A herb for all seasons
Above: The herb garden at RHS Wisley – the perfect place to get a bit of inspiration
When Nicholas Culpeper, the famous 17th century herbalist, wrote his Complete Herbal and English Physician, it was a best-seller for a staggering 250 years. Today, herb growers still flag up the healing properties of their plants, as well as their culinary uses, and here in Surrey, researchers at Kew Gardens are currently busy investigating the science to back the claims.
One of the great things about herbs is that no matter how small your garden, or even if you don’t have one at all, you can still grow them for cooking or infusions. They are accommodating plants that will thrive on window sills, in containers on patios, in formal herb gardens, or allowed to rampage amongst shrubs and herbaceous borders. Use them fresh in summer and then cut them back and hang them up to dry for winter: you will be locking up the flavours of summer to rediscover on a cold January day.
One lady who has been growing herbs with great success for many years is Lesley Drinkwater, of Hunny Corner Cottage Plants, just over the Surrey border in Bracknell. A regular fixture at Guildford Farmer’s Market every month, she sells a wide variety of herbs.
“I have been growing herbs commercially for seven years,” explains Lesley. “I am a biochemist and used to teach sciences so I understand the biology of plants and how the chemicals work. But how to actually grow them is something you learn as you go along – it comes down to experience really.
“As with all plants, you must grow the right one in the right place. All the Mediterranean herbs, such as rosemary, tarragon, oregano, thyme and marjoram, like well drained soil and lots of sun, whereas herbs like mint prefer to have a bit of shade.”
A must in the kitchen... Naturally, Lesley always uses plenty of fresh herbs in her cooking and likes to try out some of the more unusual ones when she can.
“Winter savory has a really strong flavour and is good with courgettes, pulses and rich meat,” she says. “In fact, you can use it as a substitute for salt and pepper.
“Tarragon is wonderful with salmon and chicken, and I use sweet cicely as an alternative to sugar when I am stewing fruit. The leaves were used in England before people had sugar and the flavour is slightly aniseedy. Nobody knows quite how it sweetens things, but the folklore surrounding herbs is fascinating.”
Many and varied uses...
Not surprisingly, Lesley is also a great believer in the healing power of herbs, and has many suggestions for simple cures.
“Feverfew leaves, for example, are used for migraine – just a very little of the leaves in a sandwich – and aloe vera gel, obtained by breaking the leaves, is a remarkable healer,” she continues. “Applied to wounds, it forms a clear protective seal and encourages skin regeneration. It can be applied directly to cuts and burns and is immediately soothing.
“Lemon verbena is the Rolls Royce of lemon-scented plants and a tea last thing at night is refreshing and has mild sedative properties; it can also soothe bronchial and nasal congestion and ease indigestion.
“Some herbs are also packed with minerals and vitamins too; for instance, parsley is rich in vitamins A, B &C and iron.”
Indeed, one of the best things of all about herbs is their enormous versatility. After all, what other plant can you use in medicine, cooking, teas and infusions, and even as an insect repellent or to cover up bad odours?
“Pennyroyal, which has very strong peppermint scent, has all sorts of uses,” says Lesley. “A hot infusion is good for colds as it promotes sweating. Use sparingly in cooking as the flavour is very strong, but it is good in peppermint icing and mint sauce. It also makes an excellent insect repellent, and if you wipe broken leaves across an ant trail, they won’t cross it.
“Sweet woodrough was used in medieval times to freshen houses and cover up bad odours and it makes a very pretty ground cover plant beneath shrubs.”
Storage over winter...
In terms of storing your herbs over winter, excess leaves can readily be dried in the airing cupboard for a few days and then sealed in jars. Alternatively, many freeze well, and basil can be kept in a jar of olive oil.
- Hunny Corner Cottage Plants. For more details, call 01344 455160, email lesleyld@dialstart.net or visit www.hccplants.co.uk. Lesley brings her herbs to Guildford Farmer’s Market on the first Tuesday of every month.
Lesley Drinkwater, of Hunny Corner Cottage Plants, on the Surrey/Berkshire borders, recommends Lovage & Potato Soup as a perfect herby recipe to warm you up in the depths of wintertime.
Lovage & Potato Soup
Ingredients:
- One large onion, peeled, chopped and fried
- 1lb (500g) peeled and diced potatoes
- 1pt (500ml) vegetable or chicken stock
- A large handful of young lovage leaves
- Keep one leaf back for garnish
Method:
- Boil the fried onion, diced potatoes and chopped lovage leaves for 25 minutes in the stock.
- Allow to cool for one minute and then liquidise the mixture, holding back just a few pieces of potato for added texture in the final dish.
- Serve hot, garnished with a small lovage leaf.
Pauline Schwarz and Carol Maybury, from Abinger Common, near Dorking, use fresh herbs in their popular homemade skincare products, Natural Choice. They also enjoy cooking with herbs, too, and their favourite recipe, which they invented themselves, is this rich herby mash.
Herby Mash
Ingredients:
- 2lb peeled and boiled potatoes
- 3oz butter
- 1 egg yolk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbs chopped mixed fresh herbs: thyme, marjoram, parsley, tarragon and chives or whatever you have available in your garden or 2 heaped tsp of dried mixed herbs
- 2oz flaked almonds
Method:
- Mash the potatoes with 2oz of the butter and the egg yolk, mixing in the herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
- Place in a buttered ovenproof dish and cover with flaked almonds topped with knobs of butter.
- Bake at 180º for 30-45 minutes or until the almonds are crispy and brown.
Information:
Natural Choice is based in Abinger Common. Tel: 01306 731231 or email paulines@wintechsurf.com. Their skincare products are on sale at the Kingfisher Flower Shop in Abinger Hammer and Village Greens Farm Shop in Ockley.