Favorite Wanted Herbs
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basilgirl
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Apr-24-2005 at 10:58pm on the coattails of the poll, that cool herbs are you all growing? What are your favorites?
Personally, love the basic guys.
But... love Lovage, The neighbor kids love it to. They use the stems as straws! mint marigold seems to have potential,its a tarragon subsitute, Lime thyme, winter savory, guess my list could go on forever, love the use able plants!
Trish
Joined: Jul-23-2003
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Apr-24-2005 at 11:18pm
Here's what's growing in my herb garden:
Agastache ‘Golden Jubilee’
Agastache rugosa Korean hyssop
Allium schoenoprosum chives
Allium sativum garlic
Aloysia triphylla lemon verbena
Artemisia dracunculus French tarragon
Ballota nigra variegatum horehound
Borago officinalis borage
Calamintha grandiflora `Variegatus’
Chamaemelum nobile flora-plena chamomile
Foeniculum vulgare`Rubrum’ bronze fennel
Helichrysum italicum curry plant
Hyssopus officinalis `Pink Delight’ hyssop
Lavandula angustifolia cv. `Croxton’s Wild’
Lavandula angustifolia `Munstead’ lavender
Lavendula x.intermedia `Fred Boutin’ lavender
Lavendula x.intermedia `Grosso’ lavender
Lavendula x.intermedia `Provence’ lavender
Lavendula x.intermedia `Seal’ lavender
Lavendula x.intermedia `Silver Edge’ lavender
Lavandula pinnata buchii `Fernleaf’ lavender
Lavandula stoechas `Otto Quasti’ Spanish lavender
Levisticum officinale lovage
Lippia dulcis “Aztec sweet herb”
Marrubium vulgare white horehound
Melissa officinalis `All Gold’ lemon balm
Mentha aquatica `Eau de Cologne’ mint
Mentha arvensis` Variegata’ ginger mint
Mentha cv. `Sweet Pear’ mint
Mentha piperita `Blue Balsam’ mint
Mentha piperita `Chocolate’ mint
Mentha piperita lavendula `Lavender’ mint
Mentha piperita citrata cv. `Lime’ mint
Mentha piperita `Grapefruit’ mint
Mentha piperita `Officinalis’ peppermint
Mentha requienii Corsican mint
Mentha spicata `Chewing Gum' mint
Mentha spicata `Crispa’ spearmint
Mentha spicata `Silver’ mint
Mentha suaveolens applemint
Mentha suaveolens `Variegata’ pineapple mint
Monarda didyma purple `Marshall’s Delight’
Monarda didyma `Raspberry Wine’ bee balm
Monarda x media purple bee balm
Monarda x media red bee balm
Monarda `Panorama Pink’ bee balm
Nepeta cataria catnip
Nepeta faassenii `Six Hills Giant’ catmint
Nepeta faassenii `Walker’s Low’ catmint
Nepeta nervosa `Blue Carpet’ catmint
Ocimum basilicum `Cinnamon’ basil
Ocimum basilicum `Mammoth’ basil
Ocimum kilimanscharium `African Blue’ basil
Origanum dictamnus Crete dittany
Origanum rotundifolium `Kent Beauty’
Origanum vulgare `Aureum’ golden marjoram
Origanum vulgare `Compactum’ oregano
Origanum vulgare hirtum Greek oregano
Origanum variegata `Tricolor’ marjoram
Pelargonium `Apple Cider’
Pelargonium `Chocolate’
Pelargonium `Fair Ellen’
Pelargonium `French Lace’
Pelargonium `Lady Plymouth’
Petroselinum crispum curled parsley
Poterium sanguisorba salad burnet
Rosmarinus officinalis `Arp’ rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis cv. `Gorizia’
Rosmarinus officinalis `Tuscan Blue’
Rumex sanquineus red-veined sorrel
Salvia elegans `Frieda Dixon’ sage
Salvia elegans `Honey Melon’ sage
Salvia elegans `Pineapple’ sage
Salvia elegans `Tangerine’ sage
Salvia officinalis `Berggarten’ sage
Salvia officinalis `Icterina’ golden sage
Salvia officinalis `Purpurea ’ purple sage
Salvia officinalis `Tricolor’ sage
Stevia rebaudiana sugar leaf
Tanacetum parthenium feverfew
Teucrium prostata creeping germander
Thymus argenteus silver thyme
Thymus x citriodorus `Aureus’ golden lemon
Thymus herba-barona caraway thyme
Thymus sp. `Pinewood’ thyme
Thymus `Pink Ripple’ thyme
Thymus praecox arcticus cv.`Pink Chintz’ thyme
Thymus pulegoides cv. creeping red thyme
Thymus pulegoides `Doone Valley’variegated lemon
Thymus pulegoides coccineus `Coconut’ thyme
Thymus serphyllus `Orange Balsam’ thyme
Thymus vulgaris cv. `Italian oregano’ thyme
Thymus vulgaris `Lime’ thyme
Valeriana officinalis `Arterner Zuchtung’
I like "smelly" plants.
basilgirl
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Apr-25-2005 at 12:03am
i have to say you like your species. Lots of nice plants thanks!
Wanda
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Apr-25-2005 at 9:43am
Trish - you've got so many smelly plants! How do you keep them all straight? I hope you didn't have to type all those in - you must have a database or list you could cut and paste! Or maybe you just type them in from memory!
Now we need recipes to go with all these smellies!
I just recently bought that fernleaf lavander - I love it's leaves! I'm intrigued by the Lippia dulcis. You've certainly given me a long list to research!
-Wanda
Trish
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Apr-25-2005 at 9:51am
Recipes? Wanda, with all my gardening duties, I don't have time to COOK.
I had to buy more fernleaf lavender; it's tender here, but I so love the foliage.
Just bought the Lippia on a whim at a plant sale Friday. Came home and researched it and see that although it's 1000 times sweeter than sugar, its use as a sweetener is discouraged for health reasons.
And yes, I'd just updated "the list" after I went shopping Friday.
basilgirl
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Apr-25-2005 at 11:51am
I see you have many bee balm varieties. Have you tried the lemon bergamont? Pretty cool, this is my first year with it.
As for the African Blue basil, i hear the flavor is not the same as normal basil. What do you think about the flavor? And do you find it to be a perennial for you?
Trish
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: Apr-25-2005 at 1:59pm
When I only grew African Blue basil, I thought the flavor was fine. When I grew other varieties, I realized that I prefer the flavor of the green basils.
Last year, we grew Lettuce Leaf basil, which was my son's favorite, and Aussie Sweetie basil, which was my favorite. Other varieties we grew were Lemon, Mini Purple, Purple Ruffles, Spicy Globe, Sweet Italian, Cinnamon, and Thai basil. I don't have room to grow so many varieties -- they shaded each other and failed to thrive.
I still grow African Blue every year and let it bloom. I like its looks and I like its scent. I take cuttings in the fall to overwinter in my garage. Plants left in the ground usually die, and the ones that survive are woody and anemic.
I haven't grown the lemon bergamont. I like Monarda because it draws hummingbirds. I'm now replacing my older plants with mildew-resistant varieties.
bakingbarb
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: Apr-25-2005 at 9:03pm
Trish, I am in serious awe.
~BakingBarb
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Apr-27-2005 at 6:58pm
Trish, I am also in Serious Awe! That is an incredible herb garden!
Barb
Red Hare
Location: Oregon coast
Posted: May-13-2005 at 11:45am
Wow!
I haven't heard of Lippia, but I know of Stevia, whose leaves are sweet. I haven't heard that you shouldn't eat it. I think Stevia is zero calories, too, or maybe I was just dreaming that part.
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: May-14-2005 at 6:50am
I love roesmary, mint, sage, bay, dill, thyme, and basil. My ground is too wet in the winter so I have to grow most of them in pots. Wet winter soil really can kill some plants that are quite cold hardy. I guess I just have to see it for myself before I can believe it sometimes.
I finally got sage to overwinter by growing it in a large wood container whose bottom had rotted out. At least I still found a use for that container. I had read about the African blue basil, that it was perennial and more cold tolerant, but when I tasted it I was very disappointed with the taste, it is no way as good tasting as the sweet Itailian. We finally got a way to grow basil, we got a free tiered wire rack, built wood boxes to fit in it, and either have it on the driveway pointing south or next to the west side of the garage. We get enough for a pesto meal once a week and a few meals to freeze. Basil can be very frustrating to grow till you finally realize it really needs warmth and that can mean July around our place. Basilgirl, I read your rule of over 40 degrees for 2[or was it 4?] weeks, so about what time is it in your area usaully?
Does the mint marigold really taste like tarragon? I have a friend who grows tarragon sucessfully next to the west side of her house, under wide eaves, in sandy soil, but I haven't had much luck even in a pot. I like it in a green salad with feta cheese and walnuts.
Fern
basilgirl
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: May-14-2005 at 6:01pm
Bummer you cant get the tarragon to grow. The mint marigold is not a flavorful, but a good substitute.
Did i say over 40? Shouldn't have! Over 50! I still am not selling basil at market. Think I may start next week, we'll see how there growing.
I dont heat them, so they tell me when its warm enough, but above 50, consistantly! Cool weather just stunts growth, kills, and changes flavor. Sugar-to-starch. And for those who just love the flavor, can usually taste it.
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: May-14-2005 at 7:10pm
You're right, you did say above 50 degrees in the " Too early to put out seedlings?" thread. I thought that sounded like a good rule. I usaully tell people that it comes from India and it's only happy above 70 degrees. We got our first large shipment of basil at our nursery this week and so far it hasn't died. You wouldn't believe[or maybe you would!] the number of people who wanted it earlier. It's hard for the nursery business to not have a plant to sell that people want just because it's best for them not to buy it yet, because they might just go buy it somewhere else. I just hope they remember our warning and appriciate that we want them to be successful. I'm not joking, a big box store was advertizing, on a mass mailer that went out to everyone, basil on sale 6 weeks ago! I couldn't believe it and went there to check it out. They didn't have any for sale. I don't know what they told their customers.
Maybe that's why everyone wanted them.
Low and behold, I saw they had gotten in the mint marigold [ it was called Mexican marigold but it was the Tagetes lucida, I'm probably not spelling it right] for the first time at the nursery I work at today. I was pretty impressed with the smell and taste, I might try it. Too bad it's an annual and slug prone, but maybe I could save the seeds.
Fern
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: May-14-2005 at 7:19pm
P.S. I haven't bought our own basil yet. I'm still going to wait a couple of weeks.
Fern
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton