| Herb gardening is becoming more and more | | | | especially if the gardener doesn't want plants that |
| popular every day and for good reason. Herbs | | | | require a lot of hassle. Chives are good when |
| have practical value, serve a purpose and with | | | | used in salads, egg dishes and many different |
| herb gardening, you can actually get to use your | | | | sauces. |
| plants. When most people think of herb gardening, | | | | Mint is also very simple to grow and is good to |
| they automatically think of cooking, but herbs are | | | | use in mint jelly, mint juleps, lemonade and any |
| also grown for their pleasant aromas and their | | | | other kind of fruity drink. Mint is also good in herb |
| beauty. | | | | gardening, for its unique minty smell. Two herbs |
| One important part of herb gardening, is drying | | | | that appear in nearly everyone's herb garden, are |
| the herbs, for use during the winter months, | | | | Thyme and Sage. Both of these herb gardening |
| especially if you plan on cooking with them. First, | | | | favourites, are used for flavouring soups, chicken, |
| the tops of leafy herbs have to be cut, washed, | | | | turkey, pork and other sausages. Sage is also |
| and hung up, for the water to evaporate. Then, | | | | grown sometimes, for its beautiful blue spiked |
| tie the stems together and hang them up in a | | | | flowers. |
| paper bag, to dry properly. After two, to three | | | | Lavender is probably the best smelling herb, in all |
| weeks, they can be removed. Crumble the | | | | of herb gardening and is often used in candles, as |
| leaves, dry them out in the oven and store in a | | | | a perfume scent and to improve the smell in linen |
| glass jar. | | | | chests. The light purple flowers smell absolutely |
| One of the most common herbs gown in herb | | | | lovely. |
| gardening, is Basil. "Dark Opal" and regular Green | | | | Other types of herbs often grown in herb |
| Basil, are beautiful additions to any garden and are | | | | gardening, include Borage (used in salads), Chervil |
| often used as decoration. Dark Opal has light pink | | | | (used in egg dishes), sweet Marjoram (flavours |
| flowers and dark red leaves. Basil isn't just used | | | | lamb, fish, salad, and soup), Sesame (flavours |
| for its looks, it is used for extra flavour in tomato | | | | crackers, cookies and bread) and Dill (flavours |
| juices and pastes. | | | | meats and used in pickles). Herb gardening allows |
| Chives are very petite looking and resemble a | | | | gardeners to use herbs from their own garden, |
| blade of grass. They are much stronger than they | | | | for cooking, looks and smell. Herb gardening will |
| look however and will grow well, through a | | | | produce much fresher herbs, with more flavour |
| drought. Their toughness and sturdiness makes | | | | than store-bought herbs and are a lot cheaper. |
| Chives a perfect plant, for herb gardening, | | | | |