What is an Herb?

What is an Herb?

I probably should have posted this before I did my first blog in this series, however I didn't and thought that this would explain somewhat to those who are "newbies" to the gardening world.

I use this as when I am giving a presentation about herbs. Hope you find it educational, enlightening, and inspiring.

According to legend, the Anglo-Latin scholar Alcuin (ca. 732-804) posed this question to his pupil Charlemagne. The King replied, “the friend of physicians and the praise of cooks.”

This response might seem odd to early 21^st  century readers, but Charlemagne’s answer was certainly indicative of his time. By the eighth century, people had been using herbs as medical tools for over four thousand years. Herbalism and medicine were essentially the same practice.

It is no coincidence that Native American historians point out that at this same time, cultures in this land were also using herbs as medicine. When the colonists befriended the natives, their "medicine cabinets" so to say, expanded with new herbal remedies the natives brought to them.

If you were born with diabetes, you did not live long. If an epidemic hit, you lived and died in terror. A minor cut could lead to an amputation. In fact, most accidents proved fatal, it was just a matter of time. So needless to say, medicine has come a very long way since the 18th century and prior to the 18th century. During war times, more soldiers died of disease or infection than actually being mortally wounded in battle.

Needless to say, modern medicine has come a long way. The diseases and infections that we use to die from, herbs have played a major role in benefiting our lives. We’ve learned to appreciate their qualities, ornamentally, culinary, and medicinally. Today, about 50% of our medicines come from herbs, in some way or form.

 So this leads to one of the most frequent questions that customers ask me: What herbs are used for what? Well, herbs can be broken down into three categories: ornamental, culinary and medicinal. Medicinal herbs are what I'm here to talk about today, and hopefully I can give you a few more ideas, and new enlightenment today.

First and foremost, I am not a licensed herbalist, or medical practitioner, so please learn more about these herbs, and check with a health care professional before using them.

Creating your own Herb Garden: Herb Garden Series - Rosemary

Creating your own Herb Garden: Herb Garden Series - Rosemary: Herb Garden Series - Rosemary Hi Everyone, my name is Rose Baker, but you can call me Rosebud as all my friends call me that. I am the own...

Herb Garden Series - Rosemary

Herb Garden Series - Rosemary

Hi Everyone, my name is Rose Baker, but you can call me Rosebud as all my friends call me that. I am the owner of Rosebuds Herbs, Flowers, and More! I grow herbs, flowers, and more, market and sell at the local Farmers' Market and right now is when my work begins. The purpose of this blog is to inform, educate, and hopefully inspire you on gardening.

For most of us, Spring is a time for rejuvenating, for rebirth, and to weed out the old, and in with the new. This means get rid of the plants that didn't live up to our expectations for whatever means there was, whether it required more water than there was available or less water than needed. Here in the South last year we had an extremely wet summer, and then the heat..scorching heat for long periods at the time, so finding the type plant that is suitable for these conditions is extremely important. In this blog, I will be writing about herbs, mainly the problems that rosemary has, as well as the benefits.

The varieties of rosemary are endless. There's Arp which grows well in the south. It grows upright, Creeping Rosemary that has a prostate growth meaning it creeps giving true meaning to the name, there's Tuscan which grows mainly in the Mediterranean countries..there's endless varieties out there.

First the good news, rosemary once established can bring years of beauty and culinary delight in your garden as well as the kitchen. It is easy to grow, and will grow almost everywhere that there's heat for extended periods of time. The benefits are as endless as the varieties out there for sale. First being is the taste. I can't tell you how many times customers have told me that they do not like rosemary for the simple fact that it reminds them of pine needles..yes, it does. However that is when it's dried, not the case when fresh. Rosemary is so tender and flavorful when it's fresh..it freezes well too! Normally they return thanking me for a new found friend.

The next benefit is medicinally. The colonists use to make an oil from rosemary leaves, and used in a compress to relieve painful joints and muscles. It really does work!

Now folks, for the bad news about rosemary. Rosemary does NOT like, alike other herbs, to be fertilized. It will retaliate and die. It likes to have a mixture of gypsum, sand, and pebbles for it's soil mixture. It does not like to have wet feet at all! This doesn't mean you never water it, it likes some water but primarily dry. If you live in an area that gets lots of rain, it will perform better if it's in a pot.

Don't be discouraged about rosemary. There is a rosemary for almost anywhere that you live, whether it's outside or in. It's rewarding to try something new that you've never tried before, it brings therapy to the mind and soul, and isn't that what it's all about!