Are you going to Scarborough Fair?

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

Any child of the seventies remembers those lyrics from Simon and Garfunkle. Until a few summers ago, they were just words in a song. Well, I knew parsley as a garnish used in restaurants.

And then I planted an herb garden and discovered the wonderful world of fresh herbs. Because of my leg being in a cast, I haven't been able to plant annual flowers like I normally do, so my gardening has been limited to the herbs. I sweltered in Sunday's sun and cleaned out the dead foliage to tidy up the place.

This first photo shows my lavender, sage and thyme. I've been harvesting the lavender blossoms, drying them and when I have enough I'll made a nice sachet for my undies drawer. I use the sage and thyme for cooking.


Here is rosemary and oregano. This rosemary plant started as a six-inch plant from Lowe's. At one point it had taken over the whole end of the bed and grown tall enough to reach the bottom of the window above it. Last year I pruned it way back and you can see I still have plenty of plant. It's an evergreen and can be used as an ornamental shrub. I've even seen it coaxed into shapes as a topiary.

All these herbs are perennial though only the rosemary and lavender keep their leaves through the winter.


This is a black swallowtail caterpillar and it's the reason I stopped growing parsley. A family of these infested my herb garden two summers ago and in one afternoon they stripped the plant of every leaf. I tried planting decoy parsley in another part of the yard, but I didn't fool them. He's pretty in an ugly sort of way, isn't he?




Newspaper and magazine articles have been publishing articles touting the qualities of superfoods like pomegranates, avocadoes, kiwi, broccoli, walnuts and sweet potatoes. But I recently came across an article that told me I had a regular little health clinic in my backyard. Here's what I've learned.

Rosemary, aside from smelling and tasting wonderful, has been used as a brain tonic in China for years. It also aids digestion and boosts the immune system. I like to cut a few long stalks and put them in a bud vase on my desk just for the smell. If you have a wood-burning fireplace, you can toss a sprig of rosemary into the fire to release the aromas into the room.

Oregano can be steeped in hot water and the vapors inhaled when you have a cold. These vapors have antibacterial, antiviral and decongestant qualities. I'm definitely going to try that next winter.

Sage can increase oxygen to the brain and improve concentration and is also a digestive aid.

Chives (growing a few feet away but not pictured) contain vitamin C and potassium, calcium, iron and folic acid. Sprinkle them on a baked potato to not only add flavor but give you the benefits of these vitamins and minerals.

If you don't have a place outside to grow herbs, most can be grown in pots in a sunny window.

Got herbs? Use herbs? Tell me.

P.S. Keep sending in those questions to playgroundmonitor@writingplayground.com.