Plant Inspirations
April 2008 ~ Herbal Presence
Herbs have played an important role in human societies for centuries – in romance, religion, health and food. So why not grow your own herbs and enjoy the delicious taste and fragrance of your own plants? Your produce will be so much fresher and tastier than that bought in the supermarket. Herb growing is also an ideal way to introduce children to the world of gardening. They’ll delight in watching their own special plants growing into edible leaves ready for their home-made pizzas! 
Creating a herb bed just outside the kitchen window or back door will make it easily accessible to the kitchen as well as being a wonderfully sensory area. Herbs can be planted directly into the ground or grown in a selection of terracotta pots. The ideal plan is to do both. You can even recycle old and chunky hardwood timbers by constructing a raised bed; the edges will be perfect for relaxing on at the end of a gardening day (and drinking a Pimms with some home-picked borage!). 
There really are some ‘must have’ culinary plants for the herb garden.  Fresh bay (Laurus nobilis) leaves give a casserole a wonderful flavour. Bay likes to be in a sunny and protected position but otherwise is hardy throughout the winter months.  Lower growing and equally essential hardy herbs include oregano (Oreganum vulgare) and sweet marjoram (Oreganum marjorana) as well as a selection of thymes such as Thymus Silver Posie and Thymus Doone Valley. 

Chives, French tarragon, garlic, parsley, rosemary (try Mrs Jessopps Upright in the bed and Prostratus in a pot) and sage (green and purple varieties) are other hardy musts. One of the most flavoursome herbs is basil which can be planted out in the summer but must be dug up and over-wintered in a pot in the conservatory or on the kitchen window sill. All are perennial except for basil which is an annual and parsley which is a biennial.

And don’t forget mint, another necessity but a rampant one so is best planted in a large pot, at least 30cm across, and partially plunged into the ground to help retain the moisture. Keep cutting the mint during the summer to ensure it remains lush. Try growing Mentha spicata (garden mint, ideal for cooking with new potatoes) and Mentha spicata var. crispa 'Moroccan' (perfect for mint sauce or mint jelly).

For fragrance, plant chamomile, chocolate mint, curry plant, lavender, lemon balm and pineapple sage. Brushing against these plants will produce a heady aroma which is at its most pungent during early summer evenings.
Herbs really require very little maintenance. They’re easy to grow and rarely suffer from pests and diseases. They like to be in a sunny position and planted in very well drained soil that isn’t too fertile. Some fertiliser can be added to the new bed during preparation but after that, all your herbs will need is watering when the ground becomes too dry.nce, needing nothing more than a trim in late winter to remove any untidy shoots that spoil the framework.
Make sure you keep them healthy and bushy by regular trimming and naturally those fresh leaves can be used straightaway either in cooking or around the house for bursts of summer fragrance. It isn’t going to be possible to use all of the leaves during the summer so once picked, simply rinse them, dry with some kitchen roll and freeze in bags or plastic containers. They can be used straight from the freezer during the winter months to flavour warming soups and casseroles – and to remind you that summer is just around the corner!

Newington Nurseries, a haven for plant lovers, on the A329, Newington, nr. Stadhampton, Oxon

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