Photos courtesy of Log House Plants, Jekka’s Herb Farm, anelson777, and Nichols Garden Nursery.
Origanum rotundifolium ‘Kent Beauty’ aka Oregano ‘Kent Beauty’. The species is native to Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia.
Boy, if you want a showstopper for your container plantings, this Oregano cultivar is it. We had it paired with scented geraniums and prostrate rosemary in the Herb Garden last year and it was a huge hit with all of our visitors, human an insect alike. ~AR
Rosemary (in NYBG pot) and friend
Pro tip: Rosemary grows best when it has a friend (and a very sunny window). ~AR
I was given a lemon balm plant last year, and duly popped it in with all the other herbs. There it sat, looking vibrant, being fragrant, but untouched. I used and used and used the oregano, even chucking its flowers into tomato sauces, and then chopped it right down, hung large chunks in the kitchen, and used it all through the winter. Thyme, basil, sage, chives and loads of rosemary, all used and very much appreciated. But the lemon balm. Not even not so much. Just not.
Of the other, much-loved herbs, only the chives and parsely came back. Even the rosemary got too frozen to return. But the lemon balm popped up again, a very appealing bright spring green, and it’s already become a veritable bush. I’ll give it points for trying, but really, what are you supposed to *do* with it? I mostly like my tea with milk, and minus big floppy floating leaves.
Then! I realise that the millions of tiny little sprouts coming up all over the place - largely but not only in the same container as the lemon balm - is more bloody lemon balm. And the little oregano seedlings I had been so carefully nurturing were not oregano, but also lemon balm. No idea how that happened. It said oregano on the packet.
So I look it up, and lemon balm is related to mint, which would explain its expansionist tendencies. And there are about a million health reasons to be ‘taking’ it - calming for internal organs including belly and cramping uterus, and the mind apparently too. I may have to start drinking lemon balm tea to release my lemon balm tension - I SEE WHAT YOU ARE DOING, DON’T THINK I DON’T!
Oh my lord this made me laugh, because I have fought this very same battle! The woman that owned our house before us must have planted one lemon balm at some point, and when we took possession I was like “oh no, lemon balm!” So I started a one woman campaign against it. A few years later I think I finally have it under control, but it’s early days yet this year, so only time will actually tell. ~AR
I love seeing other botanical gardens from around the world. I also love seeing how people capture their visits to them. This is classic! Love it. ~AR
What looks like a Forest from afar, when you have a casual look at the picture is actually a field of parsley in the Botanical Garden in Welly
(Source: and-not-waving-but-drowning)
I have been waging a long-running battle with lemon balm. It smells delicious, yes, and makes teas and tisanes of which I am quite fond, and yet … It pops up everywhere in my garden; front yard, back yard, side yard, sometimes even in my potted plants! What is your take on lemon balm? ~AR
Stumbled across this series of “Plants I Have Loved” by photographer Centa Schumacher, and since rosemary is a plant I love, too, I just had to reblog it. In addition to Centa’s suggestion to add it to tomato sauce and chicken, I will add that it is lovely in baked foccacia. ~AR
Rosemary is my favorite herb. It grows in huge bushes along the front of my house, so there is always a fresh supply ready whenever I’d like to cook with it. I love how fragrant it is, it can really bring a dish to life.
Supposedly, when Aphrodite rose from the sea she was draped in rosemary. It is also said to improve memory. I mostly put it in tomato sauce or on roast chicken.
(Photo by Centa Schumacher)
Standing in a chamomile patch at the Cleveland Botanical Garden.
Oh my gosh I bet this smells amazing. ~AR
This summer has been hot, all over the United States, not just here in New York, and it has led to a lot of enfeebled produce. My lettuce petered out in May. My herbs gave up the ghost in June. And I have bought more than my fair share of fainting carrots. What’s a devoted produce lover to do?
According to this timely article from Tasting Table, the solution lies in a solution … of ice water and vinegar that is! According to their unscientific (but well reported) study, a 10-minute soak in ice water spiked with a tablespoon of vinegar was all it took to bring a suffering squash, some insipid parsley, and a limp lettuce back to life. Have you ever tried this trick? Do you have any other tips for resurrecting seemingly past-their-prime veggies? We’d love to hear them in the comments! ~AR
Six herbs you might not know.
Everybody can make pesto. Anyone can chop a little parsley. But there are herbs out there that require a little finesse and imagination to fit in to a dish. These herbs are not for everyone one - they can be pungent and intense. But if you aren’t afraid of big, bold flavors, next time you’re at the Greenmarket keep your eye out for these unusual fellows.EPAZOTE: Next time you make a pot of black beans throw in a couple of sprigs. It’s aggressive and pungent; so don’t go over board. If you’re feeling especially adventurous, try some in your next gin and tonic (idea courtesy of Bellweather in Williamsburg).
SUMMER SAVORY: This herb has a magical aroma. It has the same deep flavor that rosemary and thyme do, but it’s entirely its own style. I make a paste with garlic and black pepper and rub it on my steaks or my pork roasts.
LEMON BASIL: This variety of basil has a beautiful citrusy floral flavor. If ever there was a basil to pair with fruit this is it. Slice peaches, toss with chopped lemon basil and you have the best summer dessert ever. It’s also a natural in cocktails or lemonade.
CELERY LEAF (also called cutting celery): Most varieties of celery are grown for the stalks, some are grown for the root, celery leaf is grown for the leaves. While it looks almost exactly like flat leaf parsley, the leaves taste intensely of celery. Try it in potato salad or with a roast chicken.
LOVAGE: This herb is also part of the celery family, but has amazing notes of anise. It is phenomenal as a last minute addition to soup. I like it especially with potato and leek or pea soup. It’s also a great way to spice up your eggs.
PAPALO: This Mexican herb is often put on the table to munch at during the course of the meal. It has some of the same notes of cilantro, but with an aroma that knocks you off your feet. Try it with enchiladas.
All herbs photographed come from Maxwell’s Farm, which is at three Greenmarkets: Monday at Union Square, Wednesday at the Dag Hammarsjkold, Saturday at Grand Army Plaza. Other places to buy these herbs at Union Square: Keith’s Farm (Wednesday & Saturday) grows lovage and savory; Stokes Farm (Wednesday & Saturday) grows epazote and lemon basil; Berried Treasures Farm (Wednesday & Friday) grows lovage and savory: Paffenroth Gardens (Wednesday & Saturday) grows celery leaf: Queens County Farm Museum (Friday) grows savory.
July’s Sweet & Stinky events may be done for another year, but that doesn’t mean we’re skipping out on the aromatic end of the vegetable spectrum. When you visit the NYBG, join us in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden to see how our own herbs are coming along. You can even go home with a few new recipes for your collection. —MN
(via theherbarium)
Freeze and preserve fresh herbs in olive oil - brilliant!
My first thought: “HERBAL CHEESE?” Yeah, no, not even close. But this is a clever means of preserving those “hard” herbs you might buy fresh, like thyme, rosemary, sage, and oregano. More importantly, I’m left wondering how these might fare, taste-wise, as ice cubes in a Bloody Mary. Is drinking frigid olive oil taboo by foodie standards? —MN
Great idea for a container combo from the Herb Garden: filbert-scented geranium, prostrate rosemary, and oregano. Pretty and practical! -AR
— Justin Newcombe takes an irreverent romp through basil’s historical, literary, and religious significance for the New Zealand Herald, where, presumably, it is basil-growing season.
Thanks to Manhattan User’s Guide for alerting us to the existence of growable, garden-themed comic books!
According to The Medieval Garden Enclosed, the blog of the Bonnefont garden at the Cloisters in upper Manhattan, the now ubiqutous flavoring agent of beer, hops, was not commonly used until the 15th century. Hops, Humulus lupulus are a fascinating (and tasty) crop, and you can check them out in person in the Herb Garden here at The New York Botanical Garden.
Prior to the introduction of hops to brewing, summer intern Bryan Stevenson tells us that beer in Europe was flavored with an assortment of herbs including stinging nettles (Urtica dioca) for bitterness, alecost (Tanacetum balsamita) for flavor and body, and a mixture of herbs known as gruit. Head over and read the whole fascinating story on The Medieval Garden Enclosed.
A nice, concise post full of helpful tips for the space-challenged urban gardener. It’s nice to know that everyone hates squirrels (at least when it comes to gardening).
Sure. Here are just a few of my favorites (in no particular order):
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