisonous.

[andrewo]

A number of herbal plants are poisonous, rosemary is a poisonous, as it can cause hallucinations. I've read a few things on curry plants, some say they're poisonous, others say it's a good cat deterrant and few say about its edible factors - I would really look into this first and contact Jekka McVicar, she knows everything. We had Rue as a plant, and many books say you can eat this, except other books say it can cause heart attacks, even touching it! Most herbs are poisonous, in the right conditions and the right quantities.

[Nicos]

Have grown rue in the past , but never used it, so can't comment on the side-effects.
However,as we like the idea of a country garden we sprinkled fox glove seeds around which, when grown ,looked fantastic until it was time to cut them back/pull them up. Turns out I was allergic to them big time -metallic taste,giddy,nausea and palpitations+++. All from touching them for just a few minutes!
Our neighbour grew a plant which spread like a weed into our garden whose sap is supposed to make warts drop off when painted on. Never tried it though.

[andrewo]

I'm not suprised that the fox gloves made you sick, they're digitalis, you are lucky, digitalis kills - everyone is allergic to foxgloves if digested in any way you need to go to a hospital, it makes the heart irregular.

[Lesley Jay]

Maybe one of you will know the answer to this. Black onion seeds are also known as Kalonji onion seeds or Nigella onion seeds. The herb Nigella Satvia gives you Nigella seeds also known as Black Cumin seeds. So two questions. First are Black onion seeds, Kalonji onion seeds, Nigella onion seeds, Nigella seeds and Black Cumin all the same? Second question. Is the garden plant Nigella the same as the herb Nigella?

[Nicos]