Perennial spices in the garden. Spicy herbs in your garden: design ideas, planting and care
For those who adhere to an “informal” style in landscape design, a herb garden is a real find. A garden in which herbs reign is not an invention of today, but an ancient tradition that is coming back into fashion again. If you have a small free space on your property that you would like to decorate with ornamental plants and use to the fullest, then an “aromatic” vegetable garden is what you need. From herbs you can build a flower bed, a border and, in the end, an ordinary garden bed. Read the article about which herbs are best grown in an “aromatic” garden.
Rules for organizing an “aromatic” vegetable garden
Forming a flower bed or bed with herbs is not too different from creating a regular flower garden.
Choose a place in the garden for the flower bed so that it can be easily approached in any weather. Its shape can be any: round, square, triangular. Plant the tallest plants, such as cumin, fennel, tarragon, in the center so that they do not shade other plants. Among the beautifully flowering herbs, you can also plant borage with bright blue edible flowers and red quinoa with bright, beautiful leaves in the center. Along the border you can plant plants with graceful leaves - chervil, curly parsley, thyme, savory.
A special place should be reserved for annual spices. In the space allocated for them, be sure to sow basil, chervil, dill, leaf mustard and other plants of your choice, desire and taste.
An indispensable element of a garden in a village is a vegetable garden, and therefore even the most simple beds will look natural on the site.
To prevent tall plants from shading other inhabitants of the herb bed, build them a light support from twigs or wire. The rest, smaller herbs, should be grouped around tall plants. In order for the spices to grow well and have that same pronounced smell and taste, it is better to place the garden bed in a sunny place and water it more often.
It is not at all necessary to plant all herbs directly into the ground. Some of them can be planted in pots without bottoms and plastic containers, for example, mint - because its roots can spread over a large area.
Preparation of herbs
To use the above-ground parts of plants as spice additives, they must be collected during the period of full development (when leaf growth is complete or the plant is in the full flowering phase). Such plant harvesting is usually carried out in the summer.
It is necessary to collect raw materials in good dry weather, during the day or in the evening, when there is no dew on the leaves. It is advisable not to water garden plants on the eve of harvest. It is better to do a good watering after collecting the raw materials - for better growth of new leaves or to stimulate the formation of inflorescences.
Well-dried raw materials are brittle and crumble easily when touched. It has a beautiful green or other natural color, without defects or damage. It is better to store dry raw materials in glass jars or Kraft paper bags.
For a small family, it is not worth preparing a lot of dry raw materials for the winter, since dried essential oil plants are stored for no more than a year. Having started making preparations and using essential oil plants for cooking, you will soon evaluate and decide which herbs are raw materials, and what volumes your family needs to prepare for future use for up to a year.
Choosing plants for a herb garden
Agastachys rugosa
Agastachys rugosa, or Polygonum rugosa, or Tibetan Lofant, or Korean mint ( Agastache rugosa) - anise aroma for gourmet salads and teas. It is called “northern ginseng” for its ability to strengthen the immune system. Used in cosmetology to maintain skin elasticity and youth.
Perennial herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family. The above-ground part is used fresh for making salads and tea. Lofant is also an excellent honey plant and has unique medicinal properties. The advantages of this herb include its unpretentiousness and ease of cultivation. Lofant is propagated by direct sowing of seeds in open ground or through seedlings. The minimum planting pattern is 25x25 cm. Plants must be covered for the winter.
Agastachys wrinkled, or Tibetan Lofant (Agastache rugosa). © Dalgial Anise
Common anise, Bedrenets anise ( Pimpinella anisum) is an annual, thin and short-spaced pubescent plant. The root is thin, spindle-shaped, taproot. The stem is up to 30-50 cm high, erect, rounded, grooved, branched in the upper part.
A medicinal annual herbaceous plant from the Apiaceae family with an erect, branched stem, up to 60 cm high, covered with short fluff. The leaves are alternate, the lower ones are entire, long-petiolate, rounded-reniform or heart-shaped. The flowers are small, white, in complex umbels. Blooms from June to September. Prefers sunny areas, sandy or loamy soils.
Use ripe anise fruits, which contain essential oil. Preparations made from anise fruits delay putrefactive and fermentative processes in the intestines, relieve spasms of the abdominal organs, inhibit the development of microbes in the renal pelvis and bladder, and have expectorant and diuretic properties. Anise fruits are brewed as tea.
Ocimum) - belongs to the mint family of herbs, used as a seasoning for many dishes. Fresh basil has a vibrant aroma that can be described as a cross between licorice and cloves. Most varieties of basil have green leaves, but there is an opal basil that has a beautiful purple color. Other types of basil, such as lemon basil and cinnamon basil, are named for their respective flavors. A highly branched plant with tetrahedral stems from 30 to 60 cm in height. Its leaves are oblong-ovate, sparsely toothed, green or purple, up to 5.5 cm long. At the ends of the stems, basil produces inflorescences in the form of tassels consisting of several flowers. Their color can be different: pink, white, white-violet.
Basil is widely used as a spice in fresh and dry form. As a spice, it is more valuable in its fresh form.
Basil. © Forest & Kim Starr
Salad mustard
Salad mustard, or Leaf mustard - a variety of Mustard ( Brassica juncea) is an annual, cold-resistant, early-ripening plant. Within a month, it develops a large rosette of large leaves, original in color. The flowers are small, yellow, collected in a spike-shaped inflorescence, the fruit is a pod.
Young mustard leaves are used fresh for preparing salads and as a side dish for meat and fish dishes, boiled, and also salted and canned. Leaf mustard is a relative of arugula, but in terms of early maturity it is more similar to watercress. Leaf mustard stimulates the appetite, increases the secretion of gastric juice and bile, and has an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effect.
Mustard greens, whose natural complex of vitamins is dominated by ascorbic acid and rutin (vitamins C and P), is an excellent antiscorbutic remedy that prevents untimely aging of the walls of blood vessels, loss of elasticity and the deposition of cholesterol plaques on the inner walls of blood vessels. Since mustard greens stimulate appetite, they should not be included in a weight loss diet.
Leaf mustard. © মৌচুমী Oregano
Origanum) - a genus of herbaceous plants of the Lamiaceae family ( Lamiaceae), includes 45-50 species. Perennial herbaceous plants or subshrubs, 30-75 cm high. The rhizome is bare, often creeping. The stem is tetrahedral, erect, sparsely pubescent, glabrous in the upper part. The leaves are opposite, petiolate, oblong-ovate, entire, pointed at the tip, dark green above, gray-green below, 1-4 cm long.This herb has a strong aroma. Traditionally used in Greek and Balkan cuisines. Pairs perfectly with cheese, fried fish, and is also suitable for adding flavor to vegetable oils.
Leaves are plucked as needed. In open ground from June to November, at home - all year round.
Oregano, or Oregano. © Yelod
Hyssop, blue St. John's wort ( Hyssopus) is a genus of plants in the Lamiaceae family. Perennial, strongly fragrant herbs or subshrubs with linear or oblong leaves.
Drought-resistant and winter-hardy shrub. Forms a bush 50-60 cm tall and up to 60-70 cm in diameter, with erect branched shoots. The shoots below are woody: green in the first year, later they acquire a grayish-brown tint. The leaf is sessile without petiole, small, green. The flowers are blue. The taste of the stems, leaves and flowers is bitter-spicy.
In cooking, mainly the dried leaves of the upper third of the plant are used. Young stems, leaves and flowers, fresh and dried, are used to flavor dishes and snacks. In folk medicine, hyssop is used for angina pectoris and gastrointestinal diseases. It promotes digestion and stimulates appetite.
Hyssop infusion is recommended for older people as a general health drink. Has bactericidal properties.
When grown for seasoning, it is harvested throughout the summer: from a plant intended for medicinal purposes, the stems are cut off before flowering. At the same time, the upper part of the stems is cut off and the collection is dried in the shade. Store in a cool, ventilated area.
Hyssop. © DJ Capricorn Common chervil
Openworked chervil, or Buteneleaf chervil, or Common chervil ( Anthriscus cerefolium) is an annual plant 15-50 cm high with a spindle-shaped root. The stems are straight, shortly pubescent, branched almost from the base, swollen at the nodes. The leaves are triangular, three-pinnately dissected.
It has a sweetish anise smell and a spicy, sweetish taste reminiscent of parsley, which is why it is used as a spice. Pairs well with other green vegetables - tarragon, parsley, basil. In North America, ground chervil is used in grilled poultry, fish, and egg dishes. It is used with hard-boiled eggs, salted omelettes, fish sauces, green butter, potato soup, potato salad, spinach, poultry, fish, lamb and lamb.
Chervil dishes are a good vitamin and tonic. In folk medicine, the leaves and fruits of the plant were used for diseases of the kidneys, bladder, as an expectorant and astringent for gastrointestinal disorders. A good honey plant.
Chervil. © Rasbak
Coriander, or Cilantro
Coriander, or Cilantro ( Coriandrum sativum) - an annual herbaceous plant of the Apiaceae family ( Apiaceae), one of the most popular herbs. The stem of coriander is erect, bare, up to 40-70 cm high, branched in the upper part. The basal leaves are broad-lobed, coarsely dissected, with wide lobules and long petioles, the upper leaves are on short petioles with narrow linear lobes. The flowers are small, white or pink, arranged in complex umbels at the ends of the peduncles, forming 3-5 rays. Marginal flowers are 3-4 mm long.
Coriander fruits are widely used as a spice for flavoring and fortifying sausages, cheese, canned meat and fish, marinades, pickles and liqueurs; they are added when baking Borodino bread, confectionery and culinary products, as well as in the production of some types of beer.
The leaves of young vegetable coriander plants in the rosette and bolting phases are eaten. The leaves have a pungent odor and are eaten in salads and also used as a seasoning for soups and meat dishes. Excellent honey plant. Tender leaves are an excellent seasoning for salads, first and second courses, and the seeds are used in the preparation of marinades and confectionery. Coriander is also useful for colds and stomach diseases.
Coriander, Cilantro. © Forest & Kim Starr Levisticum officinale) - perennial herbaceous plant; monotypic genus of the Umbrella family. The stem is tall 100-200 cm, bare, with a bluish surface, branched at the top. The leaves are shiny, pinnate, with large obovate or rhombic, somewhat incised lobes. Frost-resistant and cold-resistant. The smell of lovage is pungent, spicy, the taste is at first sweetish, then pungent, spicy and moderately bitter. Essential oil is obtained from the plant, which is used in perfumery and cooking. Fresh stems, leaves and roots are used to flavor confectionery products, drinks, and marinades. Even small additions of lovage greens change the taste and give canned food a peculiar mushroom aroma.
The green parts and roots of young plants are eaten as a spice in the preparation of green oil and salads; it is added to sauces, fried meats, gravies, soups, vegetables, rice dishes, cereals, poultry and fish. With the addition of a pinch of lovage, a strong meat broth acquires an exceptionally good taste, in which the taste of meat is emphasized and enhanced. Lovage is of particular importance in dietary nutrition along with dill and basil. Lovage roots are indicated in the diet for diseases of the liver, gall bladder, kidneys, obesity, rheumatism, and flatulence.
Lovage. © 4028mdk09 Origanum majorana) - a species of perennial herbaceous plants from the genus Oregano ( Origanum) family Lamiaceae. In the Middle East it is better known as za'atar. Stems are erect, branched, 20-45 (50) cm high, woody at the base, silver-gray. The leaves are oblong-ovate or spatulate, petiolate, obtuse, entire, gray-tomentose on both sides. The inflorescences are oblong, tomentose-hairy, consisting of three to five round, sessile, ovoid, short spike-shaped bunches at the ends of the branches. The flowers are small, the corolla is reddish, pink or white. Currently, marjoram is used mainly as a spice; it is added to salads, soups, fish and vegetable dishes, fresh or dried, and for canning. The plant is also used for making liqueurs, liqueurs, puddings, sausages, and flavoring vinegar and tea. Essential oil is extracted from the aerial part of a flowering plant. Powder from dry leaves is included in pepper mixtures. Marjoram improves digestion, is indicated for flatulence, and has a diuretic and sedative effect.
In medicine in some countries, the plant is used for diseases of the respiratory tract and digestive organs. The use of marjoram is indicated for dietary nutrition of gastric patients. In folk medicine it is known as a stomachic, tonic, anti-catarrhal and wound-healing agent. Together with other medicines, marjoram was used for paralysis, neurasthenia, bronchial asthma and runny nose. The plant was used internally in the form of an infusion and externally - for baths and lotions as a wound-healing agent. Valuable honey plant.
Marjoram. © Forest & Kim Starr
Melissa, lemon balm, honeywort, queen plant, roewort, beeweed ( Melissa officinalis) - a perennial essential oil herbaceous plant from the genus Melissa ( Melissa) family Lamiaceae. The rhizome is highly branched. The stem is branched, tetrahedral, pubescent with short hairs with an admixture of glands or almost bare. The leaves are opposite, petiolate, ovate to rounded-rhombic, crenate-serrate, pubescent.
It is grown for its oval leaves, which, when crushed, emit a strong lemon scent. Melissa, as a spice, goes well with game, veal, pork, lamb, fish, and mushroom dishes. Fresh lemon balm leaves are added when preparing sauces, vegetables, and soups of all kinds (fruit, pea, potato, mushroom). Many people like to add lemon balm to milk to make it smell better, or to grated cottage cheese.
Melissa is used to treat stomach upsets, it improves appetite, it is used for neuralgic and rheumatic pain, as a diuretic, used for depression, insomnia, migraines, menstrual pain, nervous weakness, migraines, insomnia, general loss of strength, some forms of asthma, colds, skin rashes, heart pain and palpitations, colic in the stomach and liver, anemia and to improve metabolism. Externally - for gum inflammation and furunculosis.
An alcoholic tincture of this spicy herb is used for rheumatic pain and neuromyositis, poultices prepared from the herb are used as a painkiller for bruises, arthritis and ulcers. The plant enhances the activity of the digestive organs, has a mild laxative, stops nausea and vomiting, and relieves the stomach and intestines of gases. In folk medicine it is used for heart pain, bone pain, vomiting, and to strengthen memory. The juice is used to treat old wounds.
Melissa. © Forest & Kim Starr Mentha) is a genus of plants in the Lamiaceae family. The genus has about 25 species and about 10 natural hybrids. All types are strongly aromatic, most of them contain a lot of menthol. Mint is widely used in medicine, pharmacology and cooking. Most often, we use it as a herb when making tea.
Mint. © Doronenko Borago
Borage, borage, borage, borage ( Borago) - monotypic genus of the Borage family ( Boraginaceae). The only species is borage ( Borago officinalis) is an annual herbaceous plant. An annual plant, coarse-haired, 60-100 cm high. The stem is straight or ascending, thick, ribbed, hollow, branched at the top. The basal and lower stem leaves are elliptical or oval, obtuse at the apex, narrowed towards the base into a short petiole; The stem leaves are oblong-ovate, sessile, stem-embracing, like the stems, covered with hard whitish hairs.
They are good substitutes for cucumbers; they are added to vinaigrettes, salads, sauces (mustard, tomato, sour cream), side dishes, okroshka, cold vegetable soups and borscht. The roots, collected in the fall, are used to make green oil, added to cheeses, cottage cheese, sour cream, to flavor tinctures, wines, punch, vinegar, syrups, beer, essences and cold drinks.
Borage adds a piquant taste to minced meat, minced meat and fish fried in vegetable oil. Borage flowers, fresh and dried, are used in the liquor and confectionery industries.
Borago, borage. © Mariluna Perilla) is a monotypic genus of annual herbaceous plants of the Lamiaceae family. The only kind is Perilla frutescens. Herbaceous plants with a straight ascending stem. The lower leaves are large, long-petiolate, ovate, the upper leaves are oblong-ovate, sessile or short-petiolate. New spicy-flavoring culture. Due to its high decorative value, it can be grown as a border plant. The variety is early ripening, cold-resistant, with a long growing season - 135-150 days. The plant is tall - 120-140 cm, the stem is erect, branching, tetrahedral. It is grown in open ground and in greenhouses, through seedlings or direct sowing. The weight of one plant is 200-500 g. The yield of leaves, depending on growing conditions, is 0.5-5.0 kg/m2.
It is recommended for fresh use of green young leaves (salads, meat and fish dishes); in the technical ripeness phase, the leaves are salted and pickled, and also used in the form of powder from dry leaves as an aromatic additive to meat and vegetable dishes. Perilla greens are juicy, tender with a refreshing taste and an unusual soft aroma, where there are tones of caramel, anise flowers and very light peppery tones.
Perilla. © SB_Johnny
Parsley is used as a herb in fresh, dried and, less often, salted form, the leaves are used as an integral part of salads, and the leaves and root vegetables are used as an additive to side dishes and soups, especially fish dishes. Freshly frozen greens fully retain their nutritional and healing properties for several months (if stored properly, up to a year).
The roots of leaf parsley are edible, but thin and coarse, so they are rarely used. Parsley seeds are also used in medicine (less often in cooking). Parsley is known for its diuretic, choleretic and stimulating effects.
Parsley. © Forest & Kim Starr Purslane
Purslane, Dandur ( Portulaca) - a genus of plants in the Portulacaceae family ( Portulacaceae) is a genus of annual or perennial succulent fleshy plants of the purslane family. About 100 (according to other sources, up to 200) species in tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres. Stems are prostrate or ascending, leaves are alternate or almost opposite. The flowers are often small, inconspicuous, and less often large solitary.
Young shoots and leaves of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) (preferably collected before the plant blooms) are used as a side dish for meat and fish dishes - boiled with the addition of garlic, vinegar, vegetable oil or stewed with onions in vegetable oil.
The use of grandiflora purslane in garden design is extremely diverse. It is planted in flower beds (often in carpet flower beds), on ridges, flower beds, dry slopes, retaining stone walls, at the joints of concrete slabs in rock gardens. On dry soils, purslane can replace a lawn.
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea). © Alpha Rheum) is a genus of plants in the Buckwheat family. These are perennial very large herbs with thick, woody, branched rhizomes. Aboveground stems are annual, straight, thick, hollow and sometimes slightly grooved. The basal leaves are very large, long-petiolate, entire, palmate-lobed or serrated, sometimes wavy along the edges; petioles are cylindrical or multifaceted, equipped with large bells at the base. Stem leaves are smaller. The stem ends in a large paniculate inflorescence. After removing the thick skin, fresh petioles are cut into pieces and eaten:
- Boiled in sugar syrup, they give a sour, very tasty jam;
- Lightly boiled in thick sugar syrup, dried and again immersed in syrup the next day, yield candied rhubarb;
- Scalded with boiling water, rubbed through a sieve and boiled with sugar, they are used as a filling in sweet pies, reminiscent of applesauce in taste;
- Wine, like Chablis, is prepared from the juice of the petioles, and the juice mixed with water and sugar is first fermented; when the latter is finished and the liquid clears, it is filtered, settled and bottled, in which it is kept for at least a year in the cellar.
Rhubarb. © Kasschei Rosmarinus) - a genus of perennial evergreen shrubs of the Lamiaceae family ( Lamiaceae). The calyx is ovate-campanulate, bilipped, bifid; upper lip with three short teeth; the lower one is two-toothed, three-lobed, with a large middle lobe. Two stamens, anthers unilocular. The leaves are opposite, tapered, linear. Rosemary has a strong aromatic sweetish and camphorous odor, reminiscent of pine, and a very spicy, slightly pungent taste. Leaves, flowers and young shoots in fresh or dry form are used as a spice for processing fish; in small quantities they are added to vegetable soups and dishes, salads, minced meat, fried meat, fried poultry, mushrooms, red and white cabbage. cabbage and marinades. They add a pleasant taste to soft cheeses, potatoes, game meat, fish and pastries.
Rosemary essential oil is used in the perfume and cosmetics industry; leaves, flowers and young shoots - in the alcoholic beverage and baking industries.
Leaves and annual shoots of rosemary were used in folk medicine internally for amenorrhea, as an astringent, tonic for impotence; sedative - for nervous disorders during menopause; analgesic - for pain in the heart and stomach colic and externally - for neuritis, thrombophlebitis, rheumatism, mumps, leucorrhoea, as a wound healing agent. Used in modern combination preparations of herbal origin
Rosemary. © THOR Arugula
Arugula, Caterpillar sativum, Indau seed ( Eruca sativa) is a biennial herbaceous plant of the genus Eruca ( Eruca) family Brassicas ( Brassicaceae). The stem is straight, branched, slightly pubescent. The leaves are lyre-pinnate or dissected, with serrated lobes.
It has been grown as an herb in the Mediterranean since Roman times, where it was considered an aphrodisiac. Until the 1900s, arugula was mainly collected in the wild, cultivation was not used on a mass scale, and it was practically not studied by science. It has a rich, pungent taste.
Mainly used in salads, and also as a vegetable addition to meat dishes and pastas. In coastal Slovenia (especially in Koper) it is added to cheese cheburek. In Italy it is often used in making pizza; Usually arugula is added to it shortly before the end of cooking or immediately after. Also used as an ingredient for pesto in addition to (or replacing) basil.
In the Caucasus, young shoots and leaves are eaten. The leaves are used as a seasoning for dishes in the form of salad, young shoots are eaten fresh, and the seeds are used to make mustard. In Indian medicine, the seeds are used as an irritant and anti-blister agent; in folk medicine - for skin diseases, juice - for ulcers, freckles, hematomas, calluses, nasal polyps.
Ruta
Ruta ( Ruta) - a genus of evergreen perennial fragrant herbs, subshrubs, shrubs of the Rutaceae family ( Rutaceae). The leaves are trifoliate or pinnate, speckled with translucent glands, with fragrant essential oil.
Rue is grown as a herb for its young leaves, which are used as a seasoning for food, for sprinkling on sandwiches and in vinegar (the taste is reminiscent of garlic or onion), and also as a medicine, for which the plant is cut off just before flowering and then dried. .
Rue. © H. Zell Celery
Celery ( Apium) - a genus of plants of the Umbrella family ( Apiaceae), vegetable crop. There are about 20 species in total, distributed on all continents. A biennial vegetable herb with a thick spindle-shaped yellow-white and brownish root crop with porous pulp. The leaves are shiny, dark green, the petioles of the basal leaves are long and fleshy.
All parts of this spicy herb are added to first and second courses, salads, drinks, sauces, and seasonings. The rhizome is also used in dried form. The stems are recommended to be used instead of salt for gallbladder diseases, osteoporosis, and kidney diseases. In medicine it is used as a diuretic. Is an aphrodisiac.
Celery root has a diuretic and restorative effect, and is widely used for kidney and bladder diseases. In homeopathy, extracts from seeds, roots and leaves are used as a diuretic and cardiac remedy, as well as for diseases of the genital organs.
Celery is cultivated. © Rasbak Thyme
Thyme, Thyme, Thyme, Bogorodskaya herb, matter ( Thymus) - a genus of subshrubs of the Lamiaceae family ( Lamiaceae). A perennial subshrub up to 35 cm tall with a woody, recumbent or ascending stem and erect or ascending herbaceous branches. The root is taproot, woody. The stems are woody at the base, spread over the soil, branched, covered with bent down or erect hairs.
The leaves are varied in size, veining and shape (from round or ovate to linear-oblong), hard, almost leathery, short-petiolate, less often sessile, entire or sometimes serrated (a constant feature in some Far Eastern species).
Young shoots of thyme have a strong, pleasant lemon aroma and a slightly bitter, pungent taste. It is recommended to add thyme to fatty lamb and pork dishes. This herb contains an essential oil with a strong odor. Thyme is good when combined with pepper, this enhances its flavor. It is used in the manufacture of many medicines, and also as an ornamental plant for landscaping.
Thyme, or Thyme. © Fritz Geller-Grimm Carum) - a genus of perennial or biennial plants of the Apiaceae family ( Apiaceae), of which the best known species is Cumin vulgaris ( Carum carvi). Leaves are double or triple pinnate. Flowers are bisexual or partially staminate. Petals are white, pink or red, rounded, obovate. The fruits are oblong, somewhat laterally compressed, and the ribs are blunt. The roots are used in cooking as a spice. Leaves and young shoots are used in salads. Seeds - for flavoring homemade baked goods, for sauerkraut, and pickling cucumbers.
Caraway. © Anneli Salo Savory
Savory ( Satureja) - annual plants, subshrubs or shrubs, a genus of plants of the Lamiaceae family ( Lamiaceae). The leaves are entire or almost entire, short-petiolate. Flowers are 4-9 mm or 10-15 mm long, bluish-white, light purple or pinkish, collected in 3-7-flowered whorls in the leaf axils. The calyx is bell-shaped, two-lipped or almost regular, five-toothed. The corolla is two-lipped; four stamens; anthers bilocular, separated by a not very wide connective tissue; stigma with diverging lobes. The fruits are nuts, from round to ovoid, obtuse.
The medicinal effect of savory is antispasmodic, bactericidal, astringent. Young leaves can be picked as a seasoning, but dried savory is an excellent strong spice. Savory greens are very fragrant and reminiscent of thyme, but with pungent undertones.
Savory. ©Shalonmooney
Ramson, Bear onion, Wild garlic, Flask ( Allium ursinum) - perennial herbaceous plant; species of the genus Onion ( Allium) family Onion ( Alliaceae). The bulb is elongated, about 1 cm thick. The stem is triangular, there are two leaves, shorter than the stem, with a lanceolate or oblong acute blade 3-5 cm wide and a narrow petiole, twice the length of the blade or equal to it.
It is used as a green crop and is included in salads and other dishes. Ramson has anthelmintic and antimicrobial effects. It is recommended to use it for scurvy and atherosclerosis; it has been used in folk medicine for thousands of years, including for fever, as an anthelmintic and antimicrobial agent, as an external remedy for rheumatism, and for various intestinal infectious diseases. In Ancient Rome and the Middle Ages, wild garlic was considered a good remedy for cleansing the stomach and blood.
Cheremsha. © Archenzo Sage
Sage, Salvia ( Salvia) - a large genus of perennial herbaceous plants and shrubs of the Lamiaceae family ( Lamiaceae). The leaves are simple or pinnate. The calyx is bell-shaped, tubular-campanulate, conical or tubular, unchanged or slightly enlarged during fruiting; the upper lip is three-toothed. The corolla is always two-lipped; the upper lip is helmet-shaped, crescent-shaped or straight; The middle lobe of the lower lip is much larger than the lateral ones, very rarely equal to the lateral ones. Stamens - 2; thread-like column; the stigma is bilobed.
In fresh and dried form, the spice is used to add a piquant taste and aroma to meat, game, fish, salads, pies, and when making tea. It has an anti-inflammatory and disinfectant effect and is used as a medicine for rinsing and compresses. All species of this genus are essential oilseeds; many of them entered the culture as medicinal, for example Salvia officinalis ( Salvia officinalis). The different properties of essential oils in different types of sage and the possibilities of their use have not yet been studied. The most famous is Clary Sage.
Salvia officinalis. © H. Zell Tarragon, tarragon
Wormwood tarragon, Tarragon, Tarragon ( Artemisia dracunculus) is a perennial herbaceous plant, a species of the genus Artemisia of the Asteraceae family. The stems are few, 40-150 cm high, erect, glabrous, yellowish-brown. Stem leaves are entire, oblong or linear-lanceolate, pointed; The lower leaves are notched at the top. The flowers are pale yellowish. The inflorescence is paniculate, narrow, dense; involucre leaves short-elliptic or almost spherical; the involucre is bare, greenish-yellowish, shiny, membranous along the edge.
Tarragon wormwood has a slightly spicy aroma and a pungent, spicy and piquant taste. There are known salad varieties, common in Transcaucasia and Central Asia, and spicy-aromatic forms (Ukraine, Moldova).
The green mass of the plant is widely used in cooking in fresh form as a spicy and aromatic seasoning for pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, making marinades, sauerkraut, soaking apples, pears.
Used as a spice in the preparation of rice, boiled fish, mayonnaise, fried game, and lamb. Finely chopped fresh leaves are added as a herb to poultry, eggs, light sauces, meat dishes, and all types of salads. They can be used to make green oil.
A refreshing drink “Tarragon” is prepared from the plant and is used to flavor wines and liqueurs. Particularly popular in France is the production of a special aromatic-spicy vinegar from the aerial part of tarragon wormwood, used to season salted fish. A bunch of tarragon branches - green or dried, placed in a bottle of vodka for several weeks, gives the vodka a special taste and aroma. Depending on whether green or dry branches were taken, the taste is different.
Tarragon, or Tarragon. © KENPEI What herbs do you grow in your garden or vegetable garden? Share your experience in the comments or on our Forum.
Of course, the ideal diet should include fresh herbs, but in the winter season the choice is not particularly large: while parsley, cilantro and dill can still be purchased, then, for example, basil, thyme, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage and other spicy herbs Herbs are often sold in dried form, and even then not everywhere. But why depend on weather conditions and the assortment of stores if you can grow everything at home?
Firstly, fresh herbs will always be at hand, and secondly, it won’t cost you so much. Thirdly, it is useful, because fresh herbs contain a maximum of substances necessary for the body. And fourthly, fragrant herbs on the windowsill will become a piece of summer against the backdrop of frosty patterns on the glass.
the site will tell you which herbs are best to choose for growing at home and how to properly care for them in order to get a good harvest.
Spicy herbs: choosing plants for the “home garden”
Before purchasing seeds, determine which herbs you need based on their use:
Anise: the leaves are added to soups, sauces and salads, the seeds are good for baking.
Basil: leaves are added to soups, pasta sauces, and when cooking meat dishes , added to vinegar to flavor it.
Caraway: the leaves are added to salads, tea, sauces and soups, the seeds are used to flavor cookies, bread, salads and cheeses.
Chervil: leaves are added to salads, soups, sauces, and also in tea.
Coriander (cilantro): added to stews and sauces, soups , used in the preparation of meat dishes, the seeds are added to sauces and meat dishes.
Dill: added to first and second courses, salads, and baked goods. It goes well with meat, fish, and goes into pickles and marinades. They even make tea with dill!
Parsley: put in soups, side dishes, first and second courses, salads, seasonings, sauces, etc.
Sage: The leaves are added to omelettes, pancakes and stews, and flavor alcoholic drinks.
Green onions added to egg dishes, soups, salads , oils, cheeses, sauces for fish and meat.
Fennel: the entire plant is edible, the seeds are added to sausages and baked goods, the leaves go well with fish, vegetables, and cheese.
Marjoram: It adds flavor to meat and is added to salads, omelettes, jellies and tea mixtures.
Oregano: added to meat, poultry and pork dishes, sauces, goes especially well with tomatoes.
Rosemary: added to tea, baked goods, meat and vegetable dishes .
Sorrel and spinach: First courses, omelettes are prepared with them, and they are used as a filling for baked goods.
Tarragon: added to sauces, salads, soups, omelettes, meat, vegetable and fish dishes.
Thyme: added to tea, it is a good seasoning for poultry, fish, stews, soups, tomato sauces, cheese, eggs and rice.
Other ways to use herbs
Many herbs are used not only in cooking. Where else can their healing and aromatic properties be used?
Fragrant herbs in fresh and dried form can be added to the water when taking a bath - for example, lavender, mint, chamomile, sage, verbena.
You can make a sachet from dry aromatic herbs - for example, lavender or verbena. Such sachets are usually placed in the closet to give clothes a pleasant aroma and to repel moths.
If you wish and have time, you can make a face mask with herbs or rinse your hair with a decoction of chamomile, sage or nettle.
It is possible and necessary to use medicinal herbs in the treatment of various diseases.
Herbs can also be used as natural dyes - for example, chamomile or sorrel.
Selecting dishes, soil and planting seeds
Herbs grow slower indoors than outdoors, but with proper care they will produce good harvest and at home.
Vegetable garden on the windowsill: growing spices / shutterstock.com
The easiest way is to take several plants directly from the garden before the first frost or buy seedlings in the store - this is especially true for oregano, rosemary, thyme and tarragon, as they do not always germinate well.
Anise, caraway, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel and parsley are easy to grow from seed at any time of year. To do this you will need suitable dishes, good soil and our recommendations:
Dishes
You can choose ceramic or plastic pots, but it is better to use containers or boxes. The dishes should be wide and shallow, with drainage holes to avoid stagnation of water. It is necessary to pour drainage at the bottom - expanded clay, shards, coarse sand.
The soil
For landing plants It’s better to buy a ready-made substrate in a store. It is advisable that the mixture include sand or perlite. Before planting seeds, it is recommended to bake the soil in the oven for additional disinfection.
Landing
If the seeds are small, they can be sown immediately in moist soil; larger seeds can be soaked in water for several hours. It is advisable to first check them for germination: those that float to the surface are most likely empty.
The seeds are planted shallowly in moist soil, covered with only a small layer of soil, then the soil is moistened and covered with a bag or glass to maintain heat and humidity. The first shoots will appear in 7-10 days.
Spicy herbs: placement and care
After the first shoots appear, the bag or glass is removed. As soon as plants will rise a little, you need to remove all weak shoots along with the root, leaving only strong specimens.
Tender shoots must be protected from drafts, provided with enough light, moisture and maintained at a comfortable temperature. Don't forget to cut off the inflorescences if they appear over time.
Having your own plot and buying herbs on the market is, to put it mildly, unreasonable. You can grow everything in your garden and always have the freshest greens on your table, and be sure of their environmental purity. In our article you will find a list of herbs, recommendations for growing perennial and annual plants, photos with names and main characteristics.
Even from a small free space, if you use it rationally, you can get the maximum benefit. An ordinary garden bed or flowerbed - oval, triangular or round - is suitable for herbs.
A bed of spicy herbs looks beautiful, and everything planted on it is useful, but so that the greens do not lose their decorative value, they need care. Therefore, you need to arrange the garden bed in such a way that it is convenient to work.
In addition, there should be free access to the garden bed even in bad weather; therefore, paths paved with slabs or bricks are needed; in extreme cases, they can be covered with sawdust.
Herb bed Tall plants are planted in the center, shorter ones - along the edge. They begin to prepare the site in the fall: they remove weeds and dig up. In the spring, the soil is once again cleared of weeds, loosened, then:
- mark paths;
- they limit the bed with a border, for which they use a cord to mark off the borders and install pegs;
- make a border from bricks or assemble a frame from boards;
- fill the bed with fertile soil and water it;
- pave the passages;
- seedlings are planted.
Attention! Most herb plants do not tolerate excess moisture. Therefore, if the bed is low, then a good drainage layer is needed.
Perennial herbs
The order of perennial herbs consists of:
- Fennel. Reaches 1.5 m, most often grown as an annual, because he is a southerner and cannot stand harsh winters. All its parts are used in the kitchen. The grains are used as a seasoning for fish, they decorate dishes with beautiful leaves, the heads of cabbage are stewed and served with meat.
Fennel - Lovage. A powerful, unpretentious spicy plant, reaching 2 m. It is planted both in the sun and in the shade - it feels good everywhere. Its leaves are a spicy seasoning for fish and meat dishes. The plant is a common component in traditional medicine.
- Hyssop. It is a half-meter, and sometimes taller, fragrant subshrub. Very picturesque when in bloom. Its flowers are most often purple or blue, but pink ones are also found. Spicy seasoning from its buds and leaves is used for salads, sauces, soups, meat and fish. It is a good flavoring agent for marinades and tinctures.
Hyssop - Ruta. This is a subshrub 50-70 cm in height. Unpretentious, reproduces by all known methods. As a seasoning it is good for lamb, meat fillings, vegetables, put in jars when canning tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Lemon balm is a bush 0.45-1.25 m tall, branched, grows well in the sun and in a slightly shaded place, the main thing is that the soil is fertile. It has a citrus flavor and is used in many dishes, giving them a bright flavor.
lemon balm - Garden thyme. A low shrub 0.25-0.4 m. In addition to being widely used for medicinal purposes, it is also a good seasoning for soups, salads, sauces, fish, meat, and vegetables.
- Sage is a powerful plant with panicle-shaped inflorescences, sometimes reaching 1.2 m. Useful both in the kitchen and in medicine.
Attention! Individual plants enhance the taste of herbs growing in their vicinity. These include canuper, cornflower, and wormwood.
Spicy annuals
A bed with herbs is not only perennials; without annual aromatic plants it will be incomplete. This list includes:
- Anise. Grows in light and fertile soil, loves light. Can grow over a meter. Fresh herbs are collected to season salads and side dishes. The seeds are added to sauces, baked goods, pickles, soups, kvass, and starters.
Anise - Dill. Once you plant this plant once, it will then reproduce itself through self-seeding. It is difficult to name a dish where dill is not used, unless it is added to sweets.
- Basil. It grows in the form of a small compact bush, heat-loving, so it is better to grow it through seedlings. Fresh leaves are served on barbecue and used as a seasoning for many dishes. The twigs are used for preservation.
- Parsley is an essential ingredient in many dishes. Both leaves and root are used. It grows in a bright place, prefers loose soils, and is not afraid of frost.
- Borage or borage. This plant with beautiful blue star-shaped flowers is a good additional ingredient for side dishes, meat, vinaigrette, fish, cold soups, and sauces. In addition, mature leaves are stewed like spinach and added to marinades and pickles. The flowers, both fresh and candied, are also edible. The bushes can grow in height from 10 to 60 cm.
Borage or borage - Coriander. In appearance, the 80-centimeter bushes cannot be immediately distinguished from parsley, but the taste and aroma of cilantro are completely different. The plant is not capricious, grows in the garden without much attention to itself. Greens are good in salads, as a seasoning for soups, and meat. The seeds are an indispensable spice for sausages, canned food, sauces, drinks, and marinades.
- Salad mustard. Surprisingly early ripening, cold-resistant plant. In home cooking, its succulent leaves are used, which are collected before the flowers appear. They are put in salads, made into a side dish, and canned. Oil is obtained from the seeds and mustard is made. Powder made from seeds serves as a seasoning for fish and meat. It is included in spice flavor mixtures. This spice makes the stomach work more actively and increases appetite.
Salad mustard - Marjoram flower. Unlike leaf marjoram, which grows exclusively in the south, flower marjoram is an annual and is cultivated in Europe. Spicy leaves and flower buds that have not yet blossomed are used. The latter are dried, fried, and added fresh to dishes. This spice can be found in the list of ingredients of the hop-suneli mixture. Housewives generously season fried and stewed poultry and pork with it, add it to cabbage, legumes, potatoes, minced cutlets, marinade, pates, drinks, mushroom and meat soups.
- Caraway. An ancient spicy plant up to 1 m tall, it would be more correct to call it a biennial. The seeds are mainly used as a flavoring for bread and other baked goods. Included in the list of spices for meat, gravy, vegetables, sauce, kvass. The root and leaves are added to salads. Essential oil prepared from seeds has a unique aroma.
Caraway - Kupir is another representative of the umbrella family that prefers shade. It tastes very similar to parsley, but has a slightly sweetish smell, characteristic of anise. Just as fresh leaves are added as a spice, when dried, both the taste and beneficial properties are lost. Kupir is present in sauces, oils, and is added to cottage cheese when making sandwiches.
Advice. Marjoram will help you better tolerate a salt-free diet. It is also useful for diabetics as a salt substitute.
The spice bed is not only healthy, but also beautiful. Set aside a place for it in your garden and it will provide you with delicious additions to your dishes, and if necessary, it will also cure you of many ailments.
Herb bed: video
You can add a delicious taste to any dish with the help of spices. You can buy them in any store, but most often in winter it is difficult to find fresh greens at a good price. We bring to your attention a list of herbs that can be grown in your dacha.
Where to place herbs
You can place herbs anywhere, the main thing is to determine the scale of the seedlings. You can plant them in a mixborder, in the garden or on the windowsill of the house. If you decide to plant herbs, it is better to make a raised bed for them, dividing the area into several zones with bricks or stones. 
It is also important to take into account that herbs should be close to the house. A small storehouse of spices on the windowsill will provide quick access to herbs regardless of the weather or season, but they need to be provided with artificial light using phytolamps.
List of herbs for the garden
We present you with herbs that can be grown in the garden in this list.
In ancient times, coriander was used in cooking and medicine. This is an annual plant that belongs to the Umbelliferae family. Coriander also has another name - Chinese parsley or cilantro.
The stem is erect and reaches up to 70 cm in height. The leaves are broad-lobed, with wide lobules. The flowers are small and arranged in umbels at the ends of the peduncles. They bloom in June or July. Ripe umbrellas are cut off as they contain seeds. Umbrellas are dried, threshed and stored in paper bags.
Did you know? In Ancient Egypt, coriander was used medicinally.
Coriander is native to the eastern Mediterranean. The history of the plant begins in Ancient Greece from 1400 BC. Previously, coriander was called bedbugs because the fresh leaves smell like bedbugs. 
This herb was first used as a spice by the Romans. Then it became popular in England, and then came to colonized America. Coriander is used when the first leaves appear and added to any salads, soups, main courses and sauces.
Did you know? In England and Germany, coriander is used in the production of beer, and in France it is added to perfumes.
Coriander's dried fruits are of great value. They should not be eaten green because of the unpleasant smell, but if they are dried, the aroma resembles anise. Dried fruits are used in Borodino bread, sausages, canned fish, sauces and cheeses.
Essential oils are made from coriander seeds, as they contain vitamins C and A, starch, sugar, nitrogenous substances and fatty oils.
Also, due to its beneficial properties, coriander is used in medicine, namely in the preparation of herbal preparations. They improve digestion and are used for ulcers and gastritis. They are also used in other medicines - antiseptic, analgesic and choleretic. A decoction of the seeds and green leaves of coriander is used as an expectorant for pneumonia and bronchitis.
Did you know? Coriander was used as an aphrodisiac and was included in love potions.
Another type of herb, which is part of the Umbelliferae family and is used as a seasoning, is called parsley or rock celery. Parsley is very popular in European countries. It blooms in early summer, and begins to bear fruit from late summer to autumn. 
This spice was considered a sacred plant by the Greeks due to its rich vitamin C content. Parsley surpasses carrots in the presence of beta-carotene and contains provitamin A.
It contains vitamin B, potassium, iron, magnesium, inulin and folic acid.
Did you know? Parsley can be used as a breath freshener.
Thanks to its essential oil, this plant is used for colds. Suitable as a prophylactic. Parsley juice is used for heart diseases. If you are overweight, you should drink an infusion of parsley with a decoction of dandelion and fennel leaves.Parsley is also used in cosmetology - in whitening masks. The herb helps get rid of freckles and gives your face a healthy glow. This spicy plant is used in cooking as a main seasoning. Suitable for decorating dishes and as a flavoring additive.
Important! Parsley has contraindications for pregnant women.
Thyme is a perennial plant that belongs to the Lamiaceae family. This shrub grows up to 40 cm in height. Thyme flowering begins in May and ends closer to September.
Thyme contains essential oil, resins, bitterness, mineral salts and flavonoids. It is prescribed as an antipyretic, diuretic and sedative, as it contains ursolic, caffeic, quinic and chlorogenic acids. Thyme is prescribed for neuralgia and neuroses, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, intestinal spasms and atony.
Thyme has a sharp, bitter taste and a pleasant strong odor. Thyme leaves are mainly used in cooking. It is good to use them for vegetable dishes and legume soups.
Fried dishes made from fatty meat have a piquant taste when thyme is added. In baking, thyme improves the taste and adds aroma to any pies and pies. It is used for smoking fish and meat products and for pickling tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini.
Dill is an annual plant from the Apiaceae family. Its homeland is western and central Asia.
Dill was first mentioned in ancient Egyptian papyri. The plant was used during hikes to improve digestion. In Greece they used it in food and medicine, and also wove wreaths from dill. 
The Romans made bunches of it that repelled insects. Dill contains vitamins C, B2, A, P, PP, B6, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and potassium. Thanks to such a rich chemical composition, dill has high nutritional value.
Used in cooking to add freshness to salads, when preparing fish, meat, soup and sauces. They put it in jars for preservation, as it has a spicy taste and aroma. Extracts from dill seeds and greens are added to perfumes and other cosmetic products. Creams, colognes and toothpastes are made from essential oils.
Dill is also actively involved in the creation of medical drugs, such as anetine - used for heart diseases. The plant improves lactation, vision and diuresis. Tincture of dill leaves is used as a diuretic and antispasmodic.
Salvia officinalis is often planted in a mini-garden and is used both in medicine and in cooking. The Mediterranean is considered the birthplace of sage. 
Dried sage is used in cooking. Added to soups, rice dishes, salads, fatty meats and minced meats. It improves the taste of boiled fish. Add sage 5-10 minutes before the dish is ready.
Did you know? The second name for sage was given by Hippocrates - “sacred herb”
Its roots contain coumarin, and its seeds contain 30% fatty oil. The plant has anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, and tonic properties. It is also used in the treatment of sore throat, neuritis, diabetes, bronchitis, burns, skin diseases, as well as kidney and liver diseases.
Oregano tops the list of perennial herbs to grow in the garden. The smell of oregano is reminiscent of thyme. The plant reaches up to 90 cm in height and has branched roots. The leaves are oblong and the stems are hairy. The flowers are small, collected in panicle-shaped inflorescences, and have a pink-purple color. Oregano blooms in July-August.
The above-ground part of the plant is used in medicine. Stems with inflorescences are collected during flowering and dried. 
Did you know? In ancient times, oregano was used against witchcraft and slander, as it was believed that it drove away evil spirits.
Oregano has expectorant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, analgesic, choleretic, sedative and hemostatic properties.
Composition of oregano: flavonoids, bitters, phytoncides, essential oils, phenols (Carvacrol and Thymol), vitamins C, B1 and B2.
Oregano is used not only in cooking and medicine, but also in cosmetics. Added to face and body lotions, hair strengthening balms, and perfumes. Oregano is added to fish and meat dishes, and to legume soups. It is also added to the sausage. Oregano adds aroma and pungency to home-canned food.
Tarragon looks like wormwood. Homeland - Mongolia. This plant is also called tarragon or dragoon grass. It contains vitamins B1, B2, A, C, magnesium, potassium, carotene, coumarin, ascorbic acid, phosphorus, bitterness and iron.
Tarragon was first used in cooking by the French in the 17th century. Now it is used as a seasoning in combination with lemon juice, fruits and berries.
The stems are used for marinades and pickles. It also works as a salad dressing. Tarragon is a preservative that preserves the taste and aroma of vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms. 
Dried leaves are served as a side dish for meat, vegetable, fish and egg dishes, and are also added to soups, broths, and sauces.
Tarragon is used to make soft drinks and the leaves are added to wines and liqueurs for richer flavor. Arab doctors believe that this plant freshens breath, eliminates apathy and strengthens the immune system.
Tarragon leaves contain many essential oils that have a calming effect on the human body during headaches, depression, insomnia and vitamin deficiencies.
Important! Tarragon should not be consumed by pregnant or nursing mothers, or by people who suffer from stomach problems.
There are several types of mint, namely: lemon, apple mint, green spearmint and peppermint. Let's talk about pepper.
The homeland of mint is the Mediterranean. Some grow mint in their gardens, and some buy it in pharmacies. It contains a lot of menthol, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. Peppermint essential oil is used in cosmetology, perfumery and medicine. In cooking, mint is used as a garnish and seasoning. 
In medicine it is used for nausea and to improve digestion. It has calming and analgesic properties, improves bowel function, and has sedative properties. Used for stomach and intestinal spasms.
Did you know? Mint leaves are applied to the temples for headaches.
In cooking, mint is used in the form of essential oil, and mint oil is used in confectionery. Fresh leaves of the plant are added to lamb and poultry dishes.
It is used in the production of jelly, syrups, compotes and fruit drinks.
Lemongrass is called citronella, lemongrass and lemongrass. It has a citrus aroma with notes of almond and the taste of lemon zest. Lemongrass is native to Malaysia. Grows up to 1 meter. It contains vitamins A, B, C, nicotinic acid and fatty acids. The plant tops the list of useful herbs in the garden.
Fresh and dried stems of the plant in powder form are used in cooking.
Important! The stem of lemongrass is tough, so it needs to be finely chopped or ground into a paste.
This plant is used in Asian cuisine. It is added to stews, soups, curries, seafood, chicken, beef and pork. 
Lemon grass has a tonic and stimulating effect. It has strong bactericidal and antiseptic properties. Lemon grass improves concentration and eliminates fatigue and its consequences.
Did you know? Lemon grass is called "Voodoo grass" and is planted around the house to get rid of snakes.
Lemongrass is used to create a cool tea drink in Thai cuisine. Coconut desserts and sweets with the addition of milk and nuts also add cytonella.
Fennel is a perennial plant that is part of the celery family. The plant grows up to two meters in height. It looks and tastes like dill and anise. Fennel blooms in July or August. Its homeland is Southern Europe. In ancient times it was used as a spice and medicine. 
Did you know? It was previously believed that fennel increases a person’s strength and prolongs his life.
The aroma of fennel is reminiscent of anise liqueur. The fruits of the plant are used to improve the digestive process. Fennel contains the following: quercetin, camperol glycoside, flavonoids rutin, anethole, vitamin C and B.
Preparations made from fennel increase the secretory activity of the digestive glands and act as a diuretic and expectorant. Fennel promotes lactation and has antifungal activity.
The leaves of the plant are used in cooking. It is added fresh to meat and fish dishes, as well as to salads. The seeds are added to marinades and soups. And fennel sauce goes well with cold fish.
Melissa
The perennial herb lemon balm has an unusual aroma and can be grown in the garden.
Grows up to 80 cm in height. Blooms all summer with white flowers. 
Did you know? Melissa means "bee" in Greek.
Melissa has a lemony taste and smell. The aerial part of lemon balm with flowers is used for medicinal purposes. This plant strengthens and invigorates the body, eliminates bad breath and helps with brain blockage.
Melissa is also used in perfumes and dietary products. The herb and leaves of lemon balm are used as a spicy seasoning and added to soups, salads, sauces, vegetable side dishes, fish and poultry dishes. Melissa, rhubarb and mint are used to make tonic and refreshing drinks.
Rhubarb is a vegetable but is prepared like a fruit. The leaves and roots of the plant are considered poisonous; only the stems are eaten. The plant belongs to the buckwheat family. Central China is considered its homeland.
The stem contains vitamins C, B, PP, carotene, pectin, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. Rhubarb is used for anemia and tuberculosis, as well as to normalize acidity. The plant has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the lungs and heart. Rhubarb roots and rhizomes are used for medicinal purposes. 
Improves digestive processes, maintains body tone, rejuvenates and prevents rapid aging. Thanks to its sweet and sour taste, rhubarb is used to make salads, sauces, preserves, jams, pies, pies, compotes and jelly.
Features of collecting and drying herbs
The above-ground parts of plants are used for drying. They need to be collected during the period of full development, that is, in the summer, in dry, good weather, when there is no dew on the leaves.
Important! On the eve of harvest, do not water the plants.
The main thing is to collect it carefully, then the aromatic oils will remain in the green spices. Torn or broken leaves lose their flavor. The entire crop must be dried carefully. An attic is suitable for this. Temperature – approx. 30°С. Large leaves, like sage, are laid out on shelves in a thin layer.
Dill or tarragon are tied into bunches, wrapped in newspaper and hung. Anise and coriander are tied into bunches and threshed after drying on a baking sheet.
Spicy herbs are a great opportunity to diversify your diet. We offer you herbs for the garden that can be grown in any climatic conditions without much difficulty. By planting herbs in your dacha, you will provide yourself with excellent flavor and aromatic additives to various dishes.
Growing herbs is suitable for everyone. If you don't have a garden or have too little outdoor space, you can grow chervil, marjoram, mint, parsley and thyme in a pot on the windowsill. Outdoors, you can grow them in a mixed bed or border, like in old cottage gardens. The best option, however, is a raised grass bed. It is a good idea to grow herbs in compartments separated by permanent walls made of brick, wood, concrete slabs, etc.
Planting of herbs is carried out both by seedlings and by sowing in open ground.
How to plant and grow herbs
Before planting herbs, prepare a plot of land. How to grow herbs in your garden without using chemicals? It’s very simple; to do this, we plant straight grasses in strict accordance with the requirements of agricultural technology.
Standard requirements are a few hours of sunlight during the day, well-drained soils, harvesting regularly enough to keep the plant compact, and replacing perennials every three or four years. Vigorous plants such as mint need to be controlled. Most herbs can be grown from seeds, but it is better to buy ready-made seedlings in pots from a garden center. For bush herbs such as rosemary, one plant will suffice, but for smaller herbs such as parsley you will need several. Set up an herb garden as close to the house as possible - collecting herbs if the bed is located at the far end of the garden tends to be neglected in wet weather.
What herbs to plant
Which herbs to plant largely depends on how you plan to use them in the future.
Harvest at the proper stage of growth - select as needed for immediate use while plants are actively growing, and also some for drying. Most herbs can be dried for winter use, but whenever possible, basil, parsley, mint, chives and chervil should be used fresh. Dry the herbs by hanging them in bunches or laying them out on a tray at a temperature of approximately 26-32°C. A suitable place is a drying cabinet or greenhouse. After the initial warm drying, the herbs can be kept at normal room temperature for about two weeks, turning them daily until crisp. Chop them, discard the tough stems and store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
Deep freezing has revolutionized the preservation of soft-leaved herbs in ice cubes. Fill ice cube trays with chopped and blanched herbs and add water. Freeze and then store in plastic bags in the freezer. To use, place the herbal ice cube in a dish or pan while cooking.
Description, photos and names of herbs
The name of herbs usually has no other transcriptions and is used unambiguously both on the package of seeds and on the packet of seasoning. Look at the herbs in the photo, you will probably recognize those that you use every day. We offer you not only photos and names of herbs for the garden and dacha. Here you can see photos and descriptions of herbs with brief botanical characteristics of the crops. All the presented herbs with photos are deservedly popular among gardeners due to their unpretentiousness during cultivation.
BASIL
This tender annual cannot withstand frost. It is sown under glass in March or April in peat pots and planted in the ground in early June in a well-drained sunny place. Plant the plants at a distance of 30 cm and regularly pinch the tips of the shoots to get bushy plants.
In summer, the leaves are collected as needed or frozen. For winter use, dig up the plant in September, plant it in a pot and place it on the windowsill.
DILL
The 60 cm tall plant has thin pinnately dissected leaves and blooms in July with small yellow flowers in umbellate inflorescences. Dill does not tolerate transplantation. Sow the seeds in April immediately in a permanent place and thin out the seedlings to a distance of 30 cm. Choose a sunny, well-drained place and water in dry weather.
To collect the seeds, cut the stems when the inflorescences have turned brown, tie a paper bag over each inflorescence, and hang them upside down in bundles. Harvest the leaves for food when they are young. The aroma will remain even after drying.
CHERVIL
It is a delicate herb for a variety of reasons - it has lacy, finely lobed leaves, its life is short in hot weather, and its subtle aniseed flavor is easily lost in cooking. Despite this, chervil grows quickly, its leaves are ready for harvest 8 weeks after sowing. It is hardy, so its leaves are used until winter.
Sow it in spring or summer immediately in a permanent place. Thin the plants to a distance of 15 cm and water regularly in dry weather. Trim leaves from the outer edge of the plant. At the same time, remove the inflorescences.
Add to soup, egg and fish dishes before serving.
FENNEL
Common fennel is a perennial approximately 1.5 m tall with pinnately dissected foliage and yellow flowers. Do not confuse it with Florentine fennel, a vegetable grown for its thickened petiole bases.
Choose a sunny, well-drained planting location. You can sow seeds in the spring, but it is much easier to buy a potted plant from a garden center. The leaves are collected in the summer in the same way as dill.
Fennel has a stronger flavor than dill, with which they are interchangeable. The seeds are recommended for use in fatty fish dishes.
SCHNITT-BOW
The narrow, mild-tasting onion leaves can be harvested from March to October.
Green onions can be grown from seeds sown in March, but it is easier to plant specimens grown in pots in the spring or fall. Make the distance between the bushes 25 cm and divide them every 3 or 4 years. The ideal situation is moist soil and full sun. Watering is required regularly. Cut the leaves 3 cm above ground level. Try to cut them before the flower buds open.
Much of the chives' value is lost when dried - for winter use, grow in a pot indoors or freeze-dry.
MAJORAN (ORGUM)
There are many varieties of marjoram in the genus Origanum, but Origanum vulgare is called oregano. The most common is sweet marjoram, a bushy plant grown as a semi-cold-hardy annual.
Seeds are sown under glass in March and planted in a sunny position at the end of May, leaving 25 cm between plants. Collected before the flowers open. In the fall, the plants are dug up and moved indoors. Perennial marjoram is much easier to grow in a pot - by planting a container specimen in the spring.
Used to sprinkle on meat or poultry before frying.
MINT
Mint along with parsley are our favorite herbs. Mint will grow well in most garden soils. Keep it under control by growing it in a container, burying plastic sheets in the soil around the plants, or digging it up and replanting every year.
There are several types of mint - spearmint (garden mint) is the most common, but round-leaved mint, which combines apple flavor with a true mint flavor, is highly recommended for making mint sauce. Plant in autumn in root cuttings 5 cm deep and 25 cm apart.
Mint sprigs are widely used in cooking.
SAGE
With its grey-green leaves and spike-shaped clusters of blue flowers, this grass is as useful in a mixed border as it is in an herb garden. One plant should be enough.
Plant seedlings in spring in a sunny, well-drained location. The leaves are collected regularly and the plant is trimmed lightly in July after flowering. Collect the foliage to dry before flowering - sage takes a long time to dry, but will keep in a covered container for a year.
Sage has a very strong aroma.
PARSLEY
Curly parsley is the most decorative, but varieties with regular leaves have more flavor.
Seeds are sown 1 cm deep in April for summer and autumn harvest and in August for winter use. Germination can take up to 2 months. Thin out to 25 cm and water in dry weather. Plants overwintering in the ground are covered with glass caps to protect the plants or with insulation. Remove flower stems as soon as they appear. Collect regularly - dry the twigs by placing them in boiling water for 2 minutes and then placing them in a cool oven until dry.
Widely used in cooking.
TARRAGON
Preference should be given to French aromatic tarragon. For the winter it should be covered with covering material.
Well-drained soil and a sheltered location are essential. Plant a potted specimen in March - remove flowering shoots to encourage new leaves to form. Collection from June to October for direct use. Excess can be dried or deep frozen.
Tarragon is used in many classic chicken and fish dishes, pickles and marinades.
ROSEMARY
This attractive evergreen shrub for the herb garden, mixed border or planter needs well-drained soil and a sunny, sheltered location.
Regular harvesting and spring pruning should form approximately 60 cm tall. Seeds are sown in May. Winter frosts and icy winds in the spring may destroy some of the shoots, but new growth will appear.
Needle-like leaves and white (or blue) flowers are used. This is a traditional seasoning for lamb, pork and veal - insert the sprigs before roasting and remove before serving.
THYME
Thyme is a low-growing evergreen shrub. Its aromatic leaves can be collected all year round. Common thyme has the strongest aroma, lemon thyme is less pungent, and caraway thyme has a pine-cumin aroma.
Plant potted seedlings 30cm apart in a well-drained, sunny position in spring. Divide every 3 years and replant. Thyme does well in a pot on the windowsill.
This herb is a traditional partner for parsley in poultry stuffing. It is also widely used on its own.