The Hedgewitch Cooks

Herb Garden Magic

(Photo by blogger - some of my container herbs)

Reblogged from The Herb Society of America blog.  

Let it be known that I LOVE herbs of all kinds!

Herb Garden Magic

Our next-door neighbor Rebecca was 6 or 7 years old when she began her Saturday morning visits. She was pale and undersized; her parents said she was born with a heart condition. They never allowed Rebecca to play outside. She couldn’t ride the school bus or attend the birthday parties of her classmates.

But for some reason, Rebecca was allowed to walk across her yard and ring our doorbell, which she did frequently. She always asked the same question, “Would you show me your herb garden?”

So I’d dry my hands, hang up the phone, or drop whatever else I was doing and together we’d head out into the yard.

In May, we’d stop under the white wooden arbor to smell the climbing Cecile Brunner rose with its sweet and spicy scent.

herb garden entryway

Other weeks we’d stoop to pick a few sprigs from “Thyme Square,” comparing the colors and fragrances of caraway thyme, Doone Valley thyme, and lemon thyme.

thyme square

In mid-summer, the anise hyssop always put on a bee-buzzing, purple-hued show. The smell of which never failed to surprise and delight us.

And on a warm August day, what’s more thrilling than the scent of a roughly textured leaf of lemon verbena?

Late in the growing season, Rebecca and I would dead-head the green and purple basil, pinching off the flowers and in the process, stain our fingertips with the heavy smell.

After many weeks of these pleasant, but none-the-less interrupting interruptions, I impatiently answered the doorbell and asked Rebecca, “Why do you love herbs so much?”

She looked surprised and said, “Oh, I don’t care about the garden. I just like to watch you pick a leaf, put it to your nose, and shiver all over when you smell it.”

Our weekly horticulture class might have missed its intended target, but we shared a little herb garden magic.

submitted by Holly Cusumano, Philadelphia Unit

My kind of garden

If you are using row crops, there is no reason the rows need to be linear, you can design a non linear garden. Cane wigwam will support pole beans, onions and vegetables are growing in circular plantings. 

Note the boxwood hedge skirting a larger hedge with some topiary in this garden.

Image and text from Old Moss Woman's Secret Garden.

Natural Beauty

This was my herb garden several years ago.

Someone threw out a bookcase

which I immediate grabbed

seeing its potential as

 a splendid container garden.

I am looking forward to

planting another garden this year.


I bought my first herb already.

Lemon Thyme.

She sits in the sunny window

dreaming of warm weather

and having her roots

sink deeply

in the Earth.


I have some other herbs

from last year that will return

in the warmer weather.

Thyme, Greek oregano, sage, several mints.

I'm amazed that the rosemary

is still standing and is still green.

Maybe she'll actually make it through this cold snap?

Let's hope!

Last Winter was so mild, she thrived.

Crafty ideas I like

This idea was posted on FB by Better Gnomes and Gardens.

Herbal Fire Starter

Pinecones and dried herbs such as rosemary, sage leaves, and cinnamon sticks make fragrant kindling for a winter fire -- and, unlike composite firelogs and lighter fluid, don't rely on chemicals to ignite the flame. 

1. Bundle dried herbs and small pinecones in a sheet of newspaper and secure the ends with raffia or cotton twine. 

2. As you pile up logs for your fire, nestle the herb bundle underneath, with paper ends sticking out. 

3. To start the fire, light the newspaper ends. As the paper burns up, the herbs inside will ignite and incinerate, giving the logs a chance to catch fire. 

Cost: less than $10 to make.