Category — Herbs in the garden

They were once known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World — a manufactured mountain towering above the Babylonian plains, build by King Nebuchadnezzar II for his favourite wife, who was homesick for trees and mountains on the featureless Mesopotamian landscape, in what is now Iraq.

The Hanging Gardens were terraced roof gardens, built over a massive arching stone foundation and huge storage rooms.

The roofs were waterproofed with layers of bitumen, reeds, bricks and lead, and enough soil was added to suit trees. Deep wells supplied water to the gardens by means of a hydraulic machine.

Herbs would have been a popular ingredient in the famous gardens, as Babylonian records of the day show that the citizens had thyme, coriander, saffron, anise, poppy, mandrake, rosemary and hemp, as well as ornamentals such as roses, lupins and anemones.

There were probably many more exotic plants in the gardens as Iraq was on the classic Silk Road between East and West. In the millenia before Christ, the Arabs took full advantage of their location between the spice-producing eastern countries and the spice-consuming Western countries, to establish a virtual monopoly on trade.

However, in about 40ad, the secret of the wind systems over the Indian Oceans was unlocked by a Greek merchant named Hippalis. He observed that twice a year the prevailing winds — the monsoons — changed direction.

The Romans soon took advantage of this to establish a regular sea route to the East from Egypt, virtually killing the overland route in the process.

Photography by Dan Zen

Perennial
Achillea millefolium
Family: Compositae

History

Yarrow has always been considered a plant of great power—and was used by the Chinese as a herb of divination.

In fact, the I Ching (The Book of Changes) is also know as The Yarrow Stalk Oracle.

Its name is said to derive from Achilles who was reputed to have used it to staunch the bleeding wounds of his soldiers.

Uses

Medicinal: Yarrow is a wound herb, astringent and healing, and rich in vitamins and minerals. Bruised, fresh leaves bound to cuts help speed up healing. It is anti-spasmodic, anti-imflammatory, anti-flatulent and a tonic. It is also effective in lowering blood pressure, relaxing spasms, and arresting haemorrhage. A tea restores lost appetite and promotes perspiration during colds and fevers.
Culinary: Finely-chopped leaves added to a salad or sandwiches add a pleasantly sharp taste.
Garden: In the garden, yarrow is said to increase the health of nearby plants. It is also a good compost activator, and its flowers attract many beneficial insects, including ladybirds and parasitic wasps that prey on garden pests, in particular aphids.

Cultivation

A tough adaptable plant that survives in most climates as a perennial weed, it is easy to grow from seed or root.
Divide the roots of mature plants in early spring or autumn.
It can be invasive. Modern cultivars produce fine-coloured flowers on the end of stems.
Harvesting & storage: Harvest leafy stems and flowers on a dry morning when the plants are in the early stages of bloom. Hang upside down in a dark, dry and airy space. To store for teas, wait until the s tems are dry and crumble stem, leaves and flowers and store in airtight jars.

Perennial
Borago officinalis
Family: Boraginaceae

Despite being reviled by some gardeners as an ‘untidy weed’ borage is a delightful addition to any herb garden with its sparkling blue or rarer white flowers which entice bees from early spring to early autumn.

Blue, and if you’re lucky, white starry flowers are a very attractive addition to the garden despite its sprawling growth habit.

Plant near strawberries, and see the end result in bigger, sweeter fruit. It also strengthens resistance to insects and disease of nearby plants.

Borage is also one of the best bee magnets wherever pollinators are needed, as they love borage’s plentiful, sweet nectar.

Easily grown from seed; it will self-sow annually. Borage adapts to most positions and is very hardy.

The foliage does not store well, but the flowers can be crystallised.

The flowers and leaves have a crisp cucumber flavour. Delicious in salads. Wash leaves under cold water to reduce prickliness of leaves.

History

The ‘Herb of Gladness’, borage was a favourite of ancient scholars and writers.

John Gerard in his Herball writes:

Those of our time do use the floures in sallads to exhilerate and make the minde glad.

There be also many things made of them, used for the comfort of the heart, to drive away sorrow, & increase the joy of the minde.

The leaves and floures of Borrage put into wine make men and women glad and merry, driving away all sadnesse, dulnesse, and melancholy, as Dioscorides and Pliny affirme.

Syrrup made of the floures of Borrage comforteth the heart, purgeth melancholy, and quieteth the phrenticke or lunaticke person.

The generic name is thought to be derived from the Latin borra, ‘rough hair’, referring to its hairy stems and leaves.

Young borage leaves used to be boiled and eaten as a potherb and, finely shredded, were also eaten in spring salads. The flower is a symbol for courage.

Uses

Medicinal: Diuretic, demulcent, and emollient. An infusion drunk hot helps reduce temperatures and fevers. Very rich in potassium and easily assimilable calcium.
Culinary: Flowers and leaves have a crisp cucumber flavour. Delicious in salads. Wash leaves under cold water to reduce prickliness of leaves.
Ornamental: Blue, starry flowers are a very attractive addition to the garden despite its sprawling growth habit.
Companion planting: Plant with strawberries, as the two are mutually beneficial. It strengthens resistance to
insects and disease of nearby plants.
Other: Attracts bees to the garden wherever pollinators are needed, as they love borage’s plentiful, sweet nectar.

Cultivation

Easily grown from seed; will self-sow annually. Adaptable to most positions. Very hardy.
Harvesting & storage: Foliage does not store well, but the flowers can be crystallised.

Photograph by David Blaikie

A garden without birds, bees or butterflies is not really a garden — it tells you there are no flowers to attract them to their sweet nectar, and a garden without flowers would certainly be a dull place.

Thyme honey from Mount Hymettus in Greece has been famous for thousands of years and there are other honeys distinctively flavoured by certain flowers — for example, rosemary honey from the south of France and Spain, leatherwood honey from Tasmania and clover honey from Canada.

Most honey, however, is an amalgam of flavours from a mixture of sources, and the flowers of aromatic herbs in particular.

A third group, although producing less nectar, are hardy and reliable, and they include borage (which produce masses of grey-white pollen when it is particularly needed by bees), lavender, lemon balm, oreganum, rosemary and all the basils.

You don’t need your own hives to attract bees to your garden for their valuable job of pollinating your vegetables and fruit, they will travel several kilometres to a good source of nectar — and on a daily basis, except during bad weather. A garden designed specifically to attract bees and butterflies should be planted in full sun as this helps stimulate the production of nectar by the herbs.

Historically, hives were rubbed with lemon balm to attract swarms and the scented oil can be added to the syrup used for introducing queen bees to the hive. Stored with honey, wormwood stems and foliage discourages wax moth, and stroking a swarm of bees with bruised branches will encourage the bees to move on.

Perennial

Lavandula species
Family: Labiatae/Lamiaceae

History

Lavender’s name comes from the Latin ‘to wash’, and both the ancient
Romans and Greeks scented their soap and bath water with the herb.

Uses

Medicinal: The essential oil has spasmolytic, antiseptic and carminative properties. Warm lavender tea applied as a compress aids chest congestion, bruises and bites. Flower tea treats anxiety, headaches, flatulence, nausea, dizziness and halitosis. Lavender is safe but should be used in moderation.
Culinary: Flowers flavour jams, vinegar, sweets, cream, and can be crystalized.
Aromatic: Dried flowers add longlasting fragrance to sachets and potpourris. The aroma is an insect-repellent—an ideal herb for the linen press, wardrobe and jumper drawer.
Ornamental: With many species to choose from, there is a variety to suit and enhance any herb garden or herbaceous border. A good hedge plant.
Cosmetic: Lavender stimulates and cleanses the skin. Add to the bath.
Craft: Fresh or dried, it can be used in wreaths, arrangements, sprays and decorations. Lavender vinegar, for the dressing table not the dining table, is made by adding rose petals, lavender flowers and jasmine flowers to distilled vinegar. Stores well in airtight bottles.
Companion planting: Attracts bees and other pollinators to the garden.

Cultivation

Propagate from cuttings of side shoots in summer. After rooting, plant in well-drained soil in a sunny position. Drought and frost resistant.
Harvesting & storage: Harvest while in flower. Dry in shade in bunches, or on screens in an airy place.

Photograph by Amanda Leigh. Check her web site for more.

Plant plenty of lemon balm, lemon verbena and lemon grass on hand. Also, plenty of different species of mint, especially spearmint, peppermint, apple mint and orange mint.

Chamomile, too, would be needed en masse. Others to include are bergamot (which has a flowery essence not dissimilar to Earl Grey tea), anise-hyssop (with its licorice-mint flavour), briar roses, sage, sweet cicely and rue.

Medicinal teas are prepared in much the same way as ordinary teas, but are allowed to steep for much longer.

Tougher bits of herbs such as roots and bark are boiled for five minutes and then steeped and strained. Always use a lid to keep the volatile essential oils from escaping.

Often the brew is sipped at throughout the day to achieve the desired effect. Be aware, however,that not all herbs are suitable for making teas — culinary or medicinal.

Experiment first with the more traditional teas, and especially with the herbs used for medicinal reasons, and only use recipes in modern books.

Many of the older herbals — such as those by Gerard and Culpeper — are not reliable sources as new research has found problems with some of their concoctions, while also finding that many do work.

Enjoy and experiment with the well-known herbs first.

Perennial

Aloe vera
Family: Liliaceae/Aloeaceae

History

Aloe vera has a long history as a healing herb, and was used as an embalming ingredient in ancient Egypt.

The gel was applied externally to wounds — especially burns and scalds, and was often used to clear blemishes and maintain a healthy skin.

It has been said that Alexander the Great conquered Madagascar so that his army could have a good supply of the herb for healing wounds.

In the Congo, the Slukari hunters rub the gel over their bodies to remove their scent before they stalk their prey on foot.

Today the gel, obtained by breaking the leaves, is still used for its remarkable healing properties. Applied to wounds it forms a clear protective seal and encourages skin regeneration. It can be applied safely directly to cuts and burns and has an immediate soothing effect.

Extract of aloes has an intensely bitter taste, and has been known to be used as an aid to wean children and to discourage them from thumb-sucking and nail-biting.

Uses

Medicinal: Used internally for chronic constipation, poor appetite, and in colonic irrigation. It also destroys internal parasites.
Not to be given to pregnant women or those suffering from haemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome.
Major use is externally for burns, scalds, sunburn, wounds and eczema.

Cultivation

Easily propagated from suckers or offshoots that grow around the base of the plant.
Drainage is important and they will cope with soil low in nutrients, although they will prosper in fertile soil with limestone added.
Flowers are rare in cultivation.
Harvesting & storage: Leaves are cut as required from two- to three-year old plants and used as is.
The sap can be drained from leaves and evaporated. The leftover brown crystalline solid is used for creams, lotions and tinctures.