Advice about growing herbs and information about herb gardening

Herbs have been used for centuries - and still are still being used - in this country any many other parts of the world for all sorts of reasons. We offer advice and information about growing and using herbs - in your cooking and medicinal uses.

Herb gardening is once again gaining in popularity as we move away from synthetic drugs and chemicals. But apart from that it makes good sense to grow your own herbs for both their ornamental and cooking uses - not to mention the aromatic and medicinal uses.

Never forget that we (mankind) got as far as we have by using herbs for eating and healing. There was no National Health - or small informal herb garden with planted herb container even easy access to doctors until after 1940. We got that far with the use of herbs! In the days of 'conversation' Advice and information about herbs was freely available and handed down through generations. As other forms of communication have developed, and modernisation has been the 'Go word' Herbs have lost some of their importance in the western civilizations.

Anyone can grow herbs, and what's more to the point, is that they can be grown almost anywhere; garden, window box, container, windowsill, old boot, sun, shade, dry bank, boggy area. In fact anything that stands still!

They are almost universally easy to grow and propagate. they can be propagated from cuttings, seeds, divisions, bulbils, in water, in the green house or in a cold frame.

Herb seeds have been discovered in late stone age settlements, and the Chinese described medicinal plants and herbs from as early as 3000 BC - that's five thousand years ago. We probably owe our very survival in no mean part to the knowledge base of advice and information about herbs that was built up thousands of years ago. Much of that herbal advice and information, has been preserved by folklore and written word over the centuries. We aim to re-discover that database of herbal knowledge, and put it to good use.

Even animals - or at least those fortunate (?) enough not to have access to a vet - use herbs (plants) to cure themselves of all sorts of ailments! Surely we are as clever as these animals.

The growing and use of herbs is shrouded in mystique - probably as a result of historical uses by witches, and witch doctors. Read the information we have here and follow our advice about herb growing and we should be able to dispel some of the mysteries that surround Herbs and Herbals!

Even if grown just as 'Plants' there should be room for a wide range of herbs in any garden - or patio container.

The Herb Garden at Wisley RHS There are herbs for almost any situation in the garden, but a specific herb garden should not be overlooked. We will help you how to plan it and then go about it. Herbs are not the dowdy things of years ago. Many ornamental herbs exist - with good foliage effect. Some are evergreen, some deciduous, some herbaceous and some hardy perennial. There are of course also annual herbs, biennial herbs and tender herbs. To add to that, they can be grown indoors in the kitchen, and bought ready grown from many supermarkets. Visit a herb garden - the is bound to be one in the county or state that you live. Owners of herb gardens are almost universally helpful in wanting to advise or generally talk about the herbs that they grow.

Herbs are grown the world over. Herbs are used in cooking and healthcare the world over. Each continent or country has it's own different herbs, but almost always, they are an integral part of the cuisine, health and culture of that country. In the west, we seem to demand that everything that flavours comes out of a pot - rather than something that we put into a pot (cooking). there is herbal life beyond new potatoes with mint or lamb with mint sauce. Open your minds - go forward again to the past! You won't ne disappointed.

By now - hopefully - you will have realised that there in no excuse for not growing herbs - or at least one of your favourite ones in a pot somewhere! Use your imagination. Anything goes with herbs. They are not out of place in a shrub border even. In fact, some of them are classed as shrubs. Sages and Perovskia to mention two, and I suppose we should throw in the all time favourite - Lavenders! Herbs have a rightful place growing in the herbaceous border, for many of them are dual purpose - the Salvia - sage - group - and of course what herbaceous border would be complete without a few plants of Echinacea or Bergamots growing in them. The rose bed is a natural habitat for either low growing Thymes or lavenders. And any crack in a wall or paving is alright for low growing Thymes or other 'tread-able' treasures. And if its 'aroma' that you are after, then brushing up against the curry plant - Helichrysum will take a lot of beating.

So! Let's go Herb Gardenening.