By By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Thyme was an herb I discovered years ago when I was an Agriculture Instructor at a high school.

I had gone to a greenhouse in search of some unique plant material for container arrangements.

As I walked through the greenhouses I brushed up against a plant and found an olfactory heaven.

Thyme is one of those plants that the less your fuss with it the better it does. Also thyme likes dry soil and as a matter of fact wet or damp soils can cause root rot and create a perfect home for ants. Thyme also does well in cracks of rock walls or along stepping stones. It has also been used to create a “thyme lawn” whose aroma when stepped on fills the area with a Mediterranean breeze.

This plant is an aromatic shrub that grows 6-10” in height. The vegetation is gray-green to green that grows on woody stems that produce flowers that range from Read the rest of this entry »

By Sonya Welter

Like all native wildflowers, the anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) provides food and habitat to wildlife.

But anise hyssop has another benefit: the leaves, flowers and seeds can all be used in the kitchen to make tea, sweets or marinades.

Anise hyssop is a perennial that grows about 24 to 36 inches tall and produces spiky purple flowers.

It’s native to most of Canada and northern parts of the United States, and in the wild it grows in upland forests, prairies and thickets. The flowers are a rich source of nectar, and bees love anise hyssop. Butterflies and hummingbirds will also nectar at the flowers.

True to its name, the leaves of anise hyssop have a scent reminiscent of licorice or anise, and the plant is also called “licorice mint.” The leaves can be used dried or fresh to make a spicy herbal tea.

Young leaves add a kick to mesclun salads. The flowers are slightly milder, but they add a bit of Read the rest of this entry »

By Sonya Welter

If you think of parsley as flavorless green flakes that come in a little shaker, you’re in for a big surprise when you try fresh parsley.

Fresh parsley has a bright zing that perks up soups, salads and other savory dishes.

A friend of mine makes pesto with parsley instead of basil; I was hesitant at first, but it is divine over warm or cold cooked pasta with fresh diced tomatoes.

Parsley has the added benefits of being really, really easy to grow, and it adapts well to container culture. Parsley doesn’t seem to mind being crowded, and in the past I’ve crammed an entire packet of seeds in a 12 inch diameter pot, because that was all I had room for. But for better yields and stronger plants, you would ideally want to Read the rest of this entry »

By Sonya Welter

Edible perennials are essential to a permaculture plot, and anyone who wants more food with less work will want to incorporate some perennial herbs into their garden.

Of course, whether or not a plant is a perennial in your garden depends on your USDA hardiness zone.

If you want to try to grow something that’s just above your zone—lavender in zone 4, for example—you can try planting it along the south side of your house, where winter temperatures will stay a little warmer.

Here are some perennial herbs to consider for your garden:

Chives (Allium schoeoprasum)
When I was a kid I liked to chew on the long, thin leaves of chives from the yard. Chives are hardy in zones 3 through 9, and the leaves and purple flowers have a mild oniony flavor. Chives are good to grow under fruit trees, since they’ll repel borers and prevent apple scab. Chives (and other plants in the allium family like onions and garlic) will also deter deer and rabbits.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
The citrus scented leaves of lemon balm make a Read the rest of this entry »

By Sonya Welter

As a born and bred Midwesterner, for most of my life I assumed that rosemary—and, for that matter, every other herb—was a small, compact plant that grew in pots on people’s patios.

So when I went to Spain in college, I was stunned to discover that in its native habitat, rosemary is actually a bushy, aromatic, evergreen hedge that can reach up to six feet tall.

The hotel where I stayed in Toledo was on the edge of town and bordered some open scrub land; the rosemary there may have been intentional landscaping or may have sprouted up on its own, but either way it was a revelation.

In a cold climate Read the rest of this entry »