Community Herb Garden

COMMUNITY HERB GARDEN

The community herb garden is ready for use.  Local residents can pick herbs for their own use throughout the year.  There is an index of the herbs, with a picture of each on the back of the parish Council board.  

Herb Garden

 Herbs included in the garden are rosemary, thyme, sage, chives, oregano, bay, lemon verbena, lavender, and more may be added as annual herbs such as dill.

Why not take a few home to put in a vase to have them on hand when needed.  Just put them in water to have them there for a few days.  In spring take a few to grow on for your own garden.

index of herb types

 

HERBS AND THEIR USES.

HERBS

 

 

CULINARY USES

HOME USES

MEDICINE

ROSEMARY

A small handful over roasting lamb

Use in stuffing for flavour

Add chopped rosemary in savoury biscuits

As a tea.  May help to boost your mood and improve memory

 

As a natural insect repellent

Used in some perfume products

 

MINT:

Spearmint,

Apple Mint,

Peppermint, etc.

Add a few chopped leaves to new potatoes

Chop and add a little vinegar and sugar for mint sauce

Mint tea, generally peppermint, but others can be used.   Can help clear a stuffy nose, soothe a sore throat or with stomach upsets

 

Said to be a mouse repellent

Steep a cup of leaves in 3 cups of boiling water for 30 minutes.  Strain and use as a spray to protect plants from common pests.

 

THYME:

Lemon Thyme

Flavouring of stews, casseroles, etc

Use with other herbs for a bouquet garni

Put leaves or flowers with linen give a pleasant smell

Lemon thyme said to repel insects in gardens

 

SAGE

Traditionally use in sage and onion stuffing

Add to pork casserole

Can be found in cheeses for flavour

Sage tea, steep as normal tea and strain to drink, or gargle for a sore throat

As an after-shampoo rinse for brunette hair.  Steep a tablespoon of crushed sage in boiling water for 15 minutes, strain, and allow to cool before using.

 

OREGAN0

Alternative to marjoram: ½ teaspoon oregano = 1 teaspoon marjoram

 

 

CHIVES

Use for sauces to give mild onion flavour

 

 

LEMON VERBENA

Leaves and flowers are edible and used to flavour where lemon zest is used.  Use in moderation in ice cream, pesto, salad dressing, etc.

Tea used as a digestive aid.  May soothe stomach cramps, period pain, and other disorders.

Lovely smell, add to cupboards for perfume

Lemon scented plants can be used as natural insect repellent

 

LAVENDER

Use in savoury biscuits

Good for wool clothes, keeps moths at bay

 

FLAVOURINGS

Flavour vinegar:  steep a sprig of the chosen herb in a bottle of vinegar for two weeks.  Shake and remove the herb.  Use in salad dressings or for marinades.  Works well with rosemary.

Drop some chopped mixed herbs on pizza, or add to stews or casseroles

Bouquet Garni ingredients: parsley, thyme and bay leaves.  Can add rosemary, peppercorns, tarragon, basil, chervil, oregano, etc.

 

 

 

 

Building the Garden:

Preparation was key.  Starting with a blank canvass and adding the troughs, with the square at the front having a bare patch to be filled with camomile.  The troughs are build of scaffold boards, already treated, but painted with fence paint for added protection and to blend in with the hall.

         Start of garden   Herb bed

                      Front Herb Trough     Herb Trough

The camomile was used as it spread well and can be walked on and will spring back and rejuvenate, leaving a continual green sward at two edges.

 

Planted Herbs     Camomile surround

 

Along the fence pots were placed with various different herbs in each.   To begin with Rosemary, Bay and Lavender.

 

Fence        

Rosemary potBay Tree potLavender pot