One of the neat things about growing herbs is that you can grow them year round.  Herb garden plants grow very well indoors which means you can continue to have fresh herbs all winter. Plus, all the beautiful greenery really perks up your home.

There are many different herbs with many different uses.  In addition to adding wonderful flavor to your dishes, they can be decorative as well as produce a wonderful fragrance.  Herb garden plants are much nicer and healthier to smell than commercial sprays that are used to freshen the air in your home.  There is nothing like the sweet smell of a fresh herb garden when you walk into your home.

Herbs are also used for medicinal purposes.  They have been used for healing for hundreds of years.  A popular herb used for medicinal purposes is mustard seed.  It has been known to provide relief for sore muscles and arthritis when applied to the skin. It is used to help with respiratory problems and, when ingested, aids the digestive system.

If you are interested in growing herbs for medicinal purposes then do a little research to learn more about these herbs.  There are many that have lots of different healing properties.  You will find lots of information on the internet and there are some good books available that will tell you all about the many uses of various herbs. Before using medicinal herbs it is always a good idea to check with your physician.

Growing herb garden plants in your kitchen is great because, if you like to use fresh herbs for cooking, they are right there within easy reach.  If you have limited space you might want to choose which herbs to grow based on those you will use most when preparing meals.

A very popular herb and one of the easiest to grow is Italian herbs.  These herbs are great for cooking but are beautiful and have a wonderful fragrance as well. Some examples of Italian herbs are oregano, parsley, basil, fennel and garlic.

Some other ideas for your herbs include adding some fresh sage to your turkey dressing and adding thyme to spice up a Cajun dish.  Mint leaves added to iced tea makes a tasty drink to go with your meal.

Culinary herbs are excellent for growing indoors in the winter.  When the markets are low on supply you will have all the herbs you need right at your fingertips. You also have the added benefit of their wonderful aroma and beautiful foliage.

I shouldn’t speak of wonderful scents without mentioning lavender.  For fragrance this is perhaps the most popular of all herb garden plants.  It is known for its calming effect and is widely use in sachets and potpourri.  There is nothing like relaxing after an herb filled meal with the wonderful aroma of lavender filling the room!

Although when lavender is mentioned visions of sweet smelling cachets, perfumes and oils come to mind, lavender is an herb and a very tasty one at that. The use of the lavender herb as an aromatic or medicinal herb has been common throughout history.

Recipes for healing and perfumes were passed on through the generations in written documentation or oral lessons on usage and applications of this very aromatic herb. In early history, the lavender herb was only grown by royal families and in monasteries. Tutankhamen’s tomb is said to have jars of a mixture that smells like lavender and during that time period lavender was used in embalming methods. However, let’s consider using this fragrant herb for culinary purposes.

Lavender (Lavandula) is a member of the mint family and can easily be substituted for rosemary in recipes. Usually the leaves and the flowers of the bush are used as the stems can be hard and woody. The lavender herb may be brewed into a tea to alleviate headaches, relieve stress and depression and aid in sleep. Drinking a cup of lavender tea before bed can be very beneficial.

In culinary applications usually just the buds and flowers are used adding a bit of a sweet and elegant flavor to dishes. Lavender syrup made by boiling water, sugar and lavender flowers may be used in ice teas, lemonades, mixed with fresh berries or poured over cakes. The lavender herb added to butter creates a delightful topping for biscuits or sweet breads.

Lavender may also be added to scones, coffee cake, pound cake for a sweet flavor, or in potato, meat and eggs dishes for a more elegant taste. Paired with a goat cheese, the lavender herb will add a new dimension of flavor. There are also many external uses for lavender, including extracting oils for perfumes, natural mosquito repellent and was even used during war time to dress wounds.

Lavender is difficult to cultivate indoors, but drying the lavender herb for storage will keep plenty on hand for culinary purposes. Lavender is an excellent herb to grow in an herb garden, not only for the beautiful fragrance – but also for its many uses, so experiment – create your own culinary delights!

Growing your own herbs in an Italian herb garden provides a huge amount of possibilities. Some of the most famous and tastiest herbs in the world come from Italy. Some of the best cuisines come from Italy and are famous for their herbs.

Basil is one of the many herbal jewels in the crown of Italian herb gardens. It comes in various subtle flavours and enhances Italian dishes. In addition to being a flavouring agent in cooking Basil is of great value in the garden. Used as a companion plant to peppers and tomatoes it enhances their rich garden flavour. Basil is also said to repel flies and mosquitoes. Hang it in loose bunches outside your kitchen door, or keep pots of it by the back entry.

The next flavour of note comes from Parsley. Parsley is a more challenging herb to grow, but is well worth the effort it takes. It graces not only Italian fare but many other cuisines. Prior to the commercial trend of buying breath mints, gourmet diners discovered the power of parsley to sweeten the breath and remove the odor of spicy and flavourful foods. That discovery is the origin of serving parsley as a garnish with a meal. Lovely Oregano at its maturity has pretty little purple flowers. The flowers are the sign that it is time to harvest Oregano, for when it flowers, the flavour has peaked.

Fennel is famous for its seeds that grace and enhance the flavours of Italian sausage. The interesting thing about fennel is that the plant looses its flavour as it matures. It is a perennial plant that should be divided and replanted every few years to savour its flavour.

Like basil, rosemary is an Italian herb that is beneficial to the garden. It grows into a large shrub that spouts pretty little blue flowers. It helps the garden by attracting bees. Although it is a tough evergreen perennial, it is sensitive to frost.

Garlic is quite likely the universal herb and is an essential part of an Italian herb garden. Plant garlic cloves in most soils and ignore them, they still will yield good harvest. Harvest the bulbs, and store them in the refrigerator, in vinegar or in oil. Braid the stems and make an artisan looking chain to hang in your kitchen.

Sage, is a very old and traditional herb that is found in meats, and salads and side dishes. Sage tea is soothing to the stomach. New growth from the plant has the best taste, and will add the most to your dishes. Keep the woody growth cut back so that you will continue to have those tender shoots. Harvest sage after it blooms. Use it throughout the growing season, without trimming back the entire plant.

Has reading about Italian herbs got your mouth watering? Do you know which herbs you would most likely use from an Italian herb garden? If you can provide the right growing conditions and are ready to do some herb gardening, consider planting some of these culinary herbs. Remember they also beautify your landscape while lending their aromatic essence to the surrounding area. Their soft colours and fragrance filling the air are like a vacation to Italy.

“If this book shall instill or awaken in its readers the wholesome though “cupboard” love that the culinary herbs deserve both as permanent residents of the garden and as masters of the kitchen, it will have accomplished the object for which it was written.”

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