The following is an article written by my wife Corinne…
A garden is never complete without herbs. Not only are they attractive but they also provide us with the joy and satisfaction of bringing deep flavours to home-made meals.
I regard an herb garden as a wonderful source of inspiration. There I can dream: Moroccan mint tea for breakfast; steamed potatoes with butter and parsley for lunch; thyme and rosemary to accompany a hearty stew, and lemon balm or verbena as a soothing bed-time tea. My imagination runs wild.
Lavenders take me to my birth-place in Southern France in a haze of deep intense blues under the sun. Aromatic thyme and sultry sage reminds me of the parched rocky banks of Crete, whilst the enchanting fragrance of the jasmine climbing on the wall of my patio transports me to mystical India!
The choice is yours how you may want to design your herb patch: a cluster of terracotta pots will enliven any empty corner very nicely, bringing the sunny Mediterranean or Mogul feel so sought after. Alternatively, you might choose to plant your herbs in formal neat rows or patterned designs.
My Grandfather who lived in Bordeaux, in France, used to grow a large row of emerald-green curly parsley in his well-tended garden, to supply us with this vital ingredient to French cuisine. Rich in iron and vitamin C, it would bring a distinctive flavour and texture to the simplest of dishes, from starters and soups to salads seasoned with olive oil, garlic and mustard, accompanied with fresh crusty bread and cheese.
And those who enjoy eating garlic might like to know that parsley is well-known for refreshing the breath!
The sky is the limit where your passion of herbs takes you. Growing more domesticated herbs on the window-sill will bring a multitude of cooking options: basil for salads, pasta and tomato dishes and coriander for curry and dhal, without forgetting always to keep fresh garlic and ginger at hand!
Pleased to ‘meet’ you Corrine and your passion for herbs is evident. Seems to me that apart from the cuisine, herbs give the garden everything – architecture, pollinator lures, contrast of foliage and aroma.
p.s. pardon my typing which errs towards dyslexia – I meant Corinne
Thanks for the suggestion for lemon balm. I have tons of this in my garden but haven’t tried making a tisane out if it. Is that the right word?
Hello Corrine, I agree, I would be lost without the herbs in my garden. It’s such a nice feeling to run out to the garden for a few fresh herbs to add to a meal. I’ve not tried lemon balm tea…I’ll have to research it. It grows well here.
We have a herb border which is very useful but it’s in the vegetable garden so we also have baskets of herbs at the back door for the quick foray outside whilst cooking.
A guest blogger! There’s a good idea. I wonder who I can bribe or persuade…
Enjoyed the post Corinne. Will you become a regular?
Hello Corinne, your post was very evocative. I love growing herbs to cook with too, although I am struggling this year to produce the large quantities of parsley and coriander I was planning, the wretched snails always seem to get there and munch the lot!