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RSS Beautiful Wildlife Garden

  • Tree Massacre in the Wildlife Garden June 19, 2013
    It was a massacre. The neighborhood watched in horror as a butcher with a chain saw started hacking down the 150 year old trees with no safety ropes and no turf protectors in the most dangerous way possible. Giant tree limbs were allowed to freefall on our houses, in our gardens, and on our cable […]
    Carole Sevilla Brown
  • Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly June 17, 2013
    My beautiful wildlife garden is a bit behind this year, but I can always count on having a healthy population of Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies.  The only host plants for this lovely creature are various species of Aristolochia.   Dutchman’s Pipevine (A. macrophylla) is native to the Eastern United States and is a fast-growing perennial vine […]
    Judy Burris
  • Reptile Roundup June 14, 2013
    Once again Mother Nature provides.  I was back at the pond the other evening to observe if the Alligator was indeed gone, as I hadn’t seen him for days.  I watched for a while and then noticed obvious movement of the lily pads, a sign of something larger than a tadpole or a small fish.  […]
    Loret T. Setters
  • Native Plant Garden for Gavin’s Cabin June 13, 2013
    It was a typical June afternoon on the California Central Coast when I visited the Oceano Campground’s Nature Center, with sun trying to burn off the morning’s coastal fog. I wanted to see what new things were blooming for June.  I was not disappointed.  Almost immediately, I saw a whole border of the Hooker’s Evening […]
    Kathy Vilim
  • Buffalo Gourd for Wildlife June 12, 2013
    During my recent visit to Albuquerque to speak at a conference, I got the opportunity to visit the Rio Grande Nature Center, which has a wonderful native plant  demonstration garden managed by a dedicated group of volunteers. Earlier that morning, I had gone to the Albuquerque Botanic Garden because I was hoping to see some […]
    Carole Sevilla Brown
  • Get Wild About Soil June 11, 2013
      A healthy wildlife garden has about a gazillion life forms in it, and you will never see most of them — just their effects. I am speaking of the trillions and trillions of soil microbes that are needed for good growth in any garden. Microbes are not “germs!”  Microbes are simply microscopic life.  And microbes […]
    Jacqueline Soule
  • Fledge June 10, 2013
    I complain, I whine, I scruff my feet on the weeds, I do back-of-the-envelope math that would indicate that I will finish mulching the Japanese stiltgrass sometime in 2018, and at the end of the day, I decide it’s too hot and muggy to do anything and go back inside to the air conditioning. It […]
    Ursula Vernon
  • Worms in the Sky June 7, 2013
    The other day I noticed that an upper part of my young oak was defoliated.  I grabbed the camera and sure enough, my suspicions were confirmed. Southern Pink-striped Oakworms (Anisota virginiensis pellucida) were busy noshing away.  Though young, the tree is big enough to withstand some defoliation. Oakworms aren’t worms at all, but caterpillars of […]
    Loret T. Setters
  • Southeastern Native Vines June 6, 2013
    Like any category of plant, native vines have a place in the ecosystem. By their very nature – crawling, climbing, clinging – vines can be a bit aggressive. Understanding how they grow and what they can do for you is essential to ensuring that the plant is a happy and welcome part of your wildlife […]
    Ellen Honeycutt

#GardenChat

Herbs

“As Rosemary is to the spirit, so Lavender is to the soul.”

Botanists define herbaceuous plants as “plants without woody stems that can be used for fragrance, flavor and medicinal purposes.” (http://www.herbsociety.org) A much more encompassing definition from Taylor’s Guide to Herbs: “A plant with some particular use(s), because it provides some particular kind(s) of chemical compounds or raw materials.”

Medicinal herbs are best used under the supervision of an herbalist or physician of which I am neither. For the sake of space (and safety) I’ve listed herb and edible flowers I grow and how I’ve found them to be useful. NEVER eat any flower if you are unsure of it’s identity,  if you have allergies or if it came from an unknown source.

The best time to harvest herbs is early morning just after the dew has dried. Dry them on a screen in a dark spot with good air circulation. Herbs can also be easily freeze-dried by washing, patting dry and packing into freezer bags.

Edible Flowers:

  • Anise hyssop-  The mild licorice flavored purple flowers and leaves make a soothing tea.
  • Angelica- A tall and branching plant with white flowers. Stalks are used like celery and can be candied (I’ve not tried that).
  • Borage- Beautiful star shaped blue flowers with a cucumber flavor.  Good in punch, cold soups, eggs and salad. Also a natural way to attract bees to the garden, they adore it!
  • Calendula- Only the petals are edible. They may be used to make a faint yellow dye for natural fibre yarns, fabrics etc.
  • Chamomile- Cheery button-like daisy flowers with a faint apple flavor make a soothing tea, a blonde hair rinse and a spray for seedlings that prevents damping-off.
  • Carnation- Also called “clove pinks” (not florist carnations)have a faint clove flavor good for tea, potpourris and soaps.
  • Chives (onion and garlic) Grassy foliage and purple flowers have mild onion and garlic flavors tasty in salads and vinegars.
  • Cornflower (bachelor’s buttons) Light clove-like spicy flavor good in salads and herbal vinegars.
  • Dandelion- Not a weed but an herb! The greens are tasty wilted and dressed, also used for making wine (haven’t done that).
  • Daylily- (not lilies) The unopened flower buds are delicious sauteed, they taste like asparagus.
  • Lavender- The purple and pink flowers are perfect for vinegars, herbs de provence, jelly, teas, sachets and herbal bath mixes.
  • Marigold- (tagetes) Cheerful red and orange blossoms are pretty in salads and punches.
  • Nasturtiums- Leaves are used in sandwiches and salads and have a peppery flavor, green seeds are pickled like capers.
  • Rose- Petals are delightful in potpourris, sachets and bath mixes. Use petals and hips for fruity jellies and jams and rosewater.
  • Violet- The sweet flavor is lovely in teas and salads and used for baking. Violets are also wonderful for soaps and sachets.

Culinary Herbs:

  • Anise- Leaves and seeds have licorice flavor. Good for baking and seasoning. Annual.
  • Tarragon- (French only,please!) Good for flavoring fish, chicken and vinegars. Perennial shrub.
  • Sage- Use fresh or dried to season meats and stuffings, also good with winter squash. Perennial.
  • Basil- Use fresh or dried in pestos, sauces, vinegars, stir fries, jellies, teas and salads. Annual.
  • Thyme- Good with poultry and mixed with other herbs for sauces, dressings etc. Short-lived perennial.
  • Marjoram- Milder version of oregano. Annual.
  • Oregano- Pungent. Used for pizza, sauces and meat seasoning. Large, shrubby perennial.
  • Fennel- Feathery fronds used to flavor fish, bulbous base ideal substitute for celery, seeds used in sausage. Mild licorice flavor.
  • Dill- Great for fish,vegetables, sauces and dips. Fresh flower heads are good for pickles. Annual.
  • Chives- Pretty clumps with mild onion flavor can be used as onions are.
  • Cilantro- Pungent herb used in salsas. Annual.
  • Savory- The “bean herb” also good with eggs, soups and sauces. Annual.
  • Chervil- Good with fish and all egg dishes. Parsley flavor. Annual that prefers shade.
  • Parsley- Used as garnish as well as in soups, sauces, meat and egg dishes. Versatile and full of vitamin A and C. Biennial.
  • Mint- Rampant grower flavors dips, teas, sauces, jellies, marinades and candy. Perennial.
  • Rosemary- Very good with poultry and lamb, used in dressings,teas. Aromatic shrub considered an annual in zone 6 and below, but can be overwintered with some success.
  • Lovage- Tall stalks with abundant celery-like leaves. Perennial.
  • Lemon Balm- Officially known as Melissa, it’s a hardy perennial  that self-sows easily. The leaves have a delightful lemon scent and flavor and are wonderful for baking, teas and used as an ingredient in hand lotions, herbal bath mixes and lip balm.