Herbs - The Magical Story
by Arleen Kaptur
When you think of herbs, you probably think of seasonings. These precious little
gems can add taste to any dish, add to its enticing aroma, and even change an
entire recipe.
Herbs offer much more than this. They can be used as decorative plants in your
garden. They make great room decorations, scented sachets, wonderful as dyes,
and create exceptional home-brewed teas.
Herbs are versatile in many ways. You can plant the tiny seeds in containers and
place them on your windowsill or deck. They make very creative borders for your
flower or vegetable gardens, and they even fill in as ground covers. Even when
they are dried, you can make wreaths that will give a delightful aroma to anyone
who comes to your door!
Many people strongly believe in their medicinal qualities such as herbal teas
for many ailments, hot wraps, and digestion enhancers.
If you grow herbs indoors, it may surprise you that they never get very large.
While dinner is being prepared, a snip here and a snip there will add that very
special flavor to your meal. It will also keep the plant small but always
producing their flavor for you to enjoy. They definitely add zest to any
culinary endeavor as well as fill your home with the aromatic treat of
appetizing smells.
Herbs grown outside also offer a lot of advantages to the gardener. They mingle
with your other plants adding to the fragrance in the air. Some herbs grow in
the shade, such as mint and chervil, while others enjoy full sunshine. Herbs
make great garden success stories. They need very little tending, except for
weeding. Your usual gardening practices of watering, cultivating, and
fertilizing suits them just fine. They are even cold-hardy, such as rosemary and
thyme, that can withstand very low temperatures.
Whatever spices you have been buying to add to your favorite dishes, try growing
them yourself. You will always have a fresh supply, they can be dried which
gives them even more potency, and they add eye appeal to your decor, not to
mention the room freshening scents they offer for free.
When you are making your gardening plans this year, try herbs. You won’t be
sorry and you will find yourself discovering new places to tuck in a plant or
two around your garden. There is one caution: They do become habit forming
because they are such garden success stories. So, the solution - share with
family and friends. ©Arleen M. Kaptur 2002
Arleen Kaptur may be contacted at
http://www.arleenssite.com
akaptur@centurytel.net
Author of books and articles on living a simple, rustic lifestyle - and getting
the most from each and every day. Websites:
http://www.arleenssite.com
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