Gardening
Human beings have been making use of herbs for thousands of years , not just for adding flavour to foods , but also for making medicines and disinfectants and creating perfumes and essences . In fact , in some cultures herb plants were so highly regarded that they were used as a form of currency , in exchange for other valuable products .
Teachings about the near-magical properties of certain herbs have been passed down from cultures as diverse as the Ancient Egyptians and Sumerians , and learned writings from the famous Greek doctor Hippocrates ( said to be the founder of modern medicine ) and several of the doctors who attended to Roman Emperors . Other keen users of herbs were the Ancient Chinese and Ancient Indians , and throughout Europe during the Middle Ages , monks frequently grew and used herbs in their monastery gardens to use as medicines . Explorers during the 15th and 16th centuries took with them herbs from England to America , and in turn brought back native varieties from the Americas to Europe , where healers such as Nicholas Culpeper published a book that empowered ordinary people with recipes for making their own healing remedies from herbs , rather than paying expensive doctor fees . His 1653 guidebook , Culpeper ’ s Complete Herbal , which became the standard text for anyone interested in the subject , has been re-printed over and over again down the centuries , and remains a classic to this day .
Herbs for cooking
Growing your own herbs is a definite bonus if you enjoy cooking , as being able to cut them as needed ensures maximum flavour and nutritional value , and you ’ ll waste less since you ’ re only ever cutting what you need . Every herb plant is unique and will call for slightly different harvesting techniques , but it ’ s always better to snip the leaves using scissors rather than pulling them off with your fingers . Start by removing older leaves from the outside of the plant to encourage growth , and then work your way inward toward the younger stems . Among our most popular culinary herbs are sage , parsley , chives , rosemary , mint and thyme , which all come from Ancient Greece and Rome ; aloe , caraway and cardamom from India ; garlic , coriander and dill from Mesapotamia ( now Iraq ); and caraway and liquorice from China .
Grow your own
While most people plant their favourite herbs by the kitchen door for easy access while cooking , you do need to consider if that spot will suit the type of herbs you wish to grow , as these plants originate from all corners of the world and have different growing requirements . For instance , many popular perennial herbs such as lavender , sage and rosemary will actually enjoy poor soil , along with full sun and good drainage , which is their natural growing environment around the Mediterranean . By contrast , plants like as mint , chives , parsley , lemon balm , and fennel are more forgiving and will tolerate damper soil and light shade . Most herbs are perfect for
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