Herb garden 4189346 225543481 2008-07-14T06:22:00Z KVDP 474861 /* Construction */ {{for|the Celtic folk band of the same name|Herb Garden}} <!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Circular_herb_garden.jpg|frame|A Circular Herb Garden]] --> [[Image:HerbalPatch Lippensgoed Bulskampveld.jpg|thumb|right|150px|A herbal garden at Beernem, Belgium]] [[Image:Domestic herbal patch rectangularpattern.JPG|thumb|right|150px|A domestic herbal patch]] A '''herb garden''' is a [[garden]] dedicated to the cultivation of [[cooking]], [[herbal tea]], [[medicinal]], aromatic, and/or [[magical]] [[herb]]s. ==History== During the [[medieval]] period, monks and nuns developed specialist medical knowledge and grew the necessary herbs in specialist gardens. Typical plants were [[rosemary]], [[parsley]], [[Common sage|sage]], [[marjoram]], [[thyme]], [[mentha|mint]], [[rue]], [[angelica]], [[Bay leaf|bay]], [[oregano]], [[dill]] and [[basil]]. With the advance of medical and botanical sciences in [[Renaissance]] Europe, monastic herb gardens developed into [[botanical gardens]]. The section in which herbs were grown became known as a '''Garden of Simples'''. Herb gardens experienced a revival with the work of the [[United Kingdom|British]] garden historian and horticultural, writer [[Eleanour Sinclair Rohde]] (1882–1950). ==Herb gardens today== ===Purpose=== Today, modern herb gardens may be purely functional or can include a blend of functional and ornamental pants. They are usually only used to flavour food in [[cooking]], hereby sometimes also triggering positive medical side-effects. In addition, plants grown within the garden are sometimes also specifically targeted to cure common [[Herbalism|ilnesses/maladies ]] (eg colds, headaches, anxiety, ...). Especially due to the increase in popularity of [[alternative medicine]], this usage is heavily increasing. Making a medicinal garden however, requires a great number of plants, for each malady one. Finally, herbs grown in herb gardens are also sometimes used to make [[Tisane|herbal teas]] <ref>[http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-an-Herbal-Tea-Garden How to grow a herbal tea garden]</ref>. ===Construction=== Herb gardens may be created which are either rectangular (intermittend and non-intermittend) or circular. The whole (or parts of the design) may also include raised [[Garden bed|bed]]s or boxes. Also, ornamental plants can be used to make a small [[hedge]] to mark the seperation between pathway and herb patch. This can be done trough such plants as [[ligustrum]], [[buxus sempervirens]], or even strong herbs as [[rose hip]], ... Usually, the herb garden is constructed so that easy maintenance (eg [[weeding]]) can be performed. This generally means that (besides putting in place barriers as plants, stones, ...), certain dimensions are respected. For instance the planting plots within the (rectangular) herb patch are usually no wider than 1m-1,5m, so that all of the patch can be reached from the pathway (for weeding). When a intermittend rectangular pattern is used, pathways are layed (of eg 80cm) every 2m (so that the rectangles are 1m by 2m followed by 80cm of pathway). When grass pathways are employed, the path's size is usually set to the lawnmower (eg 80cm-1m). When pathways are made from gravel, ... this is offcourse not required. ===Herbs commonly used=== ====Culinary herbs==== <!--Please expand section --> Popular culinary herbs in temperate climates are to a large extent still the same as in the medieval period, aldough some certain new plants have joined them. These include eg [[borage]], [[horseradish]], [[tarragon]], [[chervil]], ... ====Medicinal herbs==== <!--Please expand section --> Popular medicinal herbs in temperate climates are: * [[echinacea purpurea]], [[salix alba]], [[ginseng]] and siberian ginseng (for cold/headaches and increasing resistance) * [[valerian]], [[californian poppy]], ... (against anxiety) * [[feverfew]] (against headaches) <!--not sure whether it can be grown in temperate climate --> * [[Achillea millefolium|yarrow]], ... (against cuts and bruizes) ====Herbal tea-herbs==== <!--Please expand section --> * [[Mint]] * [[Lavender]] * [[Lemon verbena]] * [[Rose hip]] * [[Bergamot]] * [[Hibiscus sabdariffa]] (to make karkade) <!-- not sure whether it can be grown in temperate climates --> * [[Morjaram]] * [[Jasmine]] * [[Chamomile]] * [[Stevia]] (for sweetening) ==See also== *[[Herbalism]] *[[Apothecary]] ==Gallery== <gallery> Image:Starflower_1.jpg|[[Borage]] is commonly grown in herb gardens; its attractive flowers can be used as a [[garnish (food)|garnish]]. </gallery> ==External links== * [http://www.herbsociety.org/ Herb Society of America] * [http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/collections/herb.html National Herb Garden], [[United States National Arboretum]] * [http://nnlm.gov/pnr/uwmhg/ Medicinal Herb Garden], [[University of Washington]], USA {{gardening-stub}} [[Category:Herb gardens| ]] [[Category:History of medicine]] [[es:Jardín de Hierbas]] [[nl:kruidentuin]] [[ta:மூலிகைத் தோட்டம்]]