Here’s our list of 5 herbs that are great for planting and will give you great joy in the garden and in the kitchen.
Sage
This perennial herb does great in a sunny spot in your garden. Look after it well and it will grow to a little bush about 2 feet tall. The leaves are great sautted in butter and tossed over pasta. It also goes well with pork roasts. Mix with thyme and make an infusion against a sore throat. Sage develops incredible blue flowers that are a magnet for bees. A few plants next to each other also make a great hedge for your veggie garden.
Mint
Refreshing herb for many alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. Some people cook it with potatoes or add a bit to minced beef….seemingly endless culinary uses. It usually does well in any kind of soil, but beware – it will spread if not planted in a container. I heard of people who plant it in their wild meadow – gives off a nice smell when mowing the lawn. It’s a perennial herb as well – plant once, enjoy many times.
Parsley
Many people like the Italian flat leave variety – but the curly variety is wonderful too. Whichever variety you pick, you can add the chopped leaves to garnish almost any dish. Make sure to add just before serving as it will loose flavour and essential oils when cooked. Chop and freeze any abundance of parsley and enjoy in winter stews. Grow parsley in your herb garden or next to tomatoes. Can overwinter if your ground isn’t too wet.
Garlic Chives
Give them full sun and they will reward you with a cluster of chives that taste part onion, part garlic. They grow well in herb or flower gardens, their flowers attracting many beneficial insects. Pick chives to add to egg dishes or stews – or simply mix in salad dressings.
Basil
Now, who doesn’t like basil ! Plant in full sun but make sure just to water the base of the plant, droplets of water will burn the leaves on a hot day. Just like with parsley, don’t cook basil as it will loose all his flavour and essential oil. Also, keep basil in water on the kitchen counter. Pesto and basil seem inseparable, but you can also eat basil with tomatoes and mozarella cheese in a salad. Does well in containers, we also have planted Basil between tomato plants and they grow well together. make sure to pick the stem from the top, the plant will bush out from there on.
