Photograph by Jos

Our modern monoculture farming traditions have created great swathes of pasture dominated by a mere two or three species.

Animals need as much variety in their diet as humans, and they instinctively know what to nibble or browse to correct dietary deficiencies.

While it may be an impossible task in the short term to convert existing pastures. it is easy enough to create smaller areas devoted to short-term grazing by planting fenced-off areas with suitable perennials and self-seeding annuals.

On smaller homesteads, it would be of value to grow herbs in quantity especially for your livestock and pets.

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Ginger’s Asian cousin — Galangal

Perennial
Zingiber officinale
Family: Zingiberaceae

History

Four thousand four hundred years ago Greek bakers were using ginger imported from the Orient.

It was even listed as a taxable commodity by the Romans in ad200. It was a popular component of Chinese medical literature during the later Han dynasty (ad25-220).

In Ayurvedic medicine, ginger was known as the ‘universal medicine’, and in both Indian and Chinese medical prescriptions, it plays a part in more than half the concoctions.

The Spanish were cultivating it by the 16th century, and in 1884 alone, Britain imported three million kilograms of the root!

Ginger’s distinctive flavour comes from volatile oil, gingerols and shogoals — the latter, a breakdown product of gingerols, are produced only on drying, and are twice as pungent at gingerols.

Dried ginger is therefore hotter than fresh.

Uses

Medicinal: Ginger tea is used to soothe indigestion, take the wind out of flatulence and to reduce fevers. It is effective against motion sickness, nausea, morning sickness, colds, coughs and flu. A steam inhalation treats colds and lung infections. It is used externally for spasmodic pain, rheumatism, lumbago, menstrual cramps and sprains.

Culinary: The root rhizome is used fresh, dried, pickled and preserved (usually crystallised). It is essential to oriental dishes and is used elsewhere in desserts, cordials, confectionery and baking. It is also used in curries, chutneys, pickles, meat and fish dishes, soups and marinades. Pickled ginger (gari) is used in Japanese cuisine, particularly with sushi.

Cultivation

Propagate from a rhizome. Prefers rich, moist soils in a protected, sunny position. Drought and frost tender.
Harvesting & storage: Keep fresh root in vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. Can also be pickled, dried and ground, and candied.

Herb butter is made by folding finely chopped herbs such as chervil, parsley and lemon thyme into creamed butter, together with seasonings such as lemon, onion or garlic juice, mashed green peppercorns and salt and pepper.

Once mixed you can roll the butter, wrap it clingwrap and freeze. Just cut off what you need from time to time.

It is used as a garnish for grilled meat or fish, for tossing with fresh young vegetables, or spread on thin heavy bread.

Or try cutting slices across, but not right through, a French loaf, spread herb butter into each incision, sprinkle the loaf with cold water and bake for 7 minutes in a hot oven [220°C]. This will crisp the crust and melt the butter into the loaf. Enjoy!

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.

Photograph by Patrik Beranek

It’s the end of a hard day in the garden, the kettle’s on, and it’s time to make a choice – tea or coffee?

A bit boring when you consider the myriad combinations of herbs that can be blended to provide just the perfect drink to suit your mood — something uplifting and cheerful, or something to ease the pain of tired muscles?

Herbal teas go hand-in-hand with the long history of herbs — they were first used as a convenient way to take medicine — and today they are often taken as a simple refreshing drink.

Easy to make: simply add two tablespoons of fresh or one tablespoon of dried herb for each cup of water, plus a ‘bit for the pot’.

Pour in boiling water and let steep for about five minutes. Strain the tea when the desired strength and taste has been reached. Serve with honey, lemon, an orange slice, or fresh herb sprigs.

For iced teas add a little more herbs to make up for the melting ice. You can also freeze herbal teas in ice cube trays and use the cubes to chill other types of summer drinks. As you gain experience and enjoyment with herb teas, try these various tea blends:

• rosehips and a twist of lemon
• lemongrass, rosemary and thyme.
• rosehips and bay.
• basil, lemon grass, lemon verbena and lemon thyme.
• lemon verbena and borage.
• sage and rosehips.
• spearmint and lemon balm.
• marjoram and lemon verbena.
• rose petals, rose hips and raspberry leaf.
• pennyroyal, peppermint and ginger.
• chamomile and apple mint.