Fragrance has the ability to instantly lift our spirits or transport us into a calmer space. It is believed that the sense of smell was our first sense; part of our ‘old brain’ (that’s hopefully since evolved) and it is not controlled by will or reason. Like the fight or flight response, what we smell […]
Most gardens have a pathway and generally we think of it as being necessary to get us from one area to another. But, what if that pathway was also a fragrant, sensory experience every time we walked along it? A perfumed pathway that is easy to maintain can be created with varieties of creeping thyme. […]
Shade Gardening Living in build-up areas presents its own challenges to growing fresh herbs and vegetables. For many gardeners, the optimum conditions most vegetables and herbs prefer—eight to 10 hours of full sun—just aren’t possible. This can be due to trees or shadows from nearby buildings. Luckily, shade doesn’t have to prohibit gardeners from growing […]
Salad Burnett Salad burnet is an interesting herb to grow in your herb garden with its fern-like leaves, but even more importantly it’s an easy to grow, useful herb. Its leaves taste much like cucumber, and can be used whole in salads or chopped into soups and other dishes. Burnet does not dry well, but […]
Herb focus: Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) This is an amazing multipurpose herb. Besides its cleansing and tonic actions, Lemon Balm is a stress relieving herb that lifts the spirits, reduces anxiety and depression, relieves indigestion which usually accompanies stress, and is supposed to encourage a clear head. Lemon Balm does not dry or store well […]
The Family Garden Our demanding lifestyles desperately need a garden space to add quality to family life. • Spend quality time together to grow and harvest food for the table. It is during these informal and relaxing time periods that you can have a relaxed conversation and do creative problem solving, • Garden spaces also […]
Container Herb Gardening Container gardening is a great way to grow plants, vegetables and herbs without needing a lot of space. Herbs do especially well and can be grown right outside your kitchen door. In this video, you’ll learn how to use an old farmer’s market basket to make a great container garden. Fill it […]
Picking Basil Basil is a summer herb that needs regular harvesting to ensure that the plant stays short, compact and produce an abundance of tasty leaves. In this demo you will see where to cut the stems to ensure new growth and a succession of leaves. This way you will get the most out of […]
Garden Ideas Give the following some thought: • Start planting more companion plants in your garden. Companion plants improve the growth of other plants, making them less susceptible to diseases. They attract beneficial insects and birds, keeping pests away from your edibles and ornamentals. This way you will not only be able to have a […]
Winter Solstice On 21 June it is the shortest day and the longest night – the deepest point of winter. From now on the days will get longer and the nights shorter as we start heading for the 2011 Spring season. Although still cold, it is a very good time to start planning your herb […]