The potager garden is the ultimate marriage of function and form: row upon row of rainbow vegetables intertwined with fragrant herbs whose gentle whispers dance upon the breeze. This will be candy for not only the stomach but also perfume for the nose and balm for the soul. Take a fragrant tour of herbs that add scent and taste to your kitchen garden.
At number one in our perfumy hit parade comes lavender. Just imagine for a moment a languid afternoon in Provence, and right at the center of it, at the heart of that beautiful sun-drenched memory, there is lavender. In terms of plot, it’s almost as if this herb wore perfume. But here is the thing: not everything is taken in by its appearance. Be it in desserts, or even adding a spritz in lemonade, lavender presents that floral note-subtle, not intrusive. Thus, never underestimate the lavender sugar cookie‘s magical capability to take one up and away to house-of-heaven gastronomical highs.
Basil: Now with a touch of pepperiness, basil is just that sort of thing-the very sight of which automatically evokes the image of that brisk, chirpy friend who just lights up your day. The spice-sweet aroma, along with the versatility of this herb, keeps it handy in the kitchen. A fistful in a tomato salad, a sandwich, or blend into a mouth-watering pesto-just think of a caprese salad without it; impossible, isn’t it?
Mint: No potager setting is complete without it. Fresh as the breeze from a cool sea, mint marries into all summer drinks and light salads and even gets invited to the dessert table: Pair mint with chocolate-the result is refreshing in homemade mojitos, lounging with aplomb in the great outdoors.
Thyme would be the folkloric dope. This modest herb brings that deep, rich earthiness alive, anchoring sauces, soups, and roasties. Immediately, the story of Tantalus comes into my mind. Poor bloke could’ve done with at least a good roast with thyme on it. Ideal for them wanting their meals to speak to depth but not bellow it from the rooftops.
And of course, rosemary: what’s not to love? Long, spindly needles and an aroma that’ll just about blow your head off – rosemary‘s like a wee, magical tree. Just think of lamb chops steeped in a marinade with this mighty herb, or toss a sprig into a pot of simmering soup. Rosemary makes you feel like you’re cooking in Tuscany.
Sage is like that one wise, elder sibling of herbs; it has robust flavors sometimes that may be a bit bitter, so he’s a spice that needs to be handled with care. Huge payoffs in flavors, man. Just think about it, the warm breath of that frying butter where the sage goes in, poured over pumpkin gnocchi-stuff that is responsible for making dreams come alive.
Of course, there’s always lemongrass, ever refreshing-joy in botanical form. That is that top note rounding up soups, teas, and curries into a real delight. Slice into thin pieces and let the citrus magic explode unrestrained.
Parsley, for all it’s been relegated to garnish status, has that explosively fresh flavor inside. However, this is the case for an argument of a green to take center stage in the garden. It goes with just about everything, from snipping over scrambled eggs, peppering through a salad, and giving the herbal equivalent of a sprinkle of happiness.
The Herbal Whirlwind: Building an Herbal Oasis
This potager will turn this garden into an aromatic experience-really something wondrous and sensual. This is going to be your canvas on which you mix and match scents to create with nature’s colors. And if anybody ever tells you those are just plants, you tell them that’s just ink. As my great aunt used to say, “A garden devoid of aroma is like a silent song.” She was onto something there.
But first, let me speak to the sensory symphony that herbs can become: your garden pictured as an orchestra, each herb adding something to the harmony. Basil dances in harmonious duet with the soft, whispered citrus of lemon balm, and the mint perhaps whisks one away to a summer afternoon-brisk as a breeze on a sweltering day, cool to the senses as diving full-clad into a swimming pool is unexpected, yet revitalizing.
Now, the mission is finding them a place for your perfume orchestra. I must have once stuck those herbs in that nook beside my kitchen window, and man, it was just about like trying to give a rock concert in a broom closet. I’ve since learned my lesson: give ’em all a little bit of breathing room, like the long-winded storyteller who finally found his room at the table on Thanksgiving dinner.
Oddly enough, adding the height and shortness is dramatic. Kinda like a multitiered cake. Just stick the tall guys-rosemary, fennel-toward the back so little guys, soft and gentle, don’t get bullied out for sun time; place the thyme and oregano up front. Little whispers are quite okay with hanging low-like this up as the gossip column of your garden bed.
Watering brings us to another type of dance altogether. Overdo it and your herbs go from a bunch of cats in swimming class-neither pleasant nor productive. A fingertip test will suffice: when the top inch of soil feels dry, it is time for sprinkles.
Now let a pinch of imagination run riot in mixology with herbs. Pairing, if you will, is the art that makes up a fragrant cheese board, so to say. Mixing lavender with lemongrass created that energetic and soothing scent. Of course, too much of anything good and voilà-you merrily dance into a boundless olfactory smorgasbord. Anything will work for containers, from the old boots to retired teapots, right down to the wheelbarrow that has been collecting dust out in the shed, to give homes that can be truly whimsical. The above is contributed from an aunt who was a great believer in reusing and recycling as much as possible, and even she knew where to draw the line-once using her husband’s hat, that is, until he wore it one too many times in the rain. Pruning also tends to prevent the herb from going into unruly wizard mode and thus concentrates flavors. Again, it is like sorting out that ball of yarn: tedious but rewarding. Well, go ahead, don’t be afraid; lavender doesn’t hold grudges if you prune its stems.
