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Culinary Herbs: Allium schoenoprasum (z3—9) Chives Chives are one of the most important culinary herbs, with a mild onion flavor. The chopped leaves can be used to garnish soups, salads and cooked vegetables, in omelettes or mixed with cream cheese. The narrow grass-like leaves grow in clumps up to 15in high. Pink pompon-shaped flowers appear in summer, pretty enough to qualify chives to be used as edging plants in a rustic-style garden. For the best flavor, however, flower heads should not be allowed to form on the plant.
HERE ARE some favorite herbs that are grown more for their decorative appeal than for culinary reasons.
Lavandula angustifolia, commonly known as lavender, is a well-known herb used mostly in the flower garden. It has spikes of purple flowers and small, gray-green leaves, and is highly fragrant.
For a splash of color, the pot marigold, Calendula officinalis (annual), is a good rustic-style backyard plant with vivid orange-yellow flowers, each with a dark eye. Tansy, Tanacetum vulgare, is another favorite plant for rustic-style backyards. It has deeply cut leaves and small yellow flowers held on tall stems.
There are many other colorful ornamental herbs to brighten up the flower garden, including the nasturtium, Tropaeolum majus (annual). This has bright heads of scarlet, red, orange and yellow trumpet-shaped flowers and leaves that are rounded in shape. Bergamot, Monarda didyma, has spectacularly colorful flowers of red, pink, white or purple and the whole plant has a delightful fragrance.
Laurus nobilis (z810) Bay As a culinary herb, bay is indispensable, whether in a bouquet garni, added to the poaching liquid for fish, in stews and soups or even in creamed rice. An evergreen, its leaves have as much flavor in winter as in summer, a rare quality among herbs.
Propagation and growing: set out your plants in spring on any type of soil. A sunny, sheltered spot is preferable—leaves are easily damaged by sharp winds. Most trees will reach about 12ft in maturity if left alone. Specimens grown in Tubs of about 18in in diameter should be pruned to shape during the summer. Propagate from cuttings taken in late summer, or by layering low-growing shoots. |
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