One positive result of the coronavirus has been an increase in home gardens. Some people want to explore a new hobby, while others are concerned about ongoing access to fresh produce. Gardening is also a child-friendly activity, so some parents are using the garden as a way to supplement learning at home.
This year I've started selling custom plant markers and I'm fascinated by what everyone is growing. My own knowledge of gardening in general and herbs in particular is rather limited. I've successfully planted a few fail-safe vegetables like cherry tomatoes which can survive my benign neglect after my initial enthusiasm wears off. (I always thought I hated tomatoes, but it turns out I mostly hate the tomatoes in grocery stores and restaurants.) As for herbs, I have a favorite recipe for chicken salad that uses fresh basil and I've taken to using rosemary when I'm roasting vegetables. I know you can make tea with mint, but I've never tried making my own. So when customers started ordering plant markers, I started researching some of the herbs to learn more. Many herbs have medicinal qualities, but my research focused more on history, cooking, and common use.
What is an Herb?
In cooking, herbs refer to the fragrant leafy or green part of the plant that is used to season dishes. Spices, in contrast, are made from the other parts of the plant such as the seeds or bark. (The Spruce Eats provides a nice overview of the differences.) According to An Encyclopedia of Kitchen Herbs, "The range of plants that we call herbs has, however, changed over the centuries in Europe. At one time, many familiar flowers such as pinks, peonies, roses and irises were termed herbs, as were most of our common vegetables."
Here are some random tidbits I've learned about specific herbs:
- Catmint and Catnip
Cats prefer catnip over catmint. The latter is apparently only interesting to cats when it's bruised. While catnip excites cats, it acts as a sedative on their human owners. - Chocolate Mint
Disappointingly, this herb does not taste like chocolate, only peppermint. - Cilantro and Coriander
Cilantro is what people in the U.S. call the leaves; the plant and seeds are known as coriander. Cilantro is almost always used raw, as the flavor fades when cooked. - Dill
One reason pregnant women might crave dill pickles is that dill is soothing to an upset stomach. - Fennel
In the Middle Ages, people hung fennel over doors to keep out evil spirits. - Horseradish
Horseradish has been cultivated for so many hundreds of years that no one seems to know where it originated. - Lavender
The essential oils derived from lavender plants were used as a disinfectant to treat wounds and clean hospitals during World War I. - Lemongrass and Lemon Verbena
Both herbs contains citral, which gives them their citrus flavor. They can be used interchangeably in recipes, although you might notice subtle taste differences. - Marjoram
Sometimes plants sold as sweet marjoram are really Italian oregano. - Meadowsweet
Queen Elizabeth I liked this herb and laid it on the floors of her palaces. - Parsley
Planting parsley around the perimeter of your garden can help protect it from rabbits and deer. (They're supposed to nibble the parsley and leave the rest of the garden alone.) - Pineapple Sage
Hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to the flowers on this herb that bloom between August and October. - Rosemary
Rosemary symbolizes remembrance and is sometimes used at funerals and weddings. - Thyme
Thyme was one of the herbs used by ancient Egyptians to preserve mummies.
Confession time: After writing this blog post, I bought a tiny container of pineapple sage to plant in my yard to attract butterflies. Wish me luck!
Resources
For my research, I checked out these books online using Hoopla through my local library:
- An Encyclopedia of Kitchen Herbs
- Essential Aromatherapy Garden by Julia Lawless
- Growing Your Own Tea Garden by Jodi Helmer
- Homegrown Herbs by Tammi Hartung
Credits
The title photo was taken by pintando la luz on Unsplash.