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THE DOMINICAN REFLECTION CENTER The word Herb conjures up a myriad of images, memories, and emotions. Herbs have been enjoyed and used throughout history in all cultures and regions of the world and they continue to delight and serve us in many different ways. In this workshop, I will briefly cover some of the ways in which herbs grace our lives but since this is an Art Day, our primary focus will be the creation of an herbal craft. Some of the ways herbs are used: Growing, Harvesting, and Storing Herbs As a generalization, most herbs fall into two categories regarding growing culture, hot and dry or semi-shady and moist.
For herbs that prefer hot and dry conditions, select a sunny location with well draining soil. It is rare to be successful growing these herbs in a north-facing garden or in heavy clay soil. It is best to plant in a west, south or east facing planting bed. To ensure good drainage, dig the soil deeply and mix in some compost. If the existing soil is mostly clay, dig deeply and mix sand and compost with the native soil. Water the herbs deeply but infrequently. For herbs that prefer moist partial shade, a north facing bed is ideal. You can also observe where the naturally shaded areas are in your garden, such as behind or along the north side of large shrubs. Planting under trees is usually not ideal since these areas tend to be quite dry. The tree roots quickly soak up any moisture leaving the top one foot of soil very dry. Harvesting and Preserving: Harvest herbs often from spring to late summer in order to encourage bushy full growth in your herbs. Snip leaves sparingly throughout the cold winter months so as to avoid encouraging tender new growth that could be damaged by the cold. Cut or pinch plants slightly above the point where leaves grow out from the stem. New leaves will sprout from this point. It is best to cut back the softer stems and avoid cutting back to the very woody stems in such plants as lavender and rosemary. If cut back too severely, these more woody herbs will not put out a flush of new growth. As a general rule, cut no more than one-third of the plant. Harvest flowers just before they fully open. Both leaves and flowers can be hung up in a dry, dark place in bundles secured with rubber bands. This allows for shrinkage and holds the herbs securely. Sunlight will cause the herbs to fade. There are other methods of preserving herbs, which are detailed in the resources I've listed. Storing: Store in air-tight containers away from direct sunlight. Label so as to avoid confusion later, and note the date. Many herbs keep their flavor and scent for a year or two, although some like dried basil last only about six months. For a special look, tie herbs in small bunches with colorful ribbons and hang around the house. These tend to get dusty and faded though so keep some herbs stored in containers for culinary uses. The Language of Flowers and Herbs Throughout history, meanings and symbols have been attached or associated with particular flowers and herbs. For example, a rose is a familiar way to communicate love. Although there are some variations as to the 'language' of each flower or herb, the following meanings were found listed in various books and resources. (A resource list follows at the end).
Bee Balm - virtue Herbal Crafts Nosegays, or tussie mussies as they are also called, were commonly made and carried by American women at the turn of the century to mask unpleasant odors due to surrounding poor sanitation. This practice of holding the small fragrant bouquet to the nose and - sniffing resulted in the name nosegay. Another use I've read about is some American colonists were known to carry tussie mussies to church. These were made of a combination of herbs that could be nibbled on to stay awake during long sermons.1 Whether to sniff or to nibble, nosegays are a delightful and simple use for the beautiful array of herbs found in the garden. I am grateful to the Creator of such beauty and delight, and I pray that we honor our earth by joyfully tending these companions. May we learn from what she offers to teach us through her herbal gifts. 1 Rodale's Illustrated Gardening and Landscaping Techniques, Rodale Press, 1990 p.157 RESOURCES Books: Preus, Mary. Growing Herbs. Cascadia Gardening Series for the Maritime Northwest Gardener. Sasquatch Books, 1994.
Michalak, Patricia S. Rodale's Successful Organic Gardening: Herbs. Rodale Press, 1993.
Websites: Cheryl Ginter, Gardening With Herbs Workshop
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