It's all about Fresh, Homegrown Herbs !

We love sharing our ideas about growing and using Herbs as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Join us on this journey of discovery by following us on:

The Joy of Oregano

Originating in the mountains of Greece where it was believed that this aromatic herb was created by the Goddess Aphrodite. She wanted it to be a symbol of Joy growing in her garden.

The word "oregano" comes from the Greek words "oros" for mountain and "ganos" for Joy ~ Joy of the Mountains

Since its first cultivation thousands of years ago, oregano has become a popular culinary ingredient around the world.

Read more about Oregano.

Nutritious & Digestive Support

As part of the Family, the health and well-being of our Pets have become one of the important aspects of daily live.

The best care is preventative care, making sure that your furr kids have optimum nutrition and a health promoting environment.

Dog grass is easy to grow, either in a pot or in your garden, where it will easily be accessible for your doggy to munch on when they feel the need.

This will give them access to natural nutrition that will also support the function of the digestive system.

Go ahead - Spoil your Doggy with some Healthy Living Dog Grass!

Read more articles about Herbal Pet Care.

Soothing & Relaxing

• Do you feel a bit down or anxious today?
• Take any small string bag, pick some of your Lavender flowers in the garden and fill the bag
• Find a spot where you can sit down for a moment
• Hold the bag in both hands and gently squeeze …
• Then, bring the hands to the nose and take a deep, relaxing breath in through the nose … and exhale ….
• … repeat and enjoy the soothing and balancing benefits of the Lavender aroma

Fresh is Best for Cooking

• Too much effort to go and pick Fresh, Homegrown Herbs from the garden every time you are busy in the kitchen?
• We have an idea that will ensure you always have fresh, homegrown herbs at your fingertips every time you prepare a meal.
• Next time when you are in your garden, just pick a handful of the herbs that are looking great.
• Place the freshly cut herbs in a container with water, making sure the stem ends are submerged in water.
• Place the container with fresh herbs within easy reach of the food preparation area.
• This way you always have fresh herbs available whenever you are cooking or just making a delicious sandwich
• Pinch a few leaves and add to your favourite meal for an instant taste sensation.

Use Fines Herbes to season mildly flavoured dishes, such as omelets, fish, and vegetables:

Combine the following Fresh Herbs:

• 4 teaspoons chopped French Tarragon
• 2 tablespoons chopped Italian Parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped Chervil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped Thyme
• 2 tablespoon snipped Chives

Bon Appétit

Do you love the taste of Coriander but find it difficult to grow?
We have a great alternative for you to try .... Vietnamese Coriander !
Also known as "Hot-Mint", it is a very popular culinary ingredient in Asian dishes.

It tastes similar to Coriander (Cilantro) that is more commonly used, but with the big difference that it is able to thrive in summer heat when normal Coriander tends to go into flower and not produce enough flavourful leaves.
With its strong, spicy, unusual flavour, it will indeed add a new taste experience to your culinary journey.

Growing Vietnamese Coriander is also easy.

Plant it in a sunny position with well drained, composted soil and water regularly, especially during hot, dry periods.

This one is not only for your cats!

Catmint Blue is a herb that fits in well with either your herb garden or as a colourful perennial in the flower bed.

Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect. Add to this the soothing Grey-Green foliage colour and you have a plant that Mother Nature gave the stamp of approval when it comes to physical and mental relaxation.

For more than just visual serenity, use the leaves and flowers to make an aromatic tea that may help you to relax and relieve stress. Sweeten the experience with a dash of honey.

Catmint Blue is drought and cold hardy and grows well in semi-shade to full sun.

Herbs with a tropical tang, like pineapple or lemon, are the most popular for flavouring cocktails and coolers.
Treat yourself and loved ones with the following basic cooler/punch recipe:

1 cup of herb leaves (Pineapple Sage or Mint or Mint Julep, etc)
2 cups of hot water
Pour boiling water over herb leaves and let it steep for about 15 min. to make a strong infusion.

Strain the herb leaves and add the infusion to the fruit concentrate, Soda water and Ginger Ale in a punch bowl:
250 ml Fruit concentrate
500 ml Soda water to dilute
500 ml Ginger Ale

Add to this some lemon slices, fresh herb leaves and lots of ice.
Dress it up with extra fruit, cocktail cherries, crushed ice, etc.

Read more about herbs to use for summery drinks

For juicy, firm and tasty green peppers, they need:

1. To grow in an area that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.
2. Make sure the ground is well composted and fertilized
3. Mulch around the plants in order to retain moisture during the hot summer months.

Give it a try and enjoy yummy homegrown Green Peppers

For more info on growing healthy herbs and veggies

Have you ever cooked with Marjoram?

If you haven't, you're missing out!

It is one of the most popular culinary herbs and it's delicate, citrusy flavour makes it especially versatile.
Like oregano and other mint relatives, marjoram plays nicely with tomato and is commonly included in tomato-based dishes.

Its mild flavour makes it a good addition to uncooked preparations like salad dressings.

Grow some today and use it fresh or dried to flavour soups, stews, sauces, dressings, meat and teas.

Plant it in a sunny position with well drained, composted soil.

For more information on Marjoram

Do you want to make a positive difference to your environment?

Why not start your own Bee Garden?

It is easy to do and highly rewarding.

Let's have a look a three ways to attract bees to your garden:

1. Choose plants that flower all year long
2. Plant in groups so that the bees do not have to travel far as they only focus on one type of plant at a time
3. Have fresh water in shallow bowls available for the bees to drink from.

Perennial Basil is an ideal plant to use as it flowers for most of the year. It will also add colour to your garden with its attractive display of flowers.
An added bonus is that you can also use the leaves to make delicious Basil Pesto.

For more information on other Bee Loving Herbs

"IT IS EGG PLANT SEASON!"

One of our favourite veggies to plant in the gardens.
It is so easy to grow and rewards you with an abundance of tasty fruits with little effort.

One plant can produce up to 5 big fruit that are super healthy for us.
It features prominently in the Mediterranean diet, recognized as a Healthy Living Lifestyle.

Make this delicious Summer Salad with your own homegrown Egg Plants:

Make this delicious Eggplant-Feta-and-Mint-Salad

Dill can be used in many ways such as in salad dressings, pasta sauces or pickling.

It is a particular favourite in fish dishes.

Something else about Dill is that it is easy to pick and use in dishes if you grow it in your garden.

If you are not growing Dill yet, now is the time to plant it in your garden.

Read more about Dill

Did you know Cayenne Pepper is considered a Superfood?

It is one of the most incredible plants because of all its health benefits.

Just to mention a few ways Cayenne pepper may benefit you:

• Boosts your metabolism and assists in burning more calories
• Improves hearth health and increases circulation
• Relieves pain and inflammation

It is the season to grow your own Cayenne Pepper, add some to your food and feel the benefits it may give you.

Read more about Chilies.

Are you battling to grow a healthy Parsley plant and missing out on all the flavour and natural nutrition ?

You can also have success with Parsley by following our “Secrets to Success” :

1. Plant in an area of the garden where it gets at least 4 hours direct morning sun
2. Place an organic mulch around the plants to ensure you keep the soil moist and prevents drying out – dry soil being the biggest enemy
3. Feed with an organic fertilizer at least once a month to ensure healthy roots and leaves

Give it a try and enjoy some Homegrown Parsley !

To give parsley its due here are 10 ways to use it – in addition to its ability to pretty-up a dish.

Lemon Balm tea is thé trendy tea to make this summer.

You can have it as an iced tea or warm.

To make Lemon Balm Tea:

1. Add 3-4 Tbsp of chopped up Lemon Balm leaves to a medium sized pot
2. Add boiled water and steep for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Serve with honey.

Enjoy your own healing tea with Homegrown Lemon Balm !

Using freshly picked Spinach is not only rewarding, it is also beneficial to your health.

Spinach contains both Vitamin C and Iron.

Iron is absorbed easier when taken with Vitamin C.

Spinach is easy to grow and a natural source of essential vitamins and minerals.

To enjoy Organic, Homegrown Spinach ... discover the secret of successful herb and vegetable gardening !

Have the following on hand to make your Chimichurri sauce:

• 1 cup fresh coriander leaves, lightly packed
• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, lightly packed
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons onion or shallots, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped oregano
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoons chili pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground

Combine all the ingredients and blend with a high-powered blender until you have a smooth sauce.

Put it aside and allow the sauce to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes for the flavours to develop.

Use at your heart’s content.