Herb selections gathered for your enjoyment!

In days gone by, our ancestors were well aware of the vital role herbs played in their daily lives. Recognized not only for their value in adding flavor to foods, herbs were used extensively in ancient remedies for their inherent medicinal worth. Sadly, in contemporary society, modern science has lost sight of the herbal wisdom of our forefathers. Today we tend to take herbs for granted, and we are most often not even aware of how frequently we depend on them in our day-to-day lives.

Think for a moment about your own personal experience with herbs. When your hands feel dry, you might reach for your favorite skin lotion, which contains aloe vera. Or to soothe frayed nerves, there's nothing quite like sipping a comforting cup of chamomile or cinnamon tea. If it's fresher breath and brighter teeth you're after, peppermint-flavored toothpaste adds an unsurpassable sparkle to your smile.

Most importantly, consider how often you've added a pinch of thyme to a kettle of soup, or a smidgen of basil to a simmering pot of spaghetti sauce to enhance the flavor of your homemade dishes. There's no doubt that nearly everything we eat tastes so much better because of a dash of an herb or the sprinkle of a spice that has become an essential ingredient in many of our favorite recipes.

Fortunately for herb lovers, there is a growing trend within the circles of modern science to reevaluate the ancient remedies of our ancestors, and to begin, once again, to take advantage of the herbal bounty of our earth. If it was healthy before, then it is even more so now!

Most of us are familiar with the more common herbs frequently used today, including parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. There are, however, both unusual and exotic varieties that come from foreign lands, or those which are rarely found wild in temperate North America that seem to have been forgotten. The following excerpts are dedicated to you, our customers, with hopes of reacquainting you with some of these neglected, yet significant herbs. In some respect, every variety of herb known to humankind, whether common or rare, shares a useful purpose, either in the aesthetic appeal of their foliage or blooms, their culinary or medicinal virtues, or their diverse variation of flavor or fragrance. We believe that offering increased knowledge and understanding of herbs will allow us to enlighten you, enhance your lifestyles, and broaden your horticultural interests.

While it is our pleasure to share this information with you, ultimately you are responsible for how you may decide to use it. We strongly encourage you to continue your own, more extensive research of herbs before you experiment with those that have medicinal value. We also hope that you will begin to expand your herbal spectrum by adding some extraordinary specimens to your collection this year. Herbs… they were created for us to enjoy!

Allium senescens glaucum.......... Silver Corkscrew Chives

An attractive functional allium, this unusual variety is the perfect plant for creating beautiful borders in your garden. Its silver-grey foliage, which never needs trimming, is highly decorative when used as an edging. The curly leaves grow compactly to about 6" in height, and form a unique backdrop for the nine-inch high flower stalks. Majestic lavender ball-shaped flowers bloom in late summer. Though not well known as a culinary allium, this herb has a mild onion taste, much like chives, that we, as well as some of our customers, have thoroughly enjoyed.

Angelica Archangelica.......... Angelica

The biennial Angelica is a tall plant that grows about two feet in the first year and as high as six feet in its second year. An aromatic plant native to Northern Europe, Angelica is best known for its use as a sugar substitute. In early summer, sweetly scented greenish-white seed heads form. Clipping the seed heads allows Angelica to grow for an extra year or two. Noted for its stimulating effect on the digestive system, the naturally sweet stalks of this plant can either be cooked or eaten raw. It also helps reduce the tartness and sweeten the flavor of rhubarb. The young stalks are often candied and eaten or used as a decoration for cakes and puddings. An essential oil obtained from the entire plant has a slight licorice aroma and is used in flavoring liquors and as a scent in perfumes.

Nature's Lore

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