Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Herbs

Our herbs are thriving in this hot summer weather. In fact, they're growing better than anything else in our garden right now. Chamomile, lemon balm, mint, thyme, basil and laurel intermingle with each other filling the air with a mixture of exotic scents...

I love the heady whiff I get every time I walk by…

If you let your herbs be, they would gift you with flowers too. Early this spring I decided to plant chamomile. I had never planted chamomile before and I’m so loving it… the fragrance, the delicacy of the plant itself, the imagery of chamomile growing wild in sunny areas, along fences, along country roads and fields… but best of all, the flowers; which resemble lovely miniature daisies—white little flowers with yellow centers. How sweet!

I’m planning on potting some of my chamomile so I can bring them closer to the house; to the porch, and enjoy them all summer. I wonder if chamomile is a perennial. Will it come back? Do you know?

You can also use your herbs to dress up salads and vegetables, as well as to add flavor. But of course, you already knew that, right! I’ve planted nasturtiums this year too. Didn’t know they were such a proliferous plant. They have taken all over the herb beds.

I’ve found out that rosemary it really is a shrub. It’s a sturdy plant that will come up every year and, did you know that mint grows lovely purple flowers? They do!

I will have to prune our herb beds sooner than soon to keep them in check, as they're starting to look kind of messy right now, but for now herbs are replacing my usual rose bouquets around the house... Yeap, I'm bringing some of my herb inside!

Making herb bouquets. Simple, yet lovely.

One in the kitchen...

...and one in our bedroom! Any idea what type of herb this is? Go ahead, give it your best shot! ;)

Can you believe this is cilantro? Yeap! I love how the dainty little white flowers match the decoration in my white bedroom...

And you would think the whole room smells like a kitchen in full dinner swing, right? Nay! Just a faint scent if you have a great sense of smell... but not otherwise. Cilantro tends to lose its power once they grow flowers.

Here's a dainty mint bouquet in pink vintage vase... love it!

Oh, and I love this little posie of nasturtiums here… love the deep orange color and white ironstone… so cottagey!

I wonder what you might be doing right this moment... collecting herbs from your own garden perhaps? Whatever you do and whatever you're doing, may you find joy, peace and understanding...

Hugs

11 comments:

  1. I am not with Herb this evening but I did just plant kisses on three little flowers that went off to bed a bit ago. I love your herbs and all your plantings. Do you grow Sweet Annie? It, too, is an herb but harder to find. Once you smell it, you will never forget it...and it is a great flower filler in vases- xo Diana

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  2. I envy your nasturtiums. I had some in the spring and early summer, but they have totally whithered in our triple digit heat this July -- our nights stay very hot, too, which is what I think is really hard on the plants, along with the drought. But my rosemary, lemon verbena, lemon balm, and oregano are all thriving. Right now everything is kind of on life support until they can get their second lease on life with the cooler air of autumn in late September.

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  3. Dear NanaDiana: "Sweet Annie"--what a lovely name. It surely sounds magical. Will have to do some research on it. Thank you, and oh please, would you kiss your three lovely little flowers for me too! ;) Thanks for stopping by. Seeing you here makes me happy!

    Sweet dreams.

    Cielo

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  4. I love herbs, and I agree, the flowers are lovely. Perfect!
    Nancy
    http://wildoakdesigns.blogspot.com

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  5. I love herbs and have a few in my garden.We call cilantro coriander here and I love its delicate leaves and flowers and fragrance.Your pics are so pretty.Love Jill xx

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  6. thanks for this post! I used to grow chamomile but forgot all about it over the years. It does smell amazing, too.

    xox

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  7. Hello Cielo, Yes! Chamomile is a perennial! Wonderful herb. Yours look beautiful - delicious in their arrangements!
    I am just getting back to visiting - our family had been struck by a stomach bug and I am now just feeling human. I thank God for those days when I feel good - don't want to take a beautiful day for granted! I hope you're having a Delightsome day and weekend!
    Hugs,
    Kathy

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  8. Oh, I could literally smell the goodness of this pretty post. I want to tell you... My sweet grandmother raised nasturtiums and decorated her summer salads with them.... So pretty and crisp. I used to follow her to her flower garden and laugh when she popped the orange blossoms in her mouth! Then my other grandma and I loved chamomile and sassafras teas. We raised the chamomile, but no luck with sassafras. Such an evocative walk in your pretty home and garden. Our flowers, yard, trees, and crops are toasty brown... Such a sorry summer!

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  9. Wow, cannot believe the magic and wonder of your blog... it is filled with all the things that bring about a sense of calm & escape... thank you for being so amazing!

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  10. I never complain when I am working in my herb garden. The scent is the most wonderful reward. I have started cutting alot of mine back. My Comfry was huge. Cut it to the ground and it's already 12 or so inches high. I love Lemon Balm but it will seed everywhere if you let it. Chamomile is a perennial, but doesn't always come back in the same place. I think it must just reseed. Seems like I always plant my Cilantro too early for my tomatoes. Then I too am gifted with the white flowers. Thought I'd plant it later this year and guess what? Yup, it didn't happen. Love how you have displayed your herbs. I need to bring more inside for a sweet reward.
    Hugs,
    Jann

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  11. What a wonderful idea! I never thought of making a bouquet of herbs. I'm going to do that!

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