Gardening with Margaret Matthews
Create a herb garden — for beauty, fragrance and flavour
by Margaret Matthews
There were days in winter when we thought spring had come early, but now that it is officially upon us, there is so much to see and do in the garden, that it is difficult to decide whether to weed the vegie bed or admire the pink and white fruit tree blossom or gloat over the daffodils, or mow the lawn which has suddenly sprung into growth.
Spring is unpredictable, with bursts of sunshine and blasts of chill winds. The deciduous shrubs and trees are putting forth green shoots, as are the roses which will begin to flower in October. Bird life is returning and so, of course, are the snails, aphids and thrips. Days are gradually lengthening, and the sight of all this growth and vigour must surely stir us out of our winter lethargy.
So, why not take on yet another task? There is nothing like something new to stimulate our interest and give the garden a new dimension. So why not create a herb garden?
If you have never grown herbs before, or if you have a few of the more commonly used herbs at your back door, it is perhaps time to create a special place for a more extensive herb collection.
Many herbs have beautiful and colourful flowers, attractive foliage, distinctive perfume and a myriad of uses. They would deserve a place in the garden had they only one of these attributes, but they are a most versatile group of plants.
There are many ways of growing herbs in the garden: in containers (both pots and baskets); interplanted in beds with other species; or on their own; or in a combination of all these ideas, depending on the size and scope of one’s garden. If you would like to really ambitious you could create a knot garden – a circular bed shaped like the spokes of a wheel, or whatever design takes your fancy.
The bed should have a sunny, open aspect with good drainage, so it makes sense to raise the bed a few centimetres above ground level. Dwarf rosemary or lavender bushes can be used as a border, clipped into a low hedge. There are many prostrate thymes, mints and other herbs which will make a groundcover and herbs of a suitable height can be chosen to fill the rest of the bed. Consideration should also be given to the colour of the flowers and foliage. There are many grey and silver foliaged herbs which can be contrasted with the various greens.
Herbs respond well to shaping and pruning. They need summer watering, occasional fertilising, and sensible harvesting, which means understanding which are suitable for drying or freezing, which should be allowed to seed and which should be used when freshly gathered. Some can be put to all these uses.
Herbs are used to add flavour to cooked food, in salads and beverages. They have been used medicinally for hundreds of years, and also in cosmetics. They can be gathered and made into ‘Tussie Mussies’ (posies) which can be fresh or dried.
Apart from the ever-popular Tussie Mussies, herbs are ideal for gifts: bunches of lavender, tied with ribbon, dried herbs in small jars with a decorative label, sauces and chutneys with herb flavourings, mint jelly, herb pillows to encourage sleep. There are countless ways to create gifts and your herb garden will give you endless inspiration.
There are many herb books available. A very good one is Kim Fletcher’s ‘Herbs for Australian Gardens’ published by McPhee Gribble-Penguin in 1988. It may be out of print, but should be in libraries. It covers all aspects of herb growing, including pest control, companion planting and propagation.
The following list of herbs is by no means complete. I have used the common names, because they are fairly widely accepted and I do not have space here to include the botanical names.
Aloe Vera, Angelica, Basil (several species), Bergamot, Betony, Borage, Catmint, Caraway, Chamomile, Chervil, Comfrey, Coriander, Curry Plant, Dill, Elderberry, Fennel, Foxglove, Garlic, Geranium (scented – many species), Hyssop, Lavender (many and varied species), Lemon Balm, Lemon Grass, Lemon Verbena, Marigold, Marjoram, Mint (many kinds), Mustard, Nasturtium, Oregano, Parsley (varieties), Pennyroyal, Pyrethrum, Rosemary (several forms), Rue, Sage (various), Santolina, Soapwort, Sorrel, Tansy, Thyme (a great variety), Witchhazel, Wormwood, Yarrow.
In recent years Asian herbs have been introduced to us through the plethora of Thai and Vietnamese restaurants and cookbooks. Dried herbs can be found in Asian shops and markets which may also have seeds available for planting.
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