See that home landscape right there just ahead-the small front yard has a fine carpet of lawn, a couple shade trees, a low hedge beside the walk, and traditional evergreen foundation plantings-you've seen it repeated endlessly up and down the streets of most "typical" American towns. Not exactly herbal, some would say.
But wait a second, this landscape is different. What are those plants? The small lawn is chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) which has cosmetic, medicinal, and culinary uses-the blossoms are nice for brewing a late evening cup of tea. Of course, the lawn is small because chamomile requires more care than lawn grasses. The trees? One is a linden (Tilia platyphyllos) which has edible young leaves that can also be brewed for tea; the other is a silver birch (Betula pendula) which has a variety of uses, including the production of green and yellow dyes from its leaves. The low, evergreen hedge is hedge germander (Teucrium chamaedrys) which has been used medicinally since ancient Greek times. And the foundation planting-bring along the tonic water-is juniper (Juniperus communis) whose berries are used to flavor gin, as well as marinades and meats.
So what is an herb (usually stated as "an erb" if you're an American or as "a herb" if you're English)? The most simple, and perhaps the most ancient, definition of an herb is that it is a useful plant. Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary; however, defines an herb as: "...a plant...valued for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic qualities," thus excluding most timber trees and most fruit, grain, and vegetable plants.
Some unexpected herb plants include forsythia (Forsythia suspensa) the fruits of which are used for acute infectious diseases such as mumps, cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) used in cosmetics and fresh cool slices soothe tired eyes, and hot peppers (Capsicum annuum var. annuum) which provide capsicum-the "hot stuff" in Ben'Gay(r) and other ointments.
But back to the landscape. On the south side of the house, adjacent to the barbecue, is a neatly bordered planting of kitchen herbs. The border is made of two herbal varieties: basil (Ocimum basilicum var. minimum) which has very small, pungent leaves and grows to a height of only 6 to 12 inches; and chives (Allium schoenoprasum) which has edible stems and blossoms with a mild onion flavor.
The plantings in the bed are arranged by height, the tallest in the back. Showing are garden thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and lemon thyme (Thymus x citriodorus), the latter an excellent choice with poultry or fish. Lending an airy touch of coppery foliage near the back is bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) the leaves of which are also a flavorful addition to fish dishes. And there, in the shady back corner is an imposing eight-foot lovage plant (Levisticum officinale) which adds a strong celery flavor to soups, stews, and salads.
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