Seven Essential Kitchen Garden Herbs

Historically, herbs have been used as remedies for illnesses, flavoring, storing with linens, strewing on floors, or burning for their pleasant fragrances. Some were used to improve the taste of meats in the days before preservation techniques were developed. Other herbs were used to dye homespun fabrics.

Early herb gardens were the major source for food seasoning. The need for homegrown herbs, however, declined with more modern preservation techniques, and the proliferation of modern shops. Today, many gardeners are rediscovering the joy and pleasure of producing their own herbs. Herb gardens, almost an essential feature for cooking aficionados, can be placed in sunny corners near the house to be readily available to the cook.

Culinary herbs are probably the most useful to herb gardeners, having a wide range of uses in cooking. The seven herbs I consider essential to any kitchen herb garden are oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary, parsley, chives and sage.

Oregano, also called "wild marjoram," is a hardy perennial that has sprawling stems which can grow to 2 feet tall. The stems will often root where they lie on the soil. This plant is much coarser than sweet marjoram and smells more like thyme. It has small pink, purple or white flowers.

Thyme is a low-growing, wiry-stemmed perennial that reaches about 6 to 10 inches in height. The stems are stiff and woody and leaves are small, oval, and gray-green in color. The lilac flowers are borne in small clusters and the leaves are very aromatic. There are several varieties of ornamental thymes, as well as culinary ones.

Basil is a tender annual, about 18 inches tall with light-green, fairly broad leaves. The flowers are small, white, and appear in spikes. There are several species of cultivated basil, one having purple leaves. Basil grows easily from seed planted after all danger of frost has passed. Pinch the stems to promote bushy, compact growth. Avoid using much fertilizer, as lush growth may reduce the flavor.

The green leaves can be picked for use in cooking about 6 weeks following planting. Spicy-scented basil leaves are one of the most popular of all herbs used in cooking. Cooks favor basil for tomato and pasta dishes in either fresh or dried form.

For winter use, you can dry basil. It is best to cut leaves for drying just before flowers open. I prefer to freeze it, as the flavor retention is much greater. Another way to keep it for winter use is to make basil pesto, and freeze the pesto in small quantities (I put it into an ice cube tray).

Rosemary is a hardy evergreen shrub in areas where winter temperatures stay above 5 degrees Farenheit. In the Northeast, however, this perennial should be taken indoors and kept as a pot plant during winter. The narrow leaves have a leather-like feel and a spicy, resinous fragrance.

Parsley is a hardy biennial that is usually treated as an annual. It is popular because of its much-divided, curly leaves which have a characteristic flavor and smell. Italian parsley is similar, with flat leaves and a more distinctive taste.Parsley grows easily from seed, but is difficult to transplant because of its long taproot.

Chives are small, dainty, onion-like plants that grow in clumps reaching about 10 inches in height. They are a hardy perennial with decorative, light purple flowers. Often one of the first to show green shoots in spring, chives demand little care other than dividing when they become overcrowded. They are easily propagated by division or from seed and make attractive border plants.

Sage is a woody, hardy perennial plant with oblong, wooly, gray-green leaves that are lighter underneath and darker on top. Sage grows 2 to 3 feet or more in height and has a tendency to sprawl. There are several varieties available, with purple leaves, variegated leaves or green leaves. Some varieties have attractive deep blue flowers.